Technical understandings on Backup Exec

[Dooda]

Hello,

I'm trying to understand deeper about Backup Exec before proceeding to the installation and configuration. I want to install it on Windows 2003 platform and want to do the backup of all my servers. I have a few questions below:

1. What would be recommended to setup Symantec Backup Exec Continuous Protection Server to controls other servers? On saperated server or can it be installed with current in use server?

2. I have 5 servers running with an approximate amount of 400GB storage. What would be recommended for the server that will be running Symantec Backup Exec Continuous Protection Server to do the backup?

3. Can Symantec Backup Exec Continuous Protection Server run on one server and can be used to back up onto tape drive? Can it be restored or BOOT from tape in case my servers failed?

Appreciate for any comments.

Rdgs,
Dooda

[Lou_Buffetta]

Hi Dooda,

You should have at least one server dedicated to Continuous Protection Server (CPS). This will be the Protection Server where the snapshots and journals will be located. You can also install the Continuous Management Server on this box.

CPS uses snapshot technoloy while BEWS backs up individual files and databases. CPS cannot backup to tape. You will need BEWS to perform that function

Backup Exec (BEWS) can be installed on the CPS server but it is not recommended. In working with customers who already have this configuration, they are experiencing serious performance degragation when both CPA and BEWS are installed on the same box. You will want to install BEWS on a separate media server.

Remember to allocate an entire partition for the journal location. When you are ready to backup the Protection/Management server, you will not back up the journals. BEWS will not want to back up the journal dirve because of the heavy I/O load and other activity associated with CPS.

As for restoring the CPS server, it restore like any other server. If you have the capability to boot from tape, this function will carry over with BEWS.

[Dooda]

Hi Lou,

Really appreciate for your answers.

I'll discuss with my team on how best we can manage on this. Currently, I have 4 production servers and another one is used as DR server that most of the applications and database are there in a single box, that would also include Backup Exec and CPS. This is really a big load we have planned because we are not aware of having serious performance degragation in the future as you said -- really have to concern on this.

Just a few more questions. Can you kindly clarify on the snapshot technoloy and the journals? How do they actually work? And what is the Continuous Management Server you stated?

Regards,
Dooda