Upgrade from Backup Exec 12 SP4 to 2010; Tips?

[hiestandc]

Hi Everyone,

We currently run BEX 12 SP4 on four of our servers, all locally installed. All of the servers have Server 2003 R2, generally with the latest updates (we run them about once a month, so they're about a month behind right now). Any tips on upgrading from BEX 12 to 2010 on these servers? We again have four licenses for 2010 and we'll be installing the upgrade locally on the four servers. I saw a Symantec upgrade "Best Practices" guide, but if someone could explain what needs to be backed up, as well as how to run database maintenance (which the guide mentioned to do right before the upgrade), I would really appreciate it. I'm still very new to dealing with BEX and our director who has dealt with it in the past is no longer here.

I should note that of the four servers, one of them is our Exchange 2007 server - I'm not sure it makes any difference in the upgrade, but I thought it should be noted.

Thanks in advance,
-CR

[CraigV · Accepted solution]

Hi.

Some of my experiences:

1. disable your antivirus...this has caused issues with active scanning during my SQL upgrades, causing them to corrupt catastrophically. You can start the services for your AV up again afterwards.
2. Make a backup of your Data and Catalogs folder. This ensures that if you have any issues, you are able to revert.
3. If you have a CASO server, upgrade that first along with all your other servers as soon as possible thereafter. If you ARE able to create another CASO server (either VM/physical) this will allow you to migrate servers across in a more controlled fashion.
4. Get any patches needed now...this saves time waiting for them to download.
5. Plan for possible downtime...you will most likely need to restart your media server/s after upgrading. I have yet to restart my servers running RAWS.

Hope this helps!

Craig

PS: I suspect you have to do a multi-step upgrade from 12 --> 12.5. Could be wrong. If so, you can still perform the steps above! You can verify this with the BEWS 2010 SCL.

[teiva-boy]

You can upgrade 12 direct to 2010.  I think I even read 11d to 2010 too.

[hiestandc]

Thanks for the info, that certainly helps and puts me at ease a bit.

Quick follow up questions: Where is the data and catalogs folder found? Also, what's a CASO server? I believe all four of our servers are their own media server - they all connect directly to an HP tape drive over their built-in SCSI cards.  

Thanks again!

[hiestandc]

 Excellent news, thanks!

[CraigV]

Any news here...? Has this helped at all?

[hiestandc]

Yes! Your info is certainly helpful, I just haven't had a chance to do the upgrades yet.

Two last questions though: where is the data and catalogs folder found? Also, do the BEX services need to be STOPPED before the upgrade, or just left running?

Thanks again Craig!

[CraigV]

Hi,

1. Look in %Installed_Directory%\Symantec\Backup Exec\ <-- where %Installed_Directory% is the drive you have installed too. Data and Catalogs folders are located there..you will need to stop all your services to copy the data.

2. Not necessary, but I have done that on 1 or 2 sites. I definitely disabled my AV, as McAfee caused some issues during extraction and modification of the registry. Just don't forget to re-enable the AV.

[hiestandc]

Excellent, thank you so much Craig!

[CraigV]

Hi there,

If any of this helped, can you look at closing it off?

Shotto!

[hiestandc]

One last question (I'm planning on doing the upgrade today or tomorrow) - the installer gives the option to install the BEX program, as well as the "remote agent". I'm under the assumption that BOTH need to be installed in order for backups to work. Just want to clarify this?

Thanks!

[CraigV]

Yep...Backup Exec won't work with the Remote Agent. All you need to do is install the Backup Exec program...it will install the Remote Agent automatically.

[hiestandc]

Hi Craig,

Hmm, okay. In the installer it looked like two distinct options. I didn't get through the first step though since the server apparently needs to be rebooted first to finish a prior update install.

Thanks,
-CR

[Ken_Putnam]

You can indeed install only the Remote Agent from the install disk or the media server itself

When you install the media server it also installs the "remote" agent, as all data access is via this agent, even local data on the media server

You can either push the agent to remote machines, or run the disk on them and do a local install

[hiestandc]

Hi Ken,

Thanks for the info. It sounds like the first install option (which is BEX 2010 itself) will do the trick. Thanks again!

-CR

[CraigV]

Hi,

Not to make an issue out of this, but your original query was about what to look out for when upgrading from Backup Exec 12.5 to Backup Exec 2010, and my answer was the preferred one which is why it was marked as the solution.
You then posted a second different query under this, and then removed my solution.
What gives?

Laters!

[hiestandc]

Spologies Craig, I did not realize that happened. I've given you the solution back.

Thanks,
-CR

[CraigV]

Cool, no problems.