How Backup Exec is backing up itself?

[UFO]

Quick question: How Backup Exec is backing up itself?

Do I need additional license (option) to back up own Backup Exec database and server itself?

[RahulG · Accepted solution]

No you dont need any license to backup Backup Exec.

All the infromation is dumped in bak file which in the Program files\Symatnec\Backup exec\Data directory during the schecduled maintenance.

So all what you need to backup the following directory

1...%installationdir%\Symantec\Backup Exec\Catalogs

because this contains the catalogs to  needed to restores your other data

2. %installationdir%\Symantec\Backup Exec\Data
contains the Backup Exec Database and the job log files - in theory to get back you only really need to backup the BEDB.BAK and bearing in mind that the BEDB.BAK is created (by default) at 4:00am every day as a backup of your Backup Exec database
If you want the job logs as well then the xml files in the data folder need backing up.
You don't need the SQL agent as the BEDB.BAK gives you that info but it is worth checking that the BEDB.BAK is being updated every day (check file dates/times) as you may have a problem if it is not. Change the database Maintenance timings in Tools --> Options in the Backup Exec console if you want to make the database backup happen just before you start your backup job (or start the Backup job at 4:10am).

you may refer the following blog 

https://www-secure.symantec.com/connect/blogs/how-protect-backup-exec-itself

[VJware]

Backup Exec database (BEDB) is backed up everyday as part of database maintenance...and do backup the system state, local drives etc of the media server itself on a daily basis..

Consider using IDR or SDR for quicker recovery of the media server...

[Colin_Weaver]

I would recommedn backup up the Backup Exec Databse bakup file (BEDB.bak) and catalogs together, not long after the BEDB.bak isupdated and preferably when no other backups jobs are running. This then resuts in a set of catalogs and BEDB.bak that are matching in content. (consistent)

Easiest way to achieve this is change the time of BEDB Maintenance to sometime when other jobs don't run (posibly mid morning) and then shedule a backup job for BEDB.BAK (Data Folder) and Catalogs folder to start 5-10minutes later

[UFO]

This one is very useful too, thank you for taking your time to describe the process. Appreciate that!