Backup Exec 2012 Agent Licensing

[Arvin_MISPL]

Hi Symantec,

I’ve an licensing requirement related enquiry before purchasing Backup Exec 2012 licenses. Currently, we have a client with 4 servers with the following roles below. I'm confused on the licenses required to purchase to fulfill the agent licensing requirement by Symantec. Kindly help.

Server 1 – Active Directory

Server 2 – Active Directory, SQL & Backup Exec Media Server

Server 3 – SQL

Server 4 – Hyper-V

As what I can think of is, I need 2 x Agent for App & DB (for 1 & 2 & 3), 1 x Hyper-V Agent (for 4). Since Server 2 is BEMS, is BE server license is sufficient?

[CraigV]

Hi,

If you want to back up Active Directory, you'd need a license for this. Otherwise a RAWS agent would suffice.

Check below:

1. Server 1 - 1 x Agent for Applications and Databases (or 1 x RAWS agent)

2. Server 2 - 1 x media server license, 2 x Agent for Applications and Databases (covers AD and SQL)

3. Server 3 - 1 x Agent for Applications and Databases

4. Server 4 - 1 x Hyper-V agent

Best bet though is to contact the Symantec licensing department in order to confirm all of this.

Thanks!

EDIT: Check the links below:

Symantec Licensing Department

http://www.symantec.com/business/support/index?page=content&id=HOWTO42310

BE 2012 Licensing Portfolio

http://www.symantec.com/business/support/index?page=content&id=TECH178479

BE 2012 Licensing Guide

http://www.symantec.com/business/support/index?page=content&id=TECH178483

[Kunal_Mudliyar1]

You will need 3  application and database licenses  for server 1 server 2 and server 3

You need 1 BE core /base license for the Media server  (server 2)

You need 1 Hyper V license for server 4

BE core license will not include application and database license you have to buy it seperately

One Application and database can backup  SQL and AD on the Media server hence you don`t have to purchase 02 quantity of application and database for the media server.

[pkh]

 One Application and database can backup  SQL and AD on the Media server hence you don`t have to purchase 02 quantity of application and database for the media server.

This is not true.  According to page 6 of the BE 2012 licencing guide referenced above, thhe licencing for the Agent for Applications and Databases is Per Application/Databases Instance. Hence, 2 x Agent for Applications and Databases is required to back up the AD and the SQL on the media server.

@Arvin - I would suggest that you check with the Symantec Licencing department before you make any purchases.  Otherwise, you might be short of licences.

[CraigV]

...thanks for the confirmation of my post and clarification pkh.

Kunal: Can you confirm which post's information is correct please?

Thanks!

[Kunal_Mudliyar1]

As per the licensing guide agent for applications and databases consolidates Agent of exchange,sql,AD,Sharepoint Lotus domino, oracle and enterprise vault,  its not based on server basis but on application/database basis .

For eg if you have 2 servers

01 exg and 01 sql  you won`t need 2 application and databases license  but because they are 2 servers

01 application and database and protect both these servers  as only 1 instance on sql and exchange is backed up

Thanks!

[CraigV]

...so if I follow you correctly in your post above:

1. You have 2 servers, 1 runs Exchange and the other runs SQL.

2. You're saying that the licensing model has changed, and that only ONE license is required to protect BOTH SQL and Exchange on DIFFERENT servers?

I would have assumed that it would be 2 licenses, like previous versions of BE considering they are different servers physically.

Can you confirm my assumptions are correct?

Thanks!

[Kunal_Mudliyar1]

Yes its a new change unlike the previous versions where you need to buy a seperate license for 01 sql and 01 exchange , 1 application and database license is enough to backup 1 instance of sql and exchange even if they are on different servers.

[ZeRoC00L]

It will work, but according to the licensing guide you will not be complient. It clearly states:

Purchase one Agent for Applications and Databases for each Active Direcstory, Exchange, SQL, Lotus Domino, and Oracle application/database instance to be protected

Please mark the word instance, so I think you provide some incorrect information here, untill you point us to a technote wich states the difference.

[CraigV]

...so then if I have 10 servers with 10 DB applications on it I would only require 1 license? Seems like a loss of revenue?

Thanks!

EDIT: included a screenshot directly from the Symantec Backup Exec 2012 Licensing Guide:

Either the official guide is incorrect (in which case it needs to be changed), or you are incorrect (in which case so is the solution, and I am correct).

Please advise...

Thanks!

