Removable backup-to-disk issue

[tsiqueira]

I use BackupExec version 13.0, Windows Server 2003 SP2. Current setup is that the backups are done to an external hard drive (RD1000), so the Removable Backup-to-Disk Folder is used.

We just purchased BE about a month ago, setup some jobs and began backing up the necessary information.

I have been setting up a second server, and as such wanted to use the information that’s been backed up by BE and restore it on “server 2”. This would serve 2 purposes, to check information integrity on the backups, and to get the second server up to date with the latest information it needs to have.

After trying this on my own and failing, I contacted customer service and was a bit confused with the following:

1. By using a removable backup-to-disk folder, I was under the impression that the files I selected to be backed up were being saved in this removable media. However, after speaking with customer service I found out that this is not the case.

She explained to me that the backup-to-disk folder only keeps a file with the configuration of BE (.bkf files). But that the actual files I wanted backed up are saved in the Catalog and Data folders in the main Symantec folder on the server’s hard drive.

Is this really correct? If so, I have two questions:

The way I understand it, the point of having removable media is so that the information you back up is OFF the main server’s hard drive in case of a hard drive failure, or any other failure that prevents you from obtaining that information from the main hard drive. It also allows you to keep this information off-site by taking the removable media off-site.

Yes, I can manually stop the BE services, then copy and paste the catalog and data folders to the removable media and have the files backed up on that media. But then that defeats the purpose of having an automated system that is supposed to do this for me. Is this the only way to make sure my data is saved on to the removable media or am I missing something here? Maybe I understood incorrectly.  

2. I was told by customer service that I can’t restore my data unless there is an emergency because there are certain steps that need to be taken in order to successfully restore the files that I need to go through with customer service on the phone with me. Is this true? If so, how do I ensure data that is being backed up is correct? It’s very careless to just believe the software is doing its job without being able to check its integrity.

Thank you very much for your help in advance, and I apologize for the length of the post.

Tsiqueira

[AmolB]

Hello

When you  target the job to the Removable B2D the data is saved on the removable

media in the .BKF format (same goes with the tapes but the format is .MTF)

In the Catalogs folder only the catalogs are saved which fastens the restore process.

In the data folder only the configuration of the backup & restore job settings are saved.

To make it short n simple the actual data is saved on the removable media itself.

To restore the data you need the media where it was backed up and the catalogs for the

backup set.

[RahulG]

Is this really correct?  answer to this question is No she is correct

The data folder contains the configuration of your backup exec i.e Job,policies ,media set infromation etc

When you run the backup job ,the data which is backed up is written to the backup to disk folder or to the tape and its catalog infromation is written in the catalogs folder . So when you click on the restore tab , the restore selection is generated using the catalog . Incase if you do not have a backup of the data and the catalog folder and just have your removable storage drive (b2d), to perform the restore you would need to install backup exec , created a backup to disk device mapping to the same storage drive and run a catalog job . once the catalog job is complete you can go to restore and see the data which you backed up to the backup to disk device .

so you can perform the restore even if you dont have the backup of your data and the CATALOG FOLDER . it is just you would loose you Backup exec configuration and the catalog job would required additional time .

So the most important thing which you should have is the backup sets which are on the removable drive in your case , so you can restore the data you backed up and ou can configure your backup jobs, and do the other configuration  and generate catalogs later .

[tsiqueira]

Thank you for the clarification.

From your answer I understand that if I want to restore the backed up files, I need the catalog folder. And if I don’t have it (if it was destroyed somehow) I can still restore the data, but it will take longer.

But either way, in order to restore the data I need to have BackupExec installed on the machine I want the information restored to, correct?

[AmolB · Accepted solution]

Hello

From your answer I understand that if I want to restore the backed up files, I need the catalog folder. And if I don’t have it (if it was destroyed somehow) I can still restore the data, but it will take longer.

If you have the catalogs of the backup set then the restore process becomes very simple as you can see in the restore window what was backed up in the job. Now if the catalogs are missing then you need to 1st catalog the media and then only you will be able to see the data in the restore window.

But either way, in order to restore the data I need to have BackupExec installed on the machine I want the information restored to, correct?

Yes you will have to install BE in order to restore data.

[tsiqueira]

Great, that makes more sense now. 

Thank you for the explanation!

Tsiqueira