Forum Discussion

niko's avatar
niko
Level 3
15 years ago

How to backup Backup Exec itself, and how to restore it ?

Hi -

Im using Backup Exec 2010. 

In case of a total disaster, how do we makes a backup of Backup Exec 2010 software itself,  with all jobs, history etc?
I m thinking of a scenario where my backup exec computer is lost and I need to reinstall Backup Exec and get all backup jobs/history back again ?

Please advice.

Kind r

Bjørn. 

Backup and Recovery
Backup Exec
Backup Exec Infrastructure Manager
  • Dev_T's avatar
    Dev_T
    15 years ago
    Hello,

    The best way is to keep aside the DATA and the CATALOGS folder
    1  : Stop all the BE services and the SQL service for Backup Exec
    2  : Go to C:\prog. files\symantec\backup exec and copy DATA and the CATALOGS folder aside
    3  : Start the SQL service 1st and then the BE services.

    In a disaster situation, build the server, install Backup Exec, patch it up and follow setp1 again.
    Rename the DATA and the CATALOGS folder to .OLD and bring the copied DATA and the CATALOGS folders back.

    Hope this helps...
  • Dev_T's avatar
    Dev_T
    Level 6
    15 years ago
    Hello,

    The best way is to keep aside the DATA and the CATALOGS folder
    1  : Stop all the BE services and the SQL service for Backup Exec
    2  : Go to C:\prog. files\symantec\backup exec and copy DATA and the CATALOGS folder aside
    3  : Start the SQL service 1st and then the BE services.

    In a disaster situation, build the server, install Backup Exec, patch it up and follow setp1 again.
    Rename the DATA and the CATALOGS folder to .OLD and bring the copied DATA and the CATALOGS folders back.

    Hope this helps...
    • Not_Jake's avatar
      Not_Jake
      Level 4
      7 years ago

      Hello Pros,

      Is this method works the same as BEUtility method for disaster recovery? Thank you and God Bless

      • Colin_Weaver's avatar
        Colin_Weaver
        Moderator
        7 years ago

        By default backup exec dumps it's own database (as BEDB.BAK) at 04:00 every day (to the DATA folder that others have already advised you backup)

        BEUtility has an option to recover database from backup - and this option recovers using whatever BEDB.BAK is found in the data folder at the time you run the recover database option.

        Because of this process you do not have to actually stop the BE services to backup the data folder (although it might be worth adjusting the time the BEDB.BAK is created to five minutes before you take your backups of the data and catalog folders - so that you always have the most up to date copy in that backup)

        In reality using BEUTILITY in the DR process can be useful but it is not a different DR process it is just an extra step that depends on the state of the server when you copied the data and catalog folders (i.e. did you stop services etc)

         

        FYI - I would never backup the BEDB with our SQL Agent as the restore process if you did this is not friendly as how do you restore over a database that the product doing the restore is using. (You would also need an Application and Database agent license, which you do not need for the process of "copy the data and catalogs folders"  (with either services stopped or using BEDB.BAK and BEUILITY choice)

  • sksujeet's avatar
    sksujeet
    Level 6
    15 years ago
    Yep every backup on disk get saved in .bkf format. On the right top click on RESTORE tab and you will find the sql database listed in the restore. You can restore that database to other sql instance or to the same server once you have the BE installed again.
  • niko's avatar
    niko
    Level 3
    15 years ago
    Hi -

    Thanx for reply. I do have s SQL lisence. I have created a backup job to backup Backup Exec 2010 SQL DB. But the SQL data is stored in the .bkf format, so In the event of a disaster how can I get them back when doing a fresh installation?
  • sksujeet's avatar
    sksujeet
    Level 6
    15 years ago
    Either you can have a sql license and can do the live backup of the sqlserver(bkupexec) instance
    OR
    Follow below steps once all the jobs and everything configured:
    1> Stop all the BE service
    2> Stop the sqlserver(bkupexec)
    3> Take the copy of c:\program files\symantec \backup exec \data and catalog folder to n/w location or take a copy to other place and take a backup of it
    4> It will backup all the history and everything and in case of disaster we can install the BE 2010 again and stop the services again and replace the data and catalog folder back