New BE server, newer os. Connect to same remote SQL databse in use by soon to be retired BE 15?

[JamesOperator]

Im currently using BE 15 on windows 2008 and I'm using a remote SQL 2008 server as the database.  I have to build a updated machine to host Backup Exec in order to connect to a tape drive. I chose windows server 2012 as the OS and would like to install a supported version of BE (16 or 20.2).  The goal is to get the new machine setup, BE installed, connected to my database that has all of my backup jobs, retire the old BE 15 server.

We have been unable to install BE 16 or 20.2 on the new server because when we point to the SQL server for the database location we get an error that says the SQL server is currently in use by BE 15.   Is it possible to break the connection to BE 15 and connect the new BE16 or 20.2 server and migrate all of my jobs, settings?

Veritas Tech support is wanting me to just use local SQL express and migrate the database.  Management wants to continue to use the remote SQL server.

Would a possible solution be to create a new instance on the remote SQL server, connect to that instance during installation of BE 20.2, migrate all database information into the new instance, then shut down the old BE 15 server?   I would be left with 2 databases on my SQL server... but thats better than the alternative (SQL express).

Thank you for any assistance you can provide.

[Gurvinder]

Review the software compatibility technote (section - Backup Exec Database Repository Compatibility) for the version of BE you want to install on the new server. That way you can decide the version of SQL compatible with Backup Exec.
https://www.veritas.com/support/en_US/article.000017788

Solution -

1)Install 20.2 on a new server with the new remote SQL instance (supported SQL version)
2)Stop all BE services on BE 15 and BE 20 server (Keep the SQL Instance service running on the SQL server).
3)Using SQL management studio for SQL, detach the BE Database of BE 15. Also detach the BE Database which got created on the new instance for BE 20.2 install
4)On the SQL server only keep the new SQL instance services running and attach the BE 15 database to the new SQL Instance.
5) Follow the steps to run bemig (set the registry as suggested ). When BEMIG has completed successfully, then start the other BE server on the new BE server ( The BEMIG needs to be run from BE Install Path of the new Backup Exec server)
https://www.veritas.com/support/en_US/article.100018032.html
Registry - Upgrade set to 1
                Upgrade Version set to 14.2.1180.0

[pkh]

I hope that you have thought about how to recover your data centre if it is completely wiped out.  This process is not so straight-forward when the BEDB is on a remote SQL Server, rather than a local SQL Express instance

[JamesOperator]

Thank you both for the suggestions.  I will work with Veritas this week to try to get this straightened out.  SQL is a VM so I should be able to snapshot and restore if we mess it up too badly!