NetBackup Enterprise Client licenses

Presuming your requirement of backup over SAN using existing licenses or if any required.

Firstly Check with license certificate whether you have Enterprise Client. 

Enterprise Client can be used for two purpose SAN Based backup (SAN Media Server or SAN client) and for VMware/Hyper-V backup

I can see in your post you are interested in ESX backup also

1 Enterprise license + 1 App DB license per ESX host and you get unlimited Guest VM protection and that too app aware isn't it great deal ;-)

For SAN based backup NBU offers two way 

SAN Media Server : Simply get your tape library zoned via FC and you are go vroom... But you can backup locally only means, no remote clients can be streamed over FC. Drawback: extra daemons running locally

SAN Client/FT media server: FT media server requires dedicated linux based system (Ref SAN client admin guide for more info) with specific family of HBA on server, at client any family are supported. benefit remote client streaming , no extra daemon process burden at clients .However sizing would be best to design this solution. Ref admin guides and best practises for more info.

For SAN based ESX backup Simply have your tape library zoned to backup host and make sure datastores are zoned to it as well (read it twice , we meant only zoning , no LUNs should be initialized. Read following steps for clarification (for more info go through VMware admin guide)

If you have windows system as backup host , follow below procedure

 assigning those Data Stores to Backup host, we strictly rely on zoning , we do not want those LUNs to be initialized , or mounted

Below are the steps that we need to follow

Run Following syntax from Backup Host . Run CMD with administrative privileges

·         Diskpart automount disabled

o    Disabling automount would prevent Windows from automatically mounting any new basic volumes that are added to the system.

·         Diskpart automount scrub

o    Scrub would Removes volume mount point directories and registry settings for volumes that are no longer in the system. This prevents volumes that were previously in the system from being automatically mounted and given their former volume mount point(s) when they are added back to the system.

Above syntax must be executed prior to zoning is done. Also make note that above service are by default enabled in Windows 2k8 family, and they are restored back to default state after patch is applied. So we need to disabled them manually

·         Disable Virtual Disk Service

o    After zoning is done and LUNs are visible in Disk management as Basic Online with Healthy status , Disable Virtual Disk Service from Services console. This would prevent this LUNs being visible to others accessing Backup host

Best Practise SAN client Deployment : http://www.symantec.com/docs/TECH54778

Abdul Nuts and Bolt shell for VMware: https://www-secure.symantec.com/connect/blogs/nuts-and-bolts-netbackup-vmware

Hope this helps

Thank you Marianne & Captain Jack Sparrow,

I tried to find the NetBackup Licensing Guide in the PartnerNet, but the link is broken and send the error message "File not Found" but your answer has been very helpful, I just have a question: Can I use the same licenses for each? i.e., can I use an Enterprise Client license for VMware backup while it is for SAN?

Thank you!!

NBU Licenses are trustworthy, hence functionality would remain same. But from legal and compliance perspective better get increased quantity of enterprise client license to be in positive side.

For your question. Answer is same.. Enterprise client benefits both SAN + VMware/Hyper-V backup.. So go for it.. You can ask for EVAL key and try evaluating it in your domain. if it benefits to your organization den go for purchase.

Hope this helped

Yes, thank you very much !!!