Errors backing up Exchange 2010 virtual server

[Support_team]

I am configuring BE 2012 and have managed to back up a workstation VM as a test but my Exchange 2010 VM backup is failing. I am trying to use GRT and have deployed the windows agent from the BE Console.

A test run on the job suceeds but the actual backup fails with the following error:

The resource could not be backed up because an error occurred while connecting to the Agent for Windows. The correct version of the Agent for Windows must be running on the target computer.

This looks pretty self explanatory but the agent has been deployed successfully and if I check the version of the agent on the Exchange server it matches the backup exec agent version. 

Any ideas?

[Backup_Exec1]

Hi

Please note if Exchange 2010 is in DAG with mutiple Mailbox role and Client Access role on different server then Virtual agent backup of Exchange by GRT way (App GRT exchange backup)is not supported ,You must have Exchange 2010 with all the role installed on same server

Thanks

[Support_team]

Thanks, It is a single Exchange server (No DAG) hosting all roles.

[Backup_Exec1]

Hi

Thanks for the update and It would be good to understand what exactly is happening during backup so if you can enable logging by doing the below thing and if can upload the logs from both media server and virtual machine were exchange resides can explain what might be going

On Media server & on Virtual Machine please enable following keys

Go to HKey_Local_Machine\Software\Symantec\Backup Exec for Windows\Backup Exec\Engine\Logging.   CreateDebugLog to 1.

Go to HKey_Local_Machine\Software\Symantec\Backup Exec for Windows\Backup Exec\Engine\VMware Agent. VMware Agent debug log level  to 3.  SymVmTools debug log level  to 3.

Once done please provide job log and beremote log from Media server and virtual machine to help you furhter

http://www.symantec.com/docs/TECH63926

Thanks

[VJware]

Is the remote agent service started & running under local system account ?

[Support_team]

Yes, its started an running under the local system account.

Sameer, I'll enable the logging and run the backup tonight and post the logs

Thanks

[mrinal_sarkar62]

Hi,

Update the backup media server and remote server's BE agent with latest patches and SPs.

check the authentication (should be "Local system account").

Should check the authentication test in the BE Backup policy.

Check the below link for more details:-

http://www.symantec.com/docs/TECH73015 

Thanks.

[Support_team]

I've run the Backup Exec Support Tool which is very good indeed. It's picked up various problems with my setup which I will correct and then report back

[Support_team]

I still haven't come right with Exchange.

I am using the Backup Exec Support Tool to send the logs but I can't find the BEremote logs.

Also what case number should I use to send these?

[Backup_Exec1]

Hi

Support tools won't collect the beremote logs on first place ,What case number you should attach ,for that you should have a case open with Symantec

Thanks

[Support_team]

Thanks, how do I get the logs to you that you requested?

[Backup_Exec1]

Hi

I have send you the PM

Thanks

[Support_team]

Hi, I came right with this. After capturing the logs I went through them and found that the issue lay with the VMWare snapshot. Due to the block size being set to 1Mb and one of the Exchange disks being 256Gb in size this limitied the resultant max file size.After moving the disks and snapshot location to a new Datastore with a 2mb block size, this is now working fine.

I am however still having problems with GRT Exchange backups on the VM.

The snapshot works fine and the GRT backup has no failures but when I come to do a restore from the Exchange server object (not the Vcentre), I only get the files,folders and volumes options not the Exchange options.

If I run a backup of this server as if it was a physical server (not through the Vcentre) then this works fine and I can granually recover data.

Has anyone seen this before with VMs

[pkh]

After you backup the Exchange server as a physical machine, can you see the individual Exchange items from your previous backups?

There is a similiar discussion earlier, but in that case, it is file GRT, not Exchange GRT.  In that case, after the machine is backed up as a physical machine, the user was able to see the individual files from his earlier backups.

[Support_team]

I actually had to do this for other GRT file backups and running a physical then listed all the previous restorable items. However this doesn't seem to be the case for Exchange. I am only able to see the backed up data for the physical server backup and none of the data that has been backed up via Virtual GRT is visible.

[Support_team]

I got an error last night when just backing up the Exchange VM with GRT enabled which has led me to this article

V-79-57344-38724 - Directory 'C\Program Files\Symantec\Backup Exec\RAWS\logs\PDI\IMG000004' does not...

http://www.symantec.com/business/support/index?page=content&id=TECH177338

The answer to reinstall the VMWare tools, will give it a try tonight