Configuring Agent-assisted Image-based Backups

[thohaus]

I have a BE2012 server running on Server 2008 R2. I have a number of servers, mostly Windows 2008 R@, and mostly VMWare virtual machines. We have been taking agent-based backups of each of these servers so I already have an agent-based backup set for each individual Windows server. I am wanting to implement agent-assisted image-based backups as well. This will cover file, application, and image level recoveries. We currently have a cluster of VMWare ESX 5.5 hosts, all with the same ESX admin credentials. I have added one of these ESX servers to BE2012 and I am attempting to backup each VM that resides on it. I check the credentials to make sure that the ESX local Admin has rights to all the VMs and it only has rights to a few but not all. I have tried authenticating with domain admin credentials and local Windows server credentials and it doesn't make a difference. It doesn't authenticate to all of the servers, only a few. Anyone know any tricks, or is there documentation out there that has requirements for configuring these types of backups? Also, do you need to run image-based and agent-based backups separately for each VM? I would appreciate any help you can provide.

Thank you,

T

[pkh]

By image backup, I take it to mean backing up the vmdk. If you backup the vmdk, then you do not need to backup the VM's as if they are physical machines. With GRT, you can restore individual files/folders and single mail items in Exchange and SQL databases. You need to get an AVVI license for each of your ESX hosts. You then backup the entire host or vCenter. That is it. For each application and database, you still need one Agent for Application and Databases license for each application/database in each VM

[thohaus]

Thanks for the reply. Correct, I want to back up the vmdk of each VM. Excellent, so I know I only need to do one backup of the entire ESX server. Now why would permissions only work for certain VMs? I wouldn't suspect the AVVI license would correct the permissions issue would it?

[thohaus]

And now that I look at our licensing, it looks like we already have licenses for VMWare hosts:

SYMC BACKUP EXEC 2012 AGENT FOR

VMWARE AND HYPER-V WIN PER HOST

SERVER BNDL STD LIC REWARDS BAND B

ESSENTIAL 12 MONTHS

T

[lmosla]

Here is a document about access rights that might be helpful: http://www.symantec.com/docs/TECH129572 

[pkh]

See this document

http://www.symantec.com/business/support/index?page=content&id=TECH129645

although it is written for BE 2010, it is valid for BE 2012.

[pkh]

If you need to backup applications/databases in the VM's, then you need one Agent for Applications and Databases for each application/database in each VM.