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

[Danny_J]

Hi All,

Currently using Backup Exec 2012 SP1a with the current hot fixes.
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.
 

[VBU]

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.