Implementing new CAS server and add a BE 2014 as a MMS server

[PPinto_Arrow]

I have a customer with a BE 3600 appliance which has the BE 14.2 version with Windows Server 2008 64 bits and SQL 2005, and now he wants another backup exec server on the primary site (now would be 2016) and move the appliance to the secondary site to server as a target for secondary backup copy repository. I can't find solid information about my idea which is have a new Backup Exec 2016 Server with capacity licencing to implement a CAS server and add the BE 3600 as a MMS in a replicated catalog mode. Is this possible? Is it better for the customer to upgrade his Appliance to the version 4 first?

[Riyaj_S · Accepted solution]

Backup Exec supports optimized duplication, which enables deduplicated data to be copied directly from one deduplication storage to another deduplication storage. Because the data is deduplicated, only unique data is copied between the devices. This saves lot of bandwidth, specially when the connection is over WAN. This feature requires CAS and MBS setup. More details :

http://www.veritas.com/docs/000108478

http://www.veritas.com/docs/000068228

Upgrading Backup Exec appliance to R4 image would upgrade Backup Exec to version 15. More details in technote : http://www.veritas.com/docs/000048404

It is also recommended not to keep a mix of versions in the CASO installation for an extended time. Key functionality for administering managed Backup Exec servers is missing in a mixed-version environment, which decreases your ability to properly administer the CASO environment. More details : http://www.veritas.com/docs/000108991

So it would be best if you deploy the same version of Backup Exec on primary site, which is Backup Exec 15. Other benefits of using CAS option are documented in following technote : http://www.veritas.com/docs/000108719

Thanks and Regards,

Riyaj

[Colin_Weaver · Accepted solution]

As far as I know Backup Exec will not allow you to add an older version MMS to a current version CAS. (at least it did not allow this the last time I tried, but that was a while ago with even older versions of BE being checked but I am not aware we have changed the behaviour)

We do allow you to do a rolling upgrade of a CAS but keep the MMS one version back - but that CAS was on the same version of BE when the MMS was originally added

Really you should be looking to get off the appliance as they are now in EOL status as a discontinued product.