BE 12.5 for Small Business Server (SBS) 2008 and Hyper-V

[Bruno_Benetti]

We want to sell our first SBS 2008 Premium Edition. I think that we will do it with Virtualisation (Hyper-V) where, as Virtual Machine, will run SBS 2008 (with Active Directory and Exchange) and a second Virtual Machine with Windows 2008 as Terminal Server and for the SQL 2008 Server.

The first question that I have if I am able to install Backup Exec for SBS on the pyhsical machine or if I have to install it on the Virtual Machine running SBS. If the second one is true, it is possible to back up also the physical machine and can I access a normal SAS tape (DLT) build in the machine? And can I back up the SQL Database running on the other VM?

I I have to install it on the physical machine (for tecnical reasons or license questions) can I back up the Exchange DB, the active directory and the SQL Database? And the Virtual Machines?

I hope that this is the right forum, I know that this is a mixture between technical questions and license issues.

Thanks in advance

Bruno 

[Vladimir_Vucini]

Hi Bruno,

It is not recommended to install Backup Exec Media Server on a virtual machine - it should be physical machine.

Regarding backup of virtual machines, with new BE Virtual Agents you will be able to backup whole virtual disks and then, if you need, to restore individual files on it. If you would like to use GRT then you have to install and have licenses for SQL and Exchange agents into virtual machines, also.

Of course, this info is just based on data sheets, release date is 6. october.

Best regards,

Vladimir 

[Bruno_Benetti]

Thanks Vladimir,

I understand that 12.5 is not yet released, but maybe you or somebody else know If it is possible to install, as you told me, Backup Exec Small Business Server Edition on the physical machine?

This because of course the physical machine is not Windows Small Business Server, but a standard Windows 2008. And, if this first problem is solved, is it possible to use the delivered SQL and Exchange Agents to backup the two databases that are running on Virtual Machines?

thanks

Bruno

[Vladimir_Vucini]

Hi,

It is not possible to install BE SBS version on Standard Windows. You need licenses for "normal" BE to be able to install it on Standard Windows physical machine. BE SBS installer check for a verion of OS and if it is not SBS it will not install.

Second part of question - you can install BE SBS on virtual SBS with both agents - SQL and Exchange, but you will still need outside physical machine to handle backups and media. Of course, you can try with BE SBS on SBS virtual machine - this is not recommended, but you will probably experience problems with tape  and also resourse usage during backups.

BE SBS is for one SBS server - this is why the price is lower then normal BE with those agents that are included in SBS edition. I also don't think that there is BE SBS Virtual Agent - one that enables backup of virtual machines - so you will need regualar BE.

Best regards,

Vladimir