[Kunal_Mudliyar1]

I will double check with our licensing team and revert back.

Thank you for the posts.

[Kunal_Mudliyar1]

Here is the copy of the email I have received from the Licensing Team.

It says 1 App and Database License can backup 7 agents ( assuming 1 instance of application is present on each server)
 

So yes you don`t need 2 licenses if you are backing up 1 sql server and 1 exchange server  OR 

on  a single server you have exchange and Sql or AD hosted.

======================

-----Original Message-----
From: CBO Business Ops [mailto:customerbusinessops@symantec.com]
Sent: Tuesday, September 10, 2013 6:03 PM
To: Kunal Mudliyar
Subject: 05082115: License Information [ ref:_00D30jPy._50050NdqRa:ref ]

Hello Kunal,

Thank you for contacting Symantec Enterprise Customer Care.

Backup Exec 2012 Agent for Applications and databases includes Exchange, SQL, SharePoint, Active Directory, Oracle, Enterprise Vault, and Lotus Domino in a virtual or physical environment. Using the license of the said product can activate 7 agents. This will depend on the number of quantity you purchased for Backup Exec.

Thank you for your continued interest in Symantec products.

Kind Regards,

Princess P.

Customer Service Representative

Global Customer Service

Symantec Corporation

Phone: http://www.symantec.com/support/assistance_care.jsp

================

Thanks!

[CraigV]

...1 license can activate 7 agents. This doesn't mean that 1 license will cover 7 servers. It means that you can use the same license key for 7 servers, but you still need to purchase 7 agents. So if you have 8 servers to protect, then 2 license keys would cover 14 servers...or just the 8.

Please get this clarified!

Thanks!

[Kunal_Mudliyar1]

01 application and database license is required if I Have 7 servers with these individual applications on them

1. Exchange

2. SQL

3. SharePoint

4. Active Directory

5. Oracle

6. Enterprise Vault

7. Lotus Domino

if my 8th server is a let say a sql server I will ned to buy 1 more application and database license and the same logic apply.

However on my 8th server lets say if I have all these applications installed the 2nd application and database license will protect only that server and no additional servers.

If you need more clarification please feel free to contact the licensing team by picking up a number from.

http://www.symantec.com/support/assistance_care.jsp

Thanks!

[ZeRoC00L]

You are missing the per application/instance in the screenhot !

[CraigV]

Well, that still doesn't sound right...

I think it's saying that I can use a single license key to install the agent on 7 servers, while still owning 7 licenses. Who wants to install 7 license keys for the same agent? THAT is what I suspect it is saying.

I don't think Symantec is going to allow a single license to protect 7 servers, unless the cost of said single license is the same as buying 7.

The information you are providing is very confusing, and goes against what has been cut out of the licensing guide...if you are correct, please get that corrected (the licensing guide). If the licensing guide is correct, you are incorrect in how you are interpreting things from your licensing department.

Thanks!

[Arvin_MISPL]

Kunal,

As per your latest example, If you were right to say that 7 servers just require just 1 license (Agent for App and DB), that means that I will have to purchase 6 RAWS license, assuming all running Windows, am I right?

[CraigV]

...1 license will be installed on the media server. You still need to buy 6 paper/e-paper licenses to cover the 6 servers you have...per instance! This is the part we (non-Kunal) are arguing as the information provided doesn't stack up with the wording.

Check the licensing guide, and the screenshots we have posted. The licensing department (like I mentioned in the first post) would clarify all the requirements.

Thanks!

[Arvin_MISPL]

BE 2012 comes with Licensing Assessment Tool. I've tried to check but not getting expected result. i.e. (AD is not listed). Can anyone try to run and check if the licensing report complies with information in the licensing guide?

I've tested with server having AD and SQL only.

[Jaydeep_S]

With your requirement that you have stated above, here is what you should have -

Server 1 – 1 X Application and Database Licence (Backup Active Directory)

Server 2 – 1 X Backup Exec Media Server Licence + 1 X Application and Database Licence (Backup SQL Server)

Server 3 – 1 X Application and Database Licence (Backup SQL Server)

Server 4 – 1 X Hyper-V Agent Licence.

There has been some discussion about quantity of App & Database licences required for Server 2. However, I don't see the point of Backing up the Active Directory GRT twice from 2 Domain Controllers unless both DCs are different Domains.

If both DCs are in the same domain, Backup either of Server 1 or 2 with GRT and the other only System State (This contains AD and does not require a Licence to backup)