BE support for Windows 8

[RandyGrolemund]

Good morning,

I'm having a little trouble finding current information on whether Backup Exec (updated to the newest version/SP) will or will not support Windows 8. It is telling me the agent will not install on a Windows 8 computer; however, it appears to install the agent on Server 2012. The Symantec articles I found were from last summer indicating Windows 8 was not supported. I've also discovered that you have to use Windows 2008 or earlier to install BE server - which is a bummer since my data center is all 2012. I had to get a 2008 license and create a seperate VM to try out BE.

I need a backup solution for our servers and laptops - I would prefer it to be an all in one solution. Am I wrong or is Symantec STILL not supporting operating systems that have been out for 2 YEARS?

Thanks,

Randy

[AmolB · Accepted solution]

As of now Backup Exec does not support either Win2012 (as a media server)

or Windows 8(as a client). Refer to the below BE2012 compatibility list.

http://www.symantec.com/docs/TECH175581

For updates on the next release of BE refer to the below blog

https://www-secure.symantec.com/connect/blogs/backup-exec-2012-r2-update-news-about-windows-server-2012-r2-support-and-target-ga

[RandyGrolemund]

Thanks for the response - this is highly disappointing as I have been a Symantec supporter/purchaser for many years. What this means to me is I have to look elsewhere for my backup needs - and for Symantec it means losing a customer for several years since I'll have to buy software and support from someone else. :(

[lmosla]

Both installing Backup Exec as a media server on Windows 2012 and protection of Windows 8 will be supported in the next release.

You can sign up for the Beta here :  Backup Exec 2012 R2 Beta

[pkh]

 I had to get a 2008 license and create a seperate VM to try out BE.

Using a VM for your media server is fine as for a test environment, but note that using a virtualised media server to access real devices is not supported.  You should use a physical server for your media server when you are in production.

I think you should not be using BE to backup your laptops.  This can be expensive as you would need an AWS licence for each laptop/desktop.  Although you want one solution, you might want to take a look at DLO which is a separate product for backing up user files/folders on laptops/desktops.  Note that DLO does not allow the recovery of the entire machine.  It only backup specific folders.