How/What to buy Symantec Exec 2012 ?

[Rui_Vieira]

Our company is moving our physical servers to a virtual paradigm.

Actually we have 3 servers: Win2003-File&Print, Win2003-SQL2005 and Win2008r2-IIS. We are using Backup Exec 11d with a tape autoloader connected to the F&P.

We want to mount 3 servers win2008r2 with hyperv role: 

Server 1: virtual IIS + virtual SQL;

Server 2: virtual F&P;

Server 3: for tests with virtual machines and as a recover server for the other 2 Servers.

Where to install the Backup Exec 2012 server ? Server 2 host ? F&P guest ?

How many agents do we need ? Do we backup the host treating the virtual machines as simple files/disks or we need to backup the virtual machine with a guest agent ?

We also want, in case of a crash/fail of the hosts, to be able to "mount" the virtual machines on the other hosts. For example if the Server1 fails we want to "mount" the virtual machines on the Server 3, ok till now. The problem is, if the Server 2(where the Backup Exec supposedly is installed) fails how i recover the virtual machine F&P to mount on the Server 3 ?

Normal Edition VS VRay Edition ? in this case.

Sorry for the bad English.

[pkh]

Where to install the Backup Exec 2012 server ? Server 2 host ? F&P guest ?

You should install it on the host.  It is not recommended that you use a VM as a media server because you would have problems accessing physical devices.

How many agents do we need ? Do we backup the host treating the virtual machines as simple files/disks or we need to backup the virtual machine with a guest agent ?

You can either backup the VM's as VM's or backup them up as if they are physcial machines.  The former will make recovery a bit easier.  In either case, you would need to install remote agents in the VM's   If you want to back them up as VM's then you would need to buy a Hyper-V agent for each host.  This entitles you to install RAWS in any number of VM's on that host.  If you are backing up each VM as a physical machine, then you would need to buy RAWS licence for each VM

We also want, in case of a crash/fail of the hosts, to be able to "mount" the virtual machines on the other hosts. For example if the Server1 fails we want to "mount" the virtual machines on the Server 3, ok till now. The problem is, if the Server 2(where the Backup Exec supposedly is installed) fails how i recover the virtual machine F&P to mount on the Server 3 ?

There is no way to do this without recovering the media server first.

Normal Edition VS VRay Edition ?

It depends on your requirement.  The V-Ray edition is priced per VM socket and it entitles you to an unlimited number of agent for applications and database licences, in addition to the Hyper-V/AVVI licence.  With the normal edition, you would have to buy an agent for applications and databases licence for each application in each machine, physical or virtual.

[Rui_Vieira]

PKH,

Scenario 1: Backup VM's as VM's

In this case can i recover individual files from the VM's, i.e.. do i need to recover the complete virtual disk to get to inside files?

Since i have an agent VM/HyperV on each host to install RAWS for each VM, about SQL, if i have a problem with the database, i have to recover the whole SQL_VM right ?

The host with the Backup Exec Server needs agents for the VM's ?

what makes more sense ?

3 x Agent VM and hyperV (each host)

1 x Backup Exec Server

or

2 x Agent RAWS (IIS  and  F&P)

1 x Agent applications and databases (SQL)

1 x  Agent VM and HyperV (SERVER 3)

1 x Backup Exec Server

Scenario 2: Backup VM's as physical machines

Will need:

2 x Agent RAWS (IIS and F&P)

1 x Agent applications and databases (SQL)

N x Agent RAWS (SERVER 3)

1 x Backup Exec Server

Depending of the number N of agent RAWS perhaps is cheaper to buy an Agent VM/Hyperv, right ?

--

Can i have the tape loader connected on one host(the host with more data) and the backup exec server on another host ?

About recovering one VM from one host to another host can you explain the differences in both scenarios.

Thanks alot :)

[pkh]

You can do GRT restore of individual files/folders and individual SQL databases without restoring the entire VM.  However, you would still need to have sufficient disk space for the entire VM to be staged when you are restoring from tape.  If you backup to disk, then no staging is required.  The backup disk image is mounted so that the individual items can be extracted.

Regardless of whether you backup the VM's as VM's or as physical machines, you would need 1 agent for applications and databases licence for each application in each machine.

The licences trade-off depends on the number of VM's that you have and whether you want to backup them up as VM's.  

Recovering a VM is easier, you just need to restore the entire VHD.  You can re-direct the restore of the VM to another host.  If you backup a VM as a physical machine, then you would have to recover it as if it is a physical machine; load OS and RAWS, restore C: drive and system state.

The tape drive must be attached to the media server.

[Rui_Vieira]

PKH,

To backup the host where i install the Backup Server do i need a agent ?

What you think about my solution ? makes sence ?

My solution:

SERVER 1: VM-IIS + VM-SQL

1x Agent for windows

1x Agent for applications and databases

SERVER 2: VM-File&Print

1x Agent for windows

SERVER 3: VM-tests + (Tape autoloader + NAS)

1x Agent for windows

1x Backup Exec Server

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Thanks

[pkh · Accepted solution]

To backup the host where i install the Backup Server do i need a agent ?

No.  The BE core comes with a RAWS licence to backup the media server.

Your configuration is o.k., but you would be backing up your VM's as physical machines.

[Rui_Vieira]

Thanks for helping :)