Backup Exec as method for recoverying data to new servers

[437709095]

Apologies in advance if this is a dumb question.

I have server running SBS 2000 and Backup Exec 9 for SBS.  A new server destined to replace it has SBS 2003 and Backup Exec 11d for SBS.

I am trying to use Backup Exec as a means to copy the server data and Exchange system from one to the other.

I have tried using B2D disk backups and then manually copying from old server to new, then inventory and catalog.  This works only if the B2D file names are not known to the new server.  If I reuse the same B2D disk names the catalog phase fails.

So my only option at present is to create a new backup to disk folder on the old server each time.

Is there a better way of doing this.  Is it not possible without having some sort of remote license ?

Dave

[Hemant_Jain]

You can override the catalog job. You can copy the catalogs from old server to new one and get around with running the catalog job. So, copy the bkf files to a new folder on the new server. Create a backup to disk folder to point to this destination. Also, copy the catalogs from c:\program files\veritas\backup exec\nt\catalogs to similar location on the new server. Once done, you may restart Backup Exec services on the new server and the restore selections should be populated for you to start the restore job. In order to conduct restore of exchange databases, go through the disaster recovery documentaiton available.

Please mark it a solution, if this is useful.
Thanks

[Colin_Weaver]

You will always have a problem if the new server has already used the same BKF file names - this is why we do not encourage copying BKF files around but suggest duplicate jobs.

In your situation duplicate jobs will not work (because you are moving between servers) and you should have copied the BKF files and catalogued them when Backup Exec was a clean install and not when it had already run some jobs.

As a one-off your can protect your current 11D database and catalog files, and then load an empty configuration, do your restore and then put back your 11D database and catalog files

If this is not a one-off but a regular process then this may not be a useful option and you might want to consider moving tapes around instead as tapes will always have unique names - unlike BKF files.

[437709095]

Thanks for the replies,

What is the easiest way to load an empty configuration ?

I'm stuck with this method as I'm both working remotely and the machines have different tape drive types.

I'm trying to keep the servers in sync for a number of weeks prior to migration so its a more than one off process.  Currently I have the old server backing up to disk for Exchange and data as separate B2D folders each night.  I then Robocopy the files across to the new server.


As an aside, do later version of BE have better options.  It would seem quite useful to be able to override the catalog process, or have some way of sharing .bkf files, in the same way you can with tapes.