Backup over fiber

[DPD]

We're using Backup Exec 12.5 SP2 on a media server which is connected to the SAN through fiber over a fiber switch. All the other servers that we have are backed up by this media server via remote agents. Some of these server are also connected on the fiber switch. Is it possible to backup the SAN (which is also connected on the fiber switch) and the remote servers over fiber?

[Hemant_Jain]

BE would backup the data over network, once data reaches media server, it is sent to the device. So, over the network it will take place over network. Alternate option is to install Backup Exec software on the remote machine and do local backups and send it to a SAN shared library. You can also use SSO license for better management of all Backup Exec servers.

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

[CraigV]

Hi DPD,

What the above guy forgot to add in is that each server on your SAN that utilises the SAN SSO option needs to have a full installation of BEWS. If not, and it just uses the Remote Agent, it's going to use your LAN defeating the object.
So, you'd need the following:

1. SAN attached hosts - you have that.
2. SAN-attached library - ?
3. Full installations of Backup Exec for each server that needs to be backed up, including the correct agent (ie. for SQL, Exchange etc).
4. Tape library zoned on your FC switches so that the servers can see it.

You'd license SAN SSO on your main media server, and then install full versions on other servers you want to backup across the SAN. Once done, run the SAN SSO wizard on your media server, which then shares your tape library. Run the SAN SSO wizard on each additional server which will be allowed to backup too/restore from the library.

Laters!

[DPD]

So in that case would I loose the advantage of having a centralized media server which is the only server performing a backup? Would I then go back to every server performing it's own backup?

[Colin_Weaver · Accepted solution]

For centralised management in this situation you would make each server a media server and use the CASO option on one of the servers to manage all the jobs out from one location. Each job would still run on teh server it is sent to and legally you would still need an SSO license to cover that the Backup Device itself is being shared over a SAN between more than one server, but technically you would only need to install the CASO components (so a single CAS with the other servers made into MMS)

[CraigV]

Hi DPD,

Every server would perform it's own backup anyway. They basically become stand-alone servers sharing a tape library across a SAN.
But Colin is quite correct in what he says, in that a CASO server will still be able to be used in that environment, and depending on WAN/LAN bandwidth, you can use the CASO server to push jobs out etc.
From our side CASO is used primarily as a monitoring tool. We have sites in Africa/Asia with slow bandwidth, so all it does is monitor...it doesn't store catalogs, or push jobs out etc.
I have used SAN SSO though, and it really works like a charm. Getting 2.5GB/m instead of 600MB/m is always a sure winner =)

Laters!