Using 12.5 agents with 2010

[downsouth]

Just wondering .. Can I still use 12.5 remote agents on 2010? Getting ready to upgrade  - Most servers are 2003 and Exch 2007. Thoughts or links:)

Alex 

[Ken_Putnam]

to meet Symantec's licensing policy, your agents must be at the same version as your media server

A media server will generally talk to a one-level back RAWS but this is only supported "for the purpose of rolling upgrades" 

{edit}

Additionally, I  believe 2010, R2 and R3 are considered versions for this purpose, so if you are planning to go to 2010 R3, the v12.5 agent may or may not work

{/edit}

[I_T_Guy]

Just to add to what Ken Putnam said above, you can use the 12.5 agents with Backup Exec 2010 resulting in your jobs completing with a warning of incorrect version of remote agent and also the exchange and other agent based backups may be affected.

[teiva-boy]

It works.  Though I'm not sure if a GRT backup will work with Exchange.  But basic windows file backups are fine.  If anything, turn off GRT is you are using it.

Just keep in mind, Symantec assumes you will be upgrading the client RAWS agent very soon after.  With BackupExec they all assume you have just a handful of servers and can rollout upgrades like nothing...  Where as NetBackup as an Enterprise product can usually work with clients many major versions back.

[downsouth]

Thanks ... still even if you had a few agents (i have 15) they are not cheap !

[pkh]

Symantec allows the use of BE 12.5 agents with BE 2010 for the purpose of rolling upgrade, i.e., you may not be able to upgrade all your remote servers at one go.  However, it is not the recommended for long term use.   The remote agent is the engine that drives the backup process.  When you use a BE 12.5 you will not get any benefit from upgrading to BE 2010.  For example, if you upgrade to Exchange, you will not be able to back it up with a BE 12.5 agent although you have a BE 2010 media server.