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System State Backup

gmunyadzwe
Level 3
Partner Accredited

I am exploring different backup strategies for a hyper-v environment. So far i have been backing up the VM's with simplified disaster recovery, which in my opinion would help me recover in case of a disaster, using B2D. The servers run several different windows server roled (exchange in a DAG, SQL in a cluster, File and print, systems center, and a few symantec products). Suggestions by fellow sys admins are that we consider sytem state backups as it will preserve space. Frankly speaking I have very limited knowledge is this field and would rather not skate on thin ice. I am looking for short recovery time objective.

Please advise

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CraigV
Moderator
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...best bet is to check the details on the 2 links I posted...

By file-level, I mean it becomes a GRT backup of your data...you need the RAWS agent installed on each VM you want this to happen on.

Check the details below on this, especially from Colin Weaver's clarification:

https://www-secure.symantec.com/connect/forums/be2012-licensing-clarifications-hyper-v-agent-and-vms-exchange-and-sql

Thanks!

 

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CraigV
Moderator
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Hi,

 

I assume you are running file-level backups of your VMs? Why not consider the Hyper-V agent which will allow you to backup the VMs in their entirety? To get GRT backups of the VMs you'd still need the RAWS agent installed, but in this case, maybe V-Ray is an option?

Check below...

http://eval.symantec.com/mktginfo/enterprise/fact_sheets/b-symc_backup_exec_2012_vray_edition_overview_DS_21227307.en-us.pdf

http://www.symantec.com/backup-exec-vray-edition

Thanks!

Sush---
Level 6
Employee Accredited Certified

Hello there,

   Please note the following statements (NOTE)  given in Software Compatibility List of BE 2012 

Refer " http://www.symantec.com/docs/TECH175581 : Backup Exec 2012 Software Compatibility List (SCL)  "

 

Note: The Backup Exec 2012 Agent for Hyper-V does not support Exchange 2007 LCR, CCR or SCC and Database Availability Groups (DAG's) for Exchange 2010
due to the distributed nature of these applications beyond a single Guest virtual machine. To protect these applications when they are distributed across multiple Guest
Virtual Machines, please use the Backup Exec Agent for Microsoft Exchange inside of each of the Guest Virtual Machines to protect them.
 
So you can still use the Hyper-V agent for backup of completed VM and can use the Exchange Agent to backup the Exchange databases.
 
 
Thanks,
-Sush...

pkh
Moderator
Moderator
   VIP    Certified

If you are backing up your VM's as if they are physical server, you would not be able to use SDR if you do not select the system state when you do the backup.  The system state comprises things like the registry, drivers, etc. which is crucial to the recovery of any server.

gmunyadzwe
Level 3
Partner Accredited
Got it guys, thanks. This is how it is: licencing model used is e-Flex. I wanted v-ray and was given some options by Symantec, which they assured me were similar to v-ray. - How can i find out if indeed the version i have meets the capabilities of v-ray? I guess i can still obtain v-ray if thats not what i have already. - Sush...does that mean that im just wasting disk space by backing up the DAG? Im saying this because after i realised that with DAG there is no SDR, i then also backed up the individual servers that make the DAG. - Craig-V, ...running file-level backups of your VMs...explain a bit more. What happened was i added each vm as if it was a physical server, instead of doing the backup through a host. am I on the right track here or how should i re-do it? thanks for all this insightful advise

CraigV
Moderator
Moderator
Partner    VIP    Accredited

...best bet is to check the details on the 2 links I posted...

By file-level, I mean it becomes a GRT backup of your data...you need the RAWS agent installed on each VM you want this to happen on.

Check the details below on this, especially from Colin Weaver's clarification:

https://www-secure.symantec.com/connect/forums/be2012-licensing-clarifications-hyper-v-agent-and-vms-exchange-and-sql

Thanks!