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Backup Exec 2012 - How to add a server again to perform a restore?

Danny_J
Level 3

Hi All,


Currently using Backup Exec 2012 SP1a with the current hot fixes ( I think).
My question is how can I add a server into Backup Exec without it needing to create a trust with the physical machine?

This is what has happened / what I am trying to do:

We have various tapes that we get from our customers which need to restore data from periodically. I received a tape a while back which I performed an inventory (so backup exec  knew it was in the drive) then performed a catalog (so the data is read from the tape and added to backup exec database). On this version of backup exec this also adds the servers in to the server list on the "Backup and Restore" tab. I am then able to select the server and restore option and follow the wizard. This all worked ok the first time the tape was catalogued on this backup exec machine.

As we also look after 200+ machines once I had finished with the machines that had been added I then removed them from the list. If I didn’t do this our list of machines would become massive and even more impossible to manage. I thought this would be ok as when I was to catalog the tape again the machines would get added to the list again?

But no they dont, when I catalog the tape and look through the (successful) catalog job log I see this message under each machine:

This backup set has already been catalogued.

In older versions of backup exec I thought I used to be able to go the drive / tape and start a restore from there (obviously after performing an inventory and catalog!). But I do not seem to be able to do this on this version? The only way to perform a restore is to have the machines added to the backup and restore tab (server list) but how can I add a machine to the list (if this is what I need to do) without backup exec needing to contact it?

Any help appreciated.
Thanks.
 

1 ACCEPTED SOLUTION

Accepted Solutions

Danny_J
Level 3

Thanks for your help.

I have raised a case and spoken with Technical Support who have solved this problem smiley

Here are the steps:

  • The tape needed to be retired and then deleted.
  • Then go to "Configuration and Settings" > "Backup Exec Settings.
  • Select Catalogs in the left pane, untick "Request all media in the sequence for catalog operations" this will also deselect the option below - "Use storage-based catalogs". Click "Ok" to save and exit.
  • Restart Backup Exec services.
  • Inventory your media (in my case the tape), once completed catalog the tape again.

This then added all the deleted servers back into the server list. I then went back into the settings and re-selected the option "Request all media in the sequence for catalog operations" so my settings were as before. Also restart the services once again.

I have performed a successful restore!

I will not be removing servers from the "All Servers" group in a hurry again, but thanks for the support guys and Symantec!

View solution in original post

7 REPLIES 7

VBU
Level 4

 

Hello Danny,

 

Deleting the machines in this manner won't be the right approch. Instead you may go to Tools>>Options>>Catalog, and can set the retention for the catalogs. and the older catalogs will be deleted automatically. Next time if you want the data to be restored you might need to run the catalog again. As of now you may try the below steps,

* Click Tools>>Backup Exec Services>>Stop all services(Don't close the Backup Exec Services Console)

* Go to "C:\Program Files\Symantec\Backup Exec" and rename the catalogs folder to catalogs.old

* Create a new folder with the name catalog and close this window

* Go back to the Backup Exec Services Console, click Start all services.

* Perform the catalog again for all the tapes you need.

Please let me know if any further help is needed. Please mark this as a solution if this information is helpful.

Colin_Weaver
Moderator
Moderator
Employee Accredited Certified

I don't think changing the catalog settings (as advised by VBU) will help as these settings only take effect when the catalog is created and not after the fact. They also do not directly affect the list of servers visible in Backup and Restore

In fact I don't think BE 2012 has been specifically designed for your scenario but a possible workaround would be configure groups (1 for each customer and one for your own systems) and then as you catalog tapes from customers and their server names appear in Backup and Restore, move them to the correct group. Then you can leave them in place.

 

If you must delete one of your customer's servers from the list then you should open up the backup sets list against the server and delete all the sets, before deleting the server, however I am not sure if this will then allow a new catalog of a tape from a server you have previosuly deleted to show up correctly.

 

I am also not sure how to get the existing installation back to a position where you can again see the customer server names, I suspect that might need an empty BEDB as we must be tracking what you deleted somewhere however you should log a formal support case for someone to do some more thorough investigation.

mantonas
Level 2
Certified

hi people

Can Someone help me on how to resolve this issue!!!

Netbackup status code 800: resource request failed under netbackup 7.5

Danny_J
Level 3

Hi VBU, Colin,

Thanks for the replies.

I dont really want to do this with the catalogs as I would then have to re-catalog every tape I have if I need to search for a file to restore?

I have setup my catalogs to truncate in the backup exec settings.

But what your saying is what I thought has happened is I have removed the servers, but that has not removed that data in the catalogs, so when backup exec catalogs the tape again, it already thinks the information on the tape is in the catalogs (which it is) but is not clever enough to realise the server is not in the list and does not add it again to allow me to do a restore?

So just to be clear your solution is like resetting the catalogs?

Colin it is a good idea about the groups which I have already done because our 200+ computers are on various domains so I have a group for each domain. The trouble is I use the "All Servers" group to look down all the machines to make sure the backups are running ok and are successful, and of course adding customer servers in makes the list much longer. I could of course create another group which contains just my 200+ machines...maybe this is what you meant.

Since I have now deleted the customer servers is it possible to delete the backup sets? If I can will these be removed from the catalogs too?

Ok so other than VBU suggestion of the catalogs is there any other ways using backup exec 2012 to restore the data I need to restore from my customers tape?

Please tell me if I am miss reading your posts, or not understanding how backup exec works!

 

 

Colin_Weaver
Moderator
Moderator
Employee Accredited Certified

Whilst cataloging a customer tape might cause a server object to be created - the object itself is not actually part of a catalog, the object is part of the BEDB content and stored inside the SQL database

Hence when you delete the object it does a database operation but may not touch the actual catalogs. If the database operation is change record to not display in console (so that auto discovery does not bring it back) instead of delete the record, then this might result in your problem of lack of visibility of server objects for restore pruposes that you have deleted once before.

Note: I am guessing about the above process as I have not got confirmation that this is how it works, hence why I have suggested you log a formal support case. 

Colin_Weaver
Moderator
Moderator
Employee Accredited Certified

Hi Mantonas

Please post in the NBU forum (instead of Backup Exec) and also create a new post instead of adding to an existing post which has nothing to do with your issue

Danny_J
Level 3

Thanks for your help.

I have raised a case and spoken with Technical Support who have solved this problem smiley

Here are the steps:

  • The tape needed to be retired and then deleted.
  • Then go to "Configuration and Settings" > "Backup Exec Settings.
  • Select Catalogs in the left pane, untick "Request all media in the sequence for catalog operations" this will also deselect the option below - "Use storage-based catalogs". Click "Ok" to save and exit.
  • Restart Backup Exec services.
  • Inventory your media (in my case the tape), once completed catalog the tape again.

This then added all the deleted servers back into the server list. I then went back into the settings and re-selected the option "Request all media in the sequence for catalog operations" so my settings were as before. Also restart the services once again.

I have performed a successful restore!

I will not be removing servers from the "All Servers" group in a hurry again, but thanks for the support guys and Symantec!