Is BackupExec 2010 + Dedupe Stable?

[Alexxx]

Does anyone know if the Backup Exec 2010 product with deduplication is stable? I have a perfect working 12.5 and would like to upgrade and implement Dedupe. From reading on the forums there have been posts about a few things not working and some of hte updates for the product fix major issues.

Does anyone have this working fine yet and are there any outstanding major issues / annoyances?

Is there an ETA for service pack 1?

[Dev_T]

I would NOT recomend you for BE2010 as its NOT yet stable.............. and the Symantec Support is also NOT yet trained on the product as usual.

Stick with BE12.5

It will take time for BE2010 for stabilization...............

Hope this helps......

[CraigV]

Not stable as in how...?
I have logged 3 calls so far with Backup Exec 2010, and never had an issue. So far, so good really. It depends on your experience!!!

Alexx: To answer your question...test the application first. That should be the first thing you do in any case to make sure it works. You need to test your upgrade path as well. It isn't fundamentally different in comparison to 12.5, but has a lot of new features you might want to investigate.
I haven't had too many issues, and the issues I have had have been as a result of human error! There are a number of patches out currently, so Symantec is working on the issues as, and when they crop up. Other fixes relate to how these fixes were applied by tweaking the software/settings, as with 12.5.

If you want the newer features, test the application, and once comfortable, upgrade.

Hope this helps!

[Colin_Weaver]

Just bear in mind that the Dedup option is resource intensive in terms of CPU , Memory and the storage location DeDup folder - you can change where the CPU and memory use sits - by electing Server side or client/.source side dedup.

[Martin_Forster1]

the biggest bottle neck will be disk io on the source and on the backup server.

i have seen much more IO's while the raw Throughput was a 1/3rd of th throughput without the Dedupe Option.

In my case it is also not stable, i have reproduceable failures with GRT Backups, which only occur when i choose the dedupe store as target.
Im still working with support on it.

[Alexxx]

Thanks for your comments, i thought as much with the amount of posts and from reading some of the KB/ release updates i thought some of them were fairly major. I hope that symantec get this fixed asap as the de dupe option does look nice but with a stable 12.5 i am reluctant to even try/ test BE2010.

Is it possible to run both BE2010 and BE12.5 at the same time using the same agent or must the agents be upgraded?

[CraigV]

Yes and no.

Backup Exec 2010 will read 1 agent back, but rather test in an isolated environment like a VM/spare server. Don't put this into production yet...you will cause chaos by doing so, so rather take a more conservative route.

[fowljewl]

I would certainly wait before running dedupe.  It is definitely not stable in our environment.  You will likely be on hold for hours only to have your call dropped as well.

[Alexxx]

I have seen fixes for be 2010 but has there been any specific to dedupe as that is the feature i was looking forward to using

[CraigV]

Take a read on the actual hotfixes...they have details there.

[FischerRoman]

Even after installing all available hotfixes DeDup IS UNSTABLE.
We also have a case still open with Symantec Support because of this.

Installed hotfixes so far:
348284
348315 (device drivers)
348518 (latest hf with dedup fixes)

the newest error i got after i tried to duplicate some data from dedup store to a tape library:
An inconsistency was encountered on the storage media in Deduplication Storage Folder 1:3.
V-79-57344-33994 - The data being read from the media is inconsistent.

be2010 dedup really is some great stuff - i'm loving it.
not.

[Dextertronic]

Bugs...

Bugs...

More Bugs...

Lovin my daily serving of Symantec bugs for breakfast.

Give up on Dedupe cause it's not ready.

[BE_ADMIN2010]

I would not recommend it. I have been battling bugs everyday and just when i think its going alright something else pops up.

My major gripe is with the GRT issues.

[dgunner]

I've been trying to get it to work without much luck.

Dedupe to the local MS works but as soon as I try to duplicate deduped data to a remote MS, it crawls along at 1MB/min.

Not only that, the support chap advised me to install an update which I did which subsequently removed CASO and prevented me from installing it again.