BE 2010: Agent for VMware

[TreeTown]

If all of my production servers are running in VMware (vSphere 4.0), including SQL, Exchange and Sharepoint, would I only be able to run backups with only the Agent for VMware? 
I understand I also need the Remote Agent for Windows Systems on each guest VM. 

Would this be more cost effective than purchasing the SQL, Exchange and Sharepoint agents?

(from page 1334):  
Backup Exec performs a single-pass backup to protect all Guest virtual machines and VSS-aware applications that are installed on the Guest virtual machines. Backup Exec's Granular Recovery Technology (GRT) is enabled by default for backup jobs. You can use a GRT-enabled backup to restore individual files and folders from a Windows Guest virtual machine without restoring the entire virtualmachine. In addition, you can restore individual items from Microsoft Exchange, SQL, and Active Directory applications that reside on Guest virtual machines.

Additional features of the Agent for VMware let you do the following:

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Redirect the restore of data from a Guest virtual machine to an alternate folder, datastore, host, or network.

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Back up to a disk device or to a tape device.

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  Perform policy-based incremental and differential backup jobs (If your virtual machines are configured with hardware version 7).

[Symanticus]

Hm, that's a good question though, I also want to know more about which one is OK assuming we're not using the GRT feature inside that VM ?

[Aidan_Finley]

Hi Treetown -

Bottom line, the specifc application Agent should be purchased to actually protect the applications in the guest.  These will allow GRT recoveries  which the AVVI agent will not do.

What *is* included is the ability to install our Remote Agent (AWS) in each guest so you can recovery individual files and directories directly back into each guest. 

Here's the description of the various permutations of AVVI, AWS, and Application Agent and the capabilities that each item unlocks.

1) AVVI Agent only - No AWS installed in the guest:  Applications are protected in an application-consistent state.  Log are not truncated.  Recovery granularity is at the Guest-level (i.e. I can recovery the entire VM)

2) AVVI with AWS installed in each guest: Applications are protected in an application-consistent state.  Log *are* truncated.  Recovery granularity is at the Guest-level (i.e. I can recovery the entire VM), and Files and Folders can be recovered directly into the guest.

3) AVVI with AWS installed in each guest, *and* the Application Agent is licensed: Applications are protected in an application-consistent state.  Log *are* truncated.  Recovery granularity is at the Guest-level (i.e. I can recovery the entire VM), and Files and Folders can be recovered directly into the guest.  GRT recovery is enabled for supported Applications Recovery granularity is at the Guest-level (i.e. I can recovery the entire VM)

So, we have an issue in our documentation and messaging that is leading you to incorrect conclusion.  I'll work to get that fixed.

Let me know if this is clear.

Thanks,

Aidan Finley
Sr. Product Manager, Backup Exec