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Eldan's avatar
Eldan
Level 3
12 years ago
Solved

VM servers automatically listed as individual servers

I have a vCenter server backup completing successfully with several Windows VMs with GRT enabled, but when the backup runs the VMs are "discovered" and automatically added to the list of servers in BackupExec. Their status is shown as "never backed up." This is confusing at best. I tried removing the servers from the list but they are rediscovered at the next backup.

Also, when I select the vCenter server and start a restore, the only option I am presented with is VMware data. There is no option to select granular data.

My question is, could this be a problem with BackupExec 2012, or with my configuration of it, or am I just misunderstanding how it's supposed to work?

 

  • There is a bug in the product. The individual servers with agent installed do get listed, but perhaps because they have "never backed up" status, the restore button or menu option is not enabled and there's no way to initiate a granular restore.

    With Symantec tech support I learned the workaround of doing a small partial backup of each of the individual VMs through the windows agent to enable the restore button.

  • Hi

    When you backup virtual machine from vcneter using GRT way those virtual machines would be added automatically is right

    About your 2nd question even though GRT backup is done by you from vcenter you only have option to restore virtual machine and not individual data as that would be there from the virtual machines which are getting added automatically so that you can do GRT restore that is individual restore by selecting that individual machine and restore.

     

    Hope that helps

    Thanks

  • But should the servers be added and then have the status be "never backed up?" If the servers are covered by the vcenter backup what is the point of having them listed separately?

    I don't understand your second answer. There is no option to restore any of the automatically added individual servers because they've "never been backed up." Is there any reason to have separate backup jobs for these servers when they are already being backed up with GRT through the vcenter backup?

    What is the Symantec best practice? Should I be backing up Windows VMs through the windows agent interface or through the vcenter agent, or both?

     

  • Hi

    For status as Never backup Please check below link

    http://www.symantec.com/docs/TECH185820

    About my second point Is , when you backup the virtual machine using GRT way you cannot restore the individual file and folder for it from center or ESX but you can restore it from individual machine for the backup which you have done for it from center or esx earlier using GRT way as vcenter or esx only would give you option to restore entire vmdk

    Please also check best practices for vmare agent which also shares the same infomration

    http://www.symantec.com/docs/HOWTO74443

    Hope that helps

    Thanks

  • I cannot understand your explanation of granular restores. From what I can tell, you are saying that the "Agent-assisted," "Next-gen" backup touted in this document is not working in BE 2012 and won't be fixed:

    https://www-secure.symantec.com/connect/blogs/agent-and-agentless-vm-backup-and-recovery-unraveling-myths

    Please confirm.

     

  • The VMware agent allows you to restore in two ways.

    1: Restoring the entire vmdk. The restore is initiated from the ESX/vCenter containter.

    2: Restoring individual files/folders. The restore is initiated from the VM (under the Backup & Restore tab). This requires the Agent for Windows to be installed in the VM.

    When a VMware backup is initiated from the ESX/vCenter, the VMs which are backed up would automatially populate the list in the Backup & Restore tab. (Many a time), they would even show "Never backed up" status & that can be expected. Try to select such a VM (ensure the Remote Agent for Windows is installed) & choose the option to restore. The restore selections would allow a GRT restore, i.e. give you the option of selecting files/folders from the VM for restore.

  • There is a bug in the product. The individual servers with agent installed do get listed, but perhaps because they have "never backed up" status, the restore button or menu option is not enabled and there's no way to initiate a granular restore.

    With Symantec tech support I learned the workaround of doing a small partial backup of each of the individual VMs through the windows agent to enable the restore button.