BE2012 Licensing Clarifications, Hyper-v agent and VM's with Exchange and SQL

[vamsivaddi]

Hi All,

I have a Hyper-v host which has 1 Exchange 2010 server, 1 SQL dataabse server.

I have one agent for VMware or Hyper-v licenses.

Can i restore a single email from a mailbox with out remote agent installed on it.

if remote agent needs to be installed do i need additional exchange or SQL agent licenses.

[pkh]

To have GRT restore of individual mailboxes, you need to licence an Agent for Applications and Databases for the Exchange Server and you need to install RAWS in that server.

[ZeRoC00L]

Remote agent needs to be installed and you need 1 Agent for Applications and Databases to backup Exchange.

[VJware]

Since you would be using Application GRT, then yes, the appropriate license for Agent for Exchange, SQL would be required.

Remote Agent software needs to be installed for the restore & preferably for the GRT backup too (Although, you can use the VMware VSS provider for the backup portion)

Summing it up, Agent for Exchange license is required for Application GRT (restoring single email) & the actual Agent software is required to be installed for restore.

[Colin_Weaver]

Sorry VJware but you need some correction

For GRT against Applications such as Exchange, SQL, Active Directory or Sharepoint held within a VM then the remote agent software MUST be installed inside the VM for the BACKUP and the RESTORE.

Also OP asked about Hyper-V so VMware VSS Provider does not apply.

He does  need the licenses for the applications in addition to the Virtual Agent license to perform application GRT however.

[vamsivaddi]

Then What is the benifit i am getting by having Agent licence for Hyper-V.

Symantec also says that they support GRT backups and restores for SQL , Exchange, AD and Sharepoint.

[pkh · Accepted solution]

The Hyper-V agent is for you to backup the VM's as VM's rather than as physical machines.  Without the Hyper-V licence, you can only backup the VM's as if they are physical machines.

GRT is supported provided you have the right licences.  Support does not mean that the facility is free.  Just like when you want to backup a remote server you need to have a RAWS licence.

If you have a lot of VM's, then you can consider getting a V-Ray edition which is licenced by the VM socket and you get unlimited Agent for Applications and Databases licences for free.

[Colin_Weaver]

And the benfit of backing up as VMs is that if you are doing a complete DR restore then using the Hyper-V or VMware agent is way simpler/quicker

So basically the choices are

Standard Remote agent on it's own - Protects file system and system state but does not directly protected databases. Can restore the operating system as a DR process or individual files.

Application Agent on it's own - Protects the Application database technology and gives file system and system state backup. Provides GRT within the database technology. DR is a two phase process requiring some form of restore of the file system and system state followed by a restore of the database

Virtual Agent backup on it's own - Protects the complete VM (at VHD or VMDK file level). Can restore the complete VM for DR purposes. Does provide granular fi0el system restore if needed but no GRT within the applications

Virtual Agent with Application Agent backup - Protects the complete VM (at VHD or VMDK file level) but from that single backup job can providefukll system DR, file system GRT and Application GRT restore capability.