Forum Discussion

MIXIT's avatar
MIXIT
Level 6
13 years ago

BE 2010R3: Can I import media from HP Data Protector Express?

Hi all.  Just covering my bases here.  I have never tried importing media into BE from another backup software before.  I have a client with an old and a new server.  Old server has 2003 and HP Data Protector Express, backing up to LTO2 tapes.  Upon purchasing the new server I ensured to put in a controller compatible with the older LTO2 drive in case that ever had to be connected to the new server.  New server has an LTO5 drive on it. 

I believe the LTO5 is read-compatible with LTO2 media but since I've already switched the scsi cable from the old server to the new, I thought I'd try to get this LTO2 drive showing in BE so I can try this Import Media feature. 

Having never done this before, I am hoping somebody can advise on things to do or not to do. 

The LTO2 dirvce is connected but not showign yet, my guess is I need to reboot the server to get this U320-attached drive to show, and probably somehow install drivers for it in BE too.   Does that sound right? 

Thank you! 

2010
Backup and Recovery
Backup Exec
  • teiva-boy's avatar
    teiva-boy
    13 years ago

    LTOx can read/write one level back and read-only two levels back.

    Sadly LTO5 cannot read your LTO2.

    Add to that, BackupExec cannot read the HP Data Protector format. 

    You will have to use HP DataProtector to restore the media you want to then use BackcupExec to back it up to the new tape format.

     

    I would find out from the business if it's acceptable that you only restore perhaps quarterlies and yearlies from HP DP, and then back those up via BackupExec.

  • teiva-boy's avatar
    teiva-boy
    Level 6
    13 years ago

    LTOx can read/write one level back and read-only two levels back.

    Sadly LTO5 cannot read your LTO2.

    Add to that, BackupExec cannot read the HP Data Protector format. 

    You will have to use HP DataProtector to restore the media you want to then use BackcupExec to back it up to the new tape format.

     

    I would find out from the business if it's acceptable that you only restore perhaps quarterlies and yearlies from HP DP, and then back those up via BackupExec.

  • MIXIT's avatar
    MIXIT
    Level 6
    13 years ago

    You sir, are correct.  I have been trying to get the media recognized in BE but it won't do it.  I vaguely recall dealing with some silly HP license key stuff for DPE back a few years ago when I first put it on their old server.  I'm currentlydownloadsint the DPE v5 ISO from hp.com, I really hope I can avoid having to call them for some licese key which I'm sure by now is obsolete or expireid or something. 

    Also, here's an issue:  BE is installed on the host machine (2008 R2 Ent.).  There are some VM's with 2008R2 Std on here.  Can i install DPE on a VM or will it have problems seeing the U320 scsi tape drive? 

    BE on the host had no problem finding the drive thankfully.  Now if I cannot put DPE on a VM here, can I put it on the host and it not completeoly screw up BE and tape drive driver bindings and all that? 

  • teiva-boy's avatar
    teiva-boy
    Level 6
    13 years ago

    I would not recommend you install two backup apps at the same time.  However I have done it with CA ArcServe and NetBackup.  

    I stopped all CA services, installed NBU and was able to take control of the tape unit.  I was able to stop all NBU services and start ArcServe and do what I needed.  

    A VM backup server with tape access always depends...  If you can get VMware to recognize all the hardware, generally you are good to go and Windows will find everything.  Is it supported by HP, probably not.

  • MIXIT's avatar
    MIXIT
    Level 6
    13 years ago

    Turns out the only real option I had was to put DPE on the host machine, stopp the BE services and away I went.  Much to my dismay, DPE apparently did differential backups even though every job ever run to my knowledge was a full backup.  So, we had to put in 36 tapes before we had a mere 30GB of data restored.  Am I missing something or is a FULL BACKUP not a full backup?  Thanks once again to HP for sucking big time.  10 years of dealing with HP and one way or another they never fail to fail me. 

     

    (and yes, perhaps I missed a setting in DPE someplace but when I configure "full backup", i expect a FULL backup :) Am I asking too much? )

  • teiva-boy's avatar
    teiva-boy
    Level 6
    13 years ago

    Some vendors just do it differently.  Incremental forever, differential forever, virtual fulls, synthetic fulls, etc...

    Some of it is legitimate technical differentiation, the others marketing nomenclature.  

     

    That said, a full is not a full, unitl you need to restore ;-)  Remember, backup to restore; not backup for the sake of backups.

     

     

  • MIXIT's avatar
    MIXIT
    Level 6
    13 years ago

    your advice is very solid.  I've always known it's important to do test restores, yet, most of my clients are so small they don't have spare hardwre to test restore to.  I can test file restores easily enough but full system and DR type ones are often not an option.  Due to this recent experience though I will be pushing to do periodic test restores using all aspects of the backup.  it's simple business logic - how much doe sit cost to have an untested backup solution?  The usaul, in other words :)