Installing Remote agent on a Microsoft 2008R2 cluster

[CKSD_Kevink]

I have a four node Microsoft 2008R2 failover cluster that I need to backup. The cluster has four file server services set up. Each service has its own storage assigned and each service offers a different share for users to connect to. Each one of the file server services can be active on any of the four nodes in the cluster. By default only one of the file server services is active on each of the four nodes at any one time to spread out the load. In the event of a failure or the need for maintenance more than one file server service can be active on a single node of the cluster.

So my question is how do I install the Backupexec remote agent on the cluster. My media server is not part of the cluster at all, it’s on its own standalone server.

[CraigV]

Hi Kevin,

The media server doesn't have to be part of the cluster. You don't mention which version of BE you're using, but you'd start with buying 4 x Remote Agent for Windows Servers licenses firstly.

Once done, push-install this agent out to the remote servers in question. Then you run the Cluster COnfiguration Wizard which will setup your servers to be backed up in the cluster within BE. Use the TN below for this:

http://www.symantec.com/business/support/index?page=content&id=TECH26859

Once done, simply select the virtual node...no need to select the cluster nodes unless there are specific folders you need backed up on each. Selecting the virtual node would allow you to backup the cluster folders.

If this is a cluster running an application like Exchange, you'd need the requisite application agent license too!

Thanks!

[CKSD_Kevink]

Ok thanks for the info we are running Ver 2010R3 of backup exec. So just to confirm I push the remote agent to each of the four (Physical servers) nodes in my cluster from the media server, next I copy the "clusconfig.exe" from the media server and run it on the cluster. last I backup each of the virtual file server services (virtual nodes) on the cluster from the media server. Is this correct?

[CKSD_Kevink]

When I run the Cluster Configuration Wizard on one of the cluster nodes I get a warning that the BackupExec services all must be installed on every node of the cluster. This would seem to tell me that I need to fully install of BackupExec on every node of the cluster. It does not look to me that I can get away with only install the remote agent on the cluster nodes and the full version of BackupExec on the remote media server. Am I perhaps missing something?

[CraigV · Accepted solution]

https://www-secure.symantec.com/connect/articles/how-leverage-backup-execs-remote-console

Hi Kevin,

Yes, push-install to the remote servers, but clusconfig.exe is run from the media server...not each node.

You can read the TNs below for a bit more information before running the wizard:

http://www.symantec.com/business/support/index?page=content&id=TECH32702

So you'd install RAWS on the active node, fail over, install RAWS on this node, and then within BE see the virtual cluster node which you would select.

You might not have to run that wizard, so try the above first.

THanks!