Confused about SDR and Symantec System Recovery (SSR) Server Edition

[RV]

I have Symantec Backup Exec (SBE) 2012. 

The Symantec System Recovery Server Edition 2013 states that System Recovery technology is now included with SBE 2012 and V-Ray edition.

http://www.symantec.com/small-business/products-solutions/category/detail.jsp?pcid=backup-recovery&i...

This article from this forum (https://www-secure.symantec.com/connect/forums/sdr-recovery-sql-server-2008-r2) stated by “Colin Weaver” that we need “…Symantec System Recovery offers that functionality…..” wherein addition to SDR, SSR can restore SQL, Exchange, etc. in a single pass.

So assuming, I have a separate Media Server (with all the application/data/server agents); another bare-metal server that has Win2K8R2, AD, Exchange, and SQL; and need to restore this box on another bare-meal box (or a HyperV for arguments sake), do I need SDR only or SSR or both to do a single pass restore since SDR and SSR are now combined in SBE 2012?

[Donald_Eady]

In order to do a single pass restore you would need to Use SSR. Backup exec SDR will restore the machines O.S. to the way it was prior to the hardwar failure. You would then need to restore the application D.B's. For example the SDR restore would be followed by and exchange restore or SQL restore. 

[RV]

Thanks for the quick response.

Why does Symante claim that System Recovery Server Edition 2013 has this SSR technology.

"For customers running Backup Exec 2012 or Backup Exec 2012 V-Ray Edition, system recovery technology is now included."

I'm assuming System Recovery Technology means SSR? 

If I'm wrong, what is SSR (product)?

[pkh]

BE 2012 has SDR which uses some, not all, the technology in SSR, specifically the part of SSR which allows you to restore a server to dissimiliar hardware.  With earlier versions of BE, you cannot restore to dissimiliar hardware.

Note that SSR is does block level backups whereas BE 2012 uses file level backups.  SSR and BE are separate products.

To restore a server to a VM, BE 2012 can do either B2V or P2V.  You don't need SDR to do so.

SDR is only needed when you need to do bare metal restores.

[RV]

"To restore a server to a VM, BE 2012 can do either B2V or P2V.  You don't need SDR to do so."

OK, don't need the SDR (green button), but (in this argument) I will leave it ON when I create the "Fully selected" job on the bare-metal.

So if I'm to restore the bare-metal now (assuming: W2K8, AD, Exchange, SQL, and SP) and convert to B2V onto an attached HyperV member-server, will this conversion do block-level (one pass) restore?

Thanks.

[pkh]

When I said that you don't need SDR, I meant you don't have to boot up the SDR disk to do the P2V or B2V conversion.  You should still need to select the entire server for it to be converted.

SDR or P2V or B2V does not do one-pass restore.  After these processes are done, what you get a a working server with all the applications in it working.  You would still need to restore the data for applications like Exchange, SQL Server, etc.

If you are looking to restore the entire server at one go, then you need to use SSR which does imaging.

[RV]

When I said that you don't need SDR, I meant you don't have to boot up the SDR disk to do the P2V or B2V conversion.  You should still need to select the entire server for it to be converted.

I understand that I don't need to boot SDR disk to do the P2V or B2V.  To restore, P2V or B2V, I will still need to select the entire server for it to be converted.

SDR or P2V or B2V does not do one-pass restore.  After these processes are done, what you get a a working server with all the applications in it working.  You would still need to restore the data for applications like Exchange, SQL Server, etc.

#1 - Let say I got he B2V successful on a HyperV server.  I'm guessing the AD, Exchange, SQL, and SP services all "Started" and I'm also guessing all the databases are empty?

#2 - So to restore the data for these applications, I will still have to do a 2nd restore (picking Exchange db, SQL db, and SP Farm) job?

What about the AD objects, will that be restored on #1 or #2 restore job?

[pkh]

#1 - Let say I got he B2V successful on a HyperV server.  I'm guessing the AD, Exchange, SQL, and SP services all "Started" and I'm also guessing all the databases are empty?

Correct.

#2 - So to restore the data for these applications, I will still have to do a 2nd restore (picking Exchange db, SQL db, and SP Farm) job?

Correct. You have to use the respective agents to restore the data for these applications.

What about the AD objects, will that be restored on #1 or #2 restore job?

They got restored when you restore the system state during the #1 restore job.

[RV]

Thanks got it.

Now let us say that these applications are running on each on its own VMs on a HyperV (HyperV on C and VMs on D).

I have a seperate media server running SBE 2012 (with BE Agent for VMWare and MS HyperV only.  I have no BE Agent for apps/databases so no GRT)

I added a server and pushed the Agent on the HyperV only; added one backup job "fully selected" which includes the C,D,System State, HyperV,etc. which I then create a SDR and saved the .dr file.

#1 - If the SP and Exchange got corrupted and I had to restore the 2 VMs (on same HyperV), all I have to do is do a one job restore in a single pass the VMs and everything should be there?

#2 - If I have to restore the HyperV (on another new ML350), the SDR boot disk can only restore the HyperV part?

#3 - Then I do another job restore and have the VMs redirected to the new ML350?

[Colin_Weaver · Accepted solution]

Significant correction to information in this thread

SSR (SRD) can do single pass recovery of a server containing a database (Exchange, SQL etc) for DR purposes because it is a block level backup

BE (SDR) Cannot do a single pass restore of a server containing a database because the database was backed up using programming interface (vendor API) calls that have to be available for the restore and these are not available in the SDR environment.

BE (B2V/P2V) Can do a single pass restore of a server containing a database because we are able to mount the virtual image and inject the data into it using process on the media server that cannot be used in a WinPE (SDR) environment. This is a significant change to the understanding of the single-pass limitations within Backup Exec.