Running Backup Exec Side-By-Side with other software?

[N_James]

We are looking to test drive Backup Exec but during the testing we cannot suspend our current backup operations. We would like to install Backup Exec on our primary backup server along side CA ArcServe which currently handles all of the backups but we want to be sure that they can co-exist on the same server before proceeding.

Does anyone have experience testing Backup Exec along-side other backup software?

(Our main concern is that the tape libraries could be "hijacked" by one piece of software or the other, or that important drivers could be over written).

[teiva-boy]

You CANNOT have the backup applications co-exist together, with both of their services running at the same time.  This is common knowledge.

I've in the past disabled all CA services, and installed NetBackup, and ran with a trial of that for a few weeks, and things went fine.  But even that, is against Symantec's support policy, and they could easily say, "not going to help you."  Obviously, they wont, and will give a best effort, but if they cant figure it out when you need it..  I wouldnt be surprised if they ask you to try a new box, or rebuild the existing.

Why cant you just setup a new box (it could be a desktop system) and just do backups to disk, to test out certain functionality?

[Colin_Weaver · Accepted solution]

To put a bit more meat on Teiva Boy's answer:
1) The Backup Exec services hold ownweship of the tape devices so won't be able to share with CA
2) if either product uses the same IP ports as the other (I,.e NDMP for instance) then you will see another conflict - which could affect servcie start and/or the communciation of both media servers and remote agents
3) File System Filter drivers can cause conflicts between backup products too - this could potentially affect media servers and remote agents.and as a worse case might cause instability issues.

Also be aware that if you do a full backup foof Exchange or SQL with one product and then try and run an incremental backup of the same databases with the other product you will probably get errors too - this will affact side by side testing slightly.