Exchange 2013

[Shahin]

Hi,

We are using BE 2010 R2 to backup our exchange 2010, now we are going to upgrade to exchange 2013.

does the BE 2010 R2 backup exchange 2013?

Thanks

[CraigV]

No it isn't. Recommendation is to move to BE 15 to be supported.

Thanks!

[Shahin]

Thnaks for the reply,

Can we use the BE 15 to backup exchange 2010 Sp3? I ask this becuase we must first upgrade our BE 2010 and configure it for our othere backup plans and then second step is to up grade to exchange 2013

[CraigV]

Well yes you can, but only for rolling upgrade purposes. I wouldn't use this scenario for weeks.

However, you'd need to upgrade to BE 2010 R3 SP4 first in order to make sure your remote agents can communicate with the BE 15 media server.

Check below for more information:

https://download.veritas.com/resources/content/live/SFDC/25000/000024530/en_US/be_15_scl.html?__gda_...

You're going to end up doing an unnecessary double upgrade.

Thanks!

[Colin_Weaver]

Yes you can

The answers to what the latest version of Backup Exec (15) supports are all in the software compatibility list http://www.veritas.com/docs/000024530

Note there is a similar list for the version of BE you are using already so you can see what newer operatimg systems and applications are not supported by that old version

http://www.veritas.com/docs/000008414

[Colin_Weaver]

This answer by CraigV assumes that you can't upgrade the remote agent on the Exchange 2010 SP3 server, my previous reply to one of the OPs comments assumes that he can upgrade the agent to the BE 15 version.

As such both answers could in essence be correct.

[Shahin]

can we upgrade the qurrent version to be 15? or we need a frsh intall and we must first remove the qurrent version? removing the old version would means reconfiguring all the backup jobs

[VJware]

Since you are running version 2010 R2, the upgrade would be a multi-process. You would need to first upgrade to an intermediate version such as 2010 R3 or BE 2014 and then upgrade to BE 15.

Ofcourse, the alternative is to perform a clean install, however this would require reconfiguration.

Lastly, BE 15 does not run on a 32-bit OS as it requires a 64-bit OS only.

[Shahin]

Thanks for the replay,

we really dont want to recreate all of the jobs again, you mean if we follow the upgrade to  2010 R3 or BE 2014 and then upgrade to BE 15 we dont need to recreate all the jobs?

because I can see the version 2014 is compeletly different job configuration.

Also right now we use Dell PowerVault 124T library, does the BE 2014 and 2015 supports this library?

Thanks

[CraigV]

It should support the library, but confirm by checking the HCL below:

https://www.veritas.com/support/en_US/article.TECH227895

[Shahin]

Could you please answer this question as well?

we really dont want to recreate all of the jobs again, you mean if we follow the upgrade to  2010 R3 or BE 2014 and then upgrade to BE 15 we dont need to recreate all the jobs?

[VJware]

The jobs will migrated accordingly. Depending upon the options/agents/settings used in the backup job, most of the jobs will be migrated and recreation won't be necessary. It may be needed if an option/setting which existed in BE 2010 doesn't exist in BE 15 anymore.

Verbatim from https://www.veritas.com/support/en_US/article.HOWTO98878

When you upgrade from previous versions, Backup Exec automatically converts your existing definitions, configurations, and jobs to the current version and some of your jobs may be combined or moved. After the migration completes, Backup Exec displays the Migration Report that you must review and acknowledge before Backup Exec continues the upgrade process. In this report, you can see how your jobs were migrated.

[Shahin]

Hi Craig,

I am not able to open the link that you sent me, does this link work on your side?

Thanks

[Shahin]

Hi  VJ,

Thanks for your update,

As I said we have querrently BE 2010 R2 (13.0 REV 4164), if I understood the artical that you sent me correctly, we must first upgrade to 2010 R3 and then from here we can directly upgrate to BE 15 is this correct?

Also when upgrading to the BE 2015 do we have any grace period to use for the Agents? or we must first by license for the BE 2015 Agents?

Thanks

[VJware]

Yes, you would need to upgrade to 2010 R3 first (or BE 2014) and then to BE 15.

You would require a new set of licenses specific to BE 15. Without installing the new licenses, I believe the software will work in evaluation mode for 60 days.

[CraigV]

As I mentioned in the first post you need to upgrade to BE 2010 R3 first, and then on to BE 15. Load the licenses as part of the installation or leave them until you get them, but the push-installation upgrade will work either way.

Thanks!

[Shahin]

Thank you guys for your updates,

Fro upgradeing to the 2010 R3 we dont need new license right? we can use the current licenses we are using as part of our BE 2010 R2 right?

Also to upgrade to 2010 R3 can we use the live upgrade or should we download the 2010 R3 and install it?

Thanks

[VJware]

The upgrade to BE 2010 R2 (or BE 2014) is intermediate, so licenses are not required.

LiveUpdate will not upgrade major versions. You'll have to download the 2010 R3 (or BE 2014) installer separately.

Download link for 2010 R3 - http://trialware.norton.com/files/fc/Backup_Exec_2010_13.0.5204_MultiPlatforms_Multilingual_DVD.iso

[CraigV]

...before you upgrade, stop the BE services and grab manual copies of the Data & Catalogs folders. It offers you a manual rollback. I also found that disabling McAfee (in your case any AV running on the media server) also prevented corruption of the BEDB, which had happened in a couple of instances in my case.

Thanks!

[Shahin]

Thank you,

Our C:\Program Files\Symantec\Backup Exec\Catalogs\NTS59 is almost 25GB, can I just move the old one and after upgrade put them back in the same location? I think the large this folder the longer the upgrade would take time.

or just delete the old ones, is this good idea?

Thanks