RAWS license question, clustering.

[FreKac2]

I've got a question in regard to the licensing of RAWS.

A customer have a 2-node Failover Cluster.

The cluster hosts 3 instances, 1 BE and 2 FileShare instances.

Now, if one of the fileshare instances failover to the second node so that BE+1 FS is hosted on node1 and the second FS instance is hosted by node2.

When backing up the second FS instance that is now on node2 I get the following error:

License Violation A Remote Agent for Windows Systems license is required for protecting remote servers with this editi...Please contact your vendor for information on protecting remote servers with this edition of Backup ...V-79-57344-65084 - Before you can back up this resource (\\servername_removed_for_privacy), you must...For information about how to obtain a license key, go to the following URL:

The questions is even though there is bascily just the Media Server installed if BE requires a RAWS licens if the BE instance is on a seperate node compared to the node it's backing up?

[CraigV]

Hi,

The Remote Agent for Windows always installs on a media server.

That said, have you checked out the TN below on how to run BE on a cluster?

http://www.symantec.com/docs/TECH32702

[pkh]

You need a RAWS licence for each remote server.

[FreKac2]

pkh, yes I know that each remote server need a license but it's kind of not a remote server in the sense that they belong to the same cluster.

But if I read the technote correctly there should be two media server licenses ?

7. An individually licensed copy of Backup Exec for Windows Servers, as well as any applicable agents and options, is required for each node in the cluster as defined in the End User License Agreement. Enter a serial number for each node in the cluster (the cluster must have at least two nodes). When installing an evaluation version of Backup Exec, a cluster environment is automatically detected and serial numbers are not required.
 

[CraigV]

...if you don't have full versions of BE installed on both nodes, your problem lies there. You should also only backup the virtual node's resources...not the active node.

[FreKac2]

Yes, I know how it works from a selection point of view.

I didn't install this server so I don't know what was actually ordered, yet, but that is why I'm investigating this issue.

Just to be clear.

If I go to Tools->Install Options and License Keys on this Media Server, should I see two rows with BE media server license keys or?

[CraigV]

Hi,

No you won't. Each server is independent of each other so you'd see 1 license key for BE on each server...nothing is combined.

If both servers have a full version of BE on, then look at the cluster configuration.

Thanks!

[ArulPrasad]

You Would Require A Remote agent Licence here for the second Pyiscal node .

Although its a One Virtual node , The resources Resides on the cluster, Each Node in the Cluster should Have remote agent installed.

[FreKac2]

I guess you mean a remote agent license since the agent is already installed since the BE Server is installed on both nodes.

So just to explain this a bit further.

BE is installed on both nodes and is cluster configured (e.g. when I check the Cluster Configuration Wizard, or Cluster Tasks/Config through BEUtility).

But I still wonder how to check what is actually licensed.

Since the only license key I can find is just one license key no matter which node is currently hosting the Media Server instance.

As far as I know one license key can also contain more than one license, at least for RAWS as far as I know but not sure if the Media Server key is seperate or can also be a "volume" type license.

[CraigV · Accepted solution]

OK...no idea why you were marked down on your own query, so I marked you up again...

This is how it works:

1. You install Backup Exec and with it comes the Remote Agent for Windows Servers. There is no need to license the RAWS here as it is covered by the license for BE.

2. You license BE during the installation with the core product.

3. RAWS is then used when backing up the local server, much like backing up a remote server.

I'd suggest checking out the Event Viewer on the remote server giving you the licensing error. If it is a node in the same cluster and running the same version of BE (ie. a full version), then something has gone wrong during the clustering wizard; the services aren't starting up correctly on the other node; or you need to uninstall BE from the node and reinstall it before running the clustering wizard.

Also, check the services on the working node and see which services are starting up with the BESA domain account, and which are Local System, and compare with the node giving hassles. You'll see the RAWS agent must be started with the Local System account.

Thanks!