Backup Exec licensing has now become simple. With Backup Exec 22.0, the new licensing model Backup Exec Simple license is introduced. With this licensing model, all Backup Exec features are included like deduplication and support for cloud storage along with newly added feature of protecting Microsoft 365 users. This is subscription-based license and has the instance meter tied to it.
The Backup Exec Simple Core Pack license by default allows you to protect:
- Backup Exec server.
- 5 instances (can be a physical machine, a virtual machine, or 10 M365 users in one instance).
- 1 bonus instance that allows you to protect 10 Microsoft 365 users.
The Backup Exec Simple Add On license by default allows you to protect:
- One instance which can be a physical machine or a virtual machine or 10 Microsoft 365 users.
At any point, only one Backup Exec Simple Core Pack can be installed on one Backup Exec server.
For additional instances, the customer must purchase and install the Backup Exec Simple Add On licenses.
What does one instance mean?
- Any physical machine or virtual machine which is backed up.
- For Multi-server applications (such as Microsoft SharePoint) or cluster setup, each node or system is considered as an Instance.
- 10 Microsoft 365 users.
Examples of required licenses calculation:
Similar to Instance based licensing introduced in 21.4, Backup Exec server will be in one of these licensing states at any point:
Normal State: When backed-up instance count is less than the licensed number of instances.
Grace State: When the backed-up instance count exceeds the licensed number of instances, a 30-day grace period starts. In this state user is allowed to select licensed number of instances as entitled. In this state backups of all instances are successful. Alerts are raised periodically to inform the user to take corrective actions.
Enforcement State: If no action is taken in the Grace period of 30 days, Backup Exec enters the Enforcement state. In this state, Backup Exec allows backups for entitled instances only. For the other instances, backup fails with a licensing error.
You can manage or view the instance details from the Backup Exec user interface > Home Tab > Licensed status > Manage Instances.
For calculating number of Backup Exec Simple licenses required, use BE Simple License Calculator
For more information on Backup Exec Simple licensing model, refer to this article.
For more details on Backup Exec licensing, refer to the Backup Exec licensing guide.
