Questions

[ejdrijin]

I have the following questions regarding backup exec:

1) My job completes with exceptions and the files skipped are: .tmp files from the Symantec Endpoint Protection Folder. Can these files be deselected from the selection list or if they are deselected there would be a problem to create a .DR file since you have to copy all files?

2) When I went to set the auto respond for Media Intervention, this is greyed out. Any ideas why this happens since I need to acknowledge this on an import job?

3) A backup failed and said it had problems with created a DR file because of this file: Symantec Endpoint Protection\rawlog.log' . Can this be excluded?

Thanks,

Adrian

[VJware]

Would recommend to enable Advanced Open File Option in the backup job and set it to use the Microsoft VSS provider. Do add SEP exclusions from scanning the BE processes. And you could add exclusions and still keep SDR on br creating a registry key. Do have a look @ this post - https://www-secure.symantec.com/connect/blogs/exclude-files-simplified-disaster-recovery-sdr-backup-backup-exec-2012

Open BEUtility.exe from \Program Files\Symantec\Backup Exec directory. Highlight all media servers and right-click at your media server listing on the right pane. Choose Edit Configuration and here you would able to set up auto-response for media intervention alerts.

[Artegic]

That blog post seems to allow only entire drives to be excluded. Is there also a way to exclude just a folder?

[VJware]

Lets say you want to exclude files & folders from the D:\ drive. In this case, you add the D:\ as the volume in the registry from where exclusions will be made. In other words, not just entire volumes, but files/folders can be excluded as well.
 

[pkh]

Do post unrelated questions in separate discussions. Don't post them in one big discussion. It get confusing when users answer the questions. For example, your question 2 is not related to the other questions. Regarding your question 2, there is no way to set an auto-response for the Media Intervention alert.

[Artegic]

The blog entry only describes how to exclude an entire volume. It's far from obvious what the necessary registry settings should look like in order to exclude a file or folder.

Also, quoting from the blog entry you referenced:

Other than that however You MUST backup all of C: as that is a critical volume in loads of ways, the exclusion key discussed above is really for anything but the C: drive

Could you elaborate on these two points?

[VJware]

In order to exclude a file or folder, the registry entry must contain only the volume letter where these files/folders are present. In other words, if you add a registry key referencing the volume C:\, you can choose to exclude files\folders from the C:\ volume and still keep SDR on. The registry key would allow file/folder exclusions from the backup job's selections (within the UI) from which ever volume letter it is referencing.

As the C:\ volume is the critical volume, it is not recommended to exclude anything from it, unless you know for sure it is a non-critical/temporary file/folder.
 

[ejdrijin]

'As the C:\ volume is the critical volume, it is not recommended to exclude anything from it, unless you know for sure it is a non-critical/temporary file/folder.'

So the .DR file will still be created a good way unless the file is excluded. I assume that the temporary files of SEP are not crticial for the system and if something ever happens I do not have any problems making a bare metal restore. Anyone has an idea regarding this?

P.S. I use IDR as I have Backup Exec 2010 R3

Thanks.

[VJware]

Don't know why I assumed you were using BE 2012 :(   Mea culpa.

For BE 2010 R3, browse to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Symantec\Backup Exec For Windows\Backup Exec\Engine\IDR and ensure the value of DR Update Allow Excludes is set to 1. This will allow .tmp files exclusions and the .DR file will still be updated. This key is present on the BE media server.

[ejdrijin]

Thanks for your reply.

Another quick question.. So if I have not important system files in my C:, for example we have a folder with all the tools and stuff that we use on the server. Can this also be excluded since they are not important to the system?

Regards.

[VJware]

If you are sure these files/folders are not critical to the recovery of the system, then yes. Better still, test a restore after such a backup.

[ejdrijin]

Hi I went to check in this path:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Symantec\Backup Exec For Windows\Backup Exec\Engine\IDR and I did not fin the DR Update Allow Excludes. It only has Default, Network Bus Enumerators, Recent Image Location and Recent Target Folder.

Is there something I can do? Could it be entered manualy? 

Thanks.

[VJware]

Yes, you can create a new DWORD value (DR Update Allow Excludes) manually.

[ejdrijin]

Thanks for your reply.

Should it be done excluding or including the brackets?

DR Update Allow Excludes or (DR Update Allow Excludes)?

Thanks.

[VJware]

Excluding the brackets.

[ejdrijin]

Thanks for your reply.

[ejdrijin]

Hi,

how can I check if the DR was updated? Even when i did not enter the registery entry, everyday the date modified is updated. If the date modified is updated, does it mean that the DR file was updated?

Thanks.

[VJware]

That's one way yes. Better still, if the .DR file is not updated, then the backup job log would contain an exception message stating the .DR file could not be updated.

[ejdrijin]

Ok, so if the date modified changes everyday it means that even with my incremental backups the DR file is being updated?

Thanks.

[VJware]

Yes.

This discussion may clear things up a bit as well - https://www-secure.symantec.com/connect/forums/backup-exec-dr-files-when-are-they-updated-and-there-enough-point-them