Does replication of Avamar / Data Domain require a NDMP Node at the destination site to browse replicated backup files?

to be clear you are talking about a backup directly to DataDomain from a server via a CIFS......

being Replicated to another DataDaomin grid in another location.

1) this is not handeled by Avamar - Avamar does its files only (if they land on the Avamar grid or the DataDomain grid)

2) you set up Replication Via the DataDomain gui for the backups that go directly to it.

now assuming that you have done this.

Then you just need to make a share on the other remote grid so you can see the copies over there  - they will be read only.

so say you have a /data/col1/SQL_DDlocal/myserver  on DDlocal

you created a cifs for that called myserverDD

myserver backups up to the cifs

now create a sare on DDlocal for /data/col1/SQL_DDlocal  and set up the permissions so you can see it from your pc

\\DDlocal\SQL_DDlocal

now you see the original backups for all of the dirs in the SQl_DDlocal folder

now go to DDremote and setup  a share /data/col1/SQL_DDlocal

\\DDremote\SQL_DDlocal

this will allow you to see the copies on the remote grid.

now if that is needed for a restore you would have to create a cifs on the DDremote

/data/col1/SQL_DDlocal/myserver  (this would be a read only - exporting it out to a server over there for restore).

I hope that is somewhat clear.