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Exam Information
Official specifications published by Veritas
Exam Format
105 min
75-85
65%
Specialist
Registration
$225 USD
Pearson VUE or online proctoring
No waiting period for first retake, 7 days for subsequent retakes
Validity
3 years
Pass the current version NetBackup Administrator exam; Pass any higher-level Veritas certification exam; Complete continuing education requirements
VCS-278 Exam Topics and Domains
VCS-278 is organized into 7 weighted domains. Expect to work with Activity Monitor Service, Catalog Backup Service, Client Deduplication Plugin, Client Service, and more.
1
NetBackup Architecture and Core Components
15%
NetBackup Architecture
Master Server ComponentsMedia Server Components
- Understand NetBackup architecture and components
- Configure master and media server relationships
- Implement high availability configurations
2
Backup Policies and Configuration
20%
Policy Configuration
Policy TypesSchedule Configuration
- Create and configure backup policies
- Define appropriate schedules and retention
- Configure backup selections and exclusions
Host Properties
Global Attributes
- Modify NetBackup behavior using host properties
- Configure client and server attributes
- Optimize job performance settings
3
Storage Configuration and Management
18%
Storage Units
Disk Storage UnitsTape Storage Configuration
- Configure various storage unit types
- Manage tape libraries and drives
- Implement storage optimization strategies
Deduplication
MSDP ConfigurationClient-Side Deduplication
- Configure Media Server Deduplication Pools
- Optimize deduplication performance
- Monitor deduplication rates and efficiency
4
Storage Lifecycle Policies (SLP)
15%
SLP Configuration
SLP OperationsSLP Windows
- Create and manage Storage Lifecycle Policies
- Configure duplication and replication operations
- Implement data lifecycle management
Auto Image Replication (AIR)
AIR ConfigurationDisaster Recovery with AIR
- Configure Auto Image Replication between domains
- Implement disaster recovery strategies
- Monitor and troubleshoot replication
5
Catalog Management and Protection
12%
Catalog Backup
Catalog Policy ConfigurationCatalog Archiving
- Configure catalog backup policies
- Implement catalog protection strategies
- Perform catalog recovery procedures
6
Virtual Machine Protection
10%
VMware Integration
VMware Policy ConfigurationVMware Restore Operations
- Configure VMware backup policies
- Optimize VMware backup performance
- Perform various restore operations
Hyper-V Protection
Hyper-V Configuration
- Configure Hyper-V backups
- Troubleshoot Hyper-V issues
- Restore Hyper-V virtual machines
7
Monitoring and Troubleshooting
10%
Activity Monitor
Job Monitoring
- Monitor backup job activity
- Analyze job failures
- Identify performance issues
Reports and Logs
OpsCenter ReportingLog Files
- Generate and analyze reports
- Use log files for troubleshooting
- Monitor system health
How do I earn this certification?
Passing VCS-278 earns the Veritas Certified Specialist (VCS) - NetBackup 8.1.2 certification. It sits in the Data Protection track.
Current Level Exams
- VCS-278 - Administration of Veritas NetBackup 8.1.2
- VCS-279 - Administration of Veritas NetBackup 8.1.2 and NetBackup Appliances 3.1.2 Includes appliance administration
Next Level Options
- VCP-DPA - Veritas Certified Professional - Data Protection Administration
- VCS-284 - Veritas NetBackup 10.x Administrator Upgrade to current NetBackup version
Alternative Paths
- VCS-285 - Veritas NetBackup 10.x and NetBackup Appliance 5.x AdministratorCombined NetBackup and appliance expertise
- VCS-326 - Backup Exec 20.x Administrator SMB backup solution expertise
- VCS-325 - Backup Exec 16 Administration Alternative backup product knowledge
- VCS-413 - Administration of Veritas eDiscovery Platform 8.2 for AdministratorsComplementary data management skills
Practice with Precision
The PlanetCert Simulator mirrors the real exam environment with authentic questions and timed pressure.
How to study for this exam?
The most effective way to prepare for VCS-278 is by using the PlanetCert Simulator to practice questions and review detailed explanations.
What's changed on this exam?
Current Status
- LIKELY_REPLACED
- Last content update: 2018-08-01
Updates
- NetBackup Web UI 10.x Replaces Java GUI in newer versions • Release date: 2022-03-01
- NetBackup Flex Scale 3.0 New scale-out appliance architecture • Release date: 2023-06-01
- NetBackup CloudCatalyst 2.0 Enhanced cloud storage integration • Release date: 2023-09-01
- Malware Scanning 1.0 New security feature for backup verification • Release date: 2024-03-01
Who should take this exam?
This exam is typically taken by Backup Administrators and System Administrators.
- 6-9 months experience administering NetBackup 8.1.x
- Completion of NetBackup 8.1.2 Administration course
- Hands-on experience with backup and recovery operations
- Understanding of storage technologies and virtualization
What jobs can I get with this?
NetBackup Administrator
Backup and Recovery Specialist
Data Protection Engineer
Storage Administrator
Infrastructure Engineer