Backup Exec 2014 - 0xe0001201 - VFF-Driver Error

[Treeeman]

Hi,

i need some help with a customer Installation.
My Customer had a physical File Server (which is also an Active Directory Controller) in a branch office. Backup Exec was installed on this Server and backed up the Data to a local attached USB Harddrive. Two weeks ago he converted this physical Server into a virtual ESXi 5.1 Environment. The virtual Server runs fine and my Customer wants to backup the Server itself with simple Windows Agent Backup (no a VMware Agent Backup). The Backup Target is now a Harddrive (VMDK) instead of an USB Drive.

Now my Customer gets a Error Message:

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0xe0001201 - For this operation, the Backup Exec Virtual File Filter (VFF) driver must be installed on the media server.

The VFF driver is installed when installing any of the following Backup Exec agents or options:

Exchange Agent
Active Directory Recover Option
VMware Virtual Infrastructure
--------------------

To solve this Issue we decided to install the Option "VMware Virtual Infrastucture". Because my Customer has no License for that it runs in a Trial Mode.
After that the Error was gone.

My Question is, why do i need an Agent for VMware? I dont want to Backup the Server as a Virtual Machine. I just want to Backup the Data to a local virtual Harddrive with the classic Windows Agent.

Maybe someone can clarify this issue.

Thanks!

Kind Regards
Marco

[Colin_Weaver]

The agent for VMware is only needed if you are running VMware Agent backups, the VFF driver is used by any GRT enabled backup (uncluding Exchange, Active Directory etc whether or not VMware jobs are enabled) hence by adding that trial ability you in effect did one of the options to re-install the VFF driver. you could have removed and re-added one of the other options and it would have had the same effect.

[Treeeman]

Hi,

if i understand you correctly i don't need any of this Agents from Licensing Perspective if i don't use it.
In may case i just need my Backup Exec 2014 License (without any additional Agents) because is just want to Backup the Files to a local attached VMDK Harddrive.

So if i check and disable GRT for any Application (Exchange, Active Directory, SQL, SharePoint) and i remove the "VMware Agent" again i should be able to Backup my Data like desired?

If yes, i will give it a try.

Thanks.

Kind Regards
Marco

[Colin_Weaver]

If you uncheck all those GRT options - then yes iyour licesing will be finewould work and it also would have got rid of your original VFF error

BTW I would not worry too much about an agent or option, that you don't intend to use anyway, expiring it's trial license (this will not cause you to be in breach of licensing requirements)  However if you are using GRT for something you need without realizing then the expiry of a trial license will cause jobs to start to fail.