Witch of Symantec Backup Exec products needed!?

[roldis]

Hello!

In our company we are planning to buy server. All workstation (notebooks and desktops) are in domain. In company has ~35 active employees and we should orginize backup politic. On server will be Windows Server 2008 R2 Standart OS. Server will be 80% as file server. Backup will be stored on tapes (LTO 3).

Now questions: Which of Symantec Backup Exec software are needed for it, if we wan't to create workstation's backups on server and then create file server backup on tapes. I assume, that will be needed agents (name of product..?), server backup tool, to write backups on to tapes (full name/version of backup tool..?). And I was also find some kind of product according to Active Directory..

And what about licencing? Is where anu yearly licence, which should ti be "updated" and what is benefits of this "yearly" licence?

Thank you very much in advance and I hope for your help, because othervise it can take too much time to discover all above listed fings.

[sksujeet]

To make it work with ws 2008 R2 you have to go with Backup Exec 2010.

Full Version or latest version is Backup Exec 2010 R3

If you want the GRT backup of AD you can use ADRO license which provides this facility.

Licensing:

1 Base license for BE 2010

Remote agents to backup remote servers, number of remote servers = number of remote agents

Eg: if you have 5 remote server you need 5 remote agents

If you use exchange or any other database you have to purchase the different agent for that as well

BE server doesn't need the raws license and can be backed up with the base license.

How you want to backup your desktops, if you want to backup the user profiles then best option is to go for DLO(desktop and laptop options)where you can backup the profile of users.

You can have a symantec contract if you want and can check with our symantec licensing support.

[Ken_Putnam]

Slight addition to sazz's response

if you purchase a database agent (SQL, Exchange, etc) that includes a RAWS.  So if you have five remote servers, one of which is a SQL server and and one of which is an Exchange server, you need the following serials

1 SQL

1 Exchange

3 RAWS

[pkh]

As pointed out earlier, DLO only backup the user's files.  It does not backup the OS and thus it cannot be used if you need a backup which allows you to fully restore the user's machine.  If you need to restore the user's machine from a backup, then you need to buy a RAWS licence for each machine.

ADRA is only need if you want the ability to restore a single AD object.  Without AD, you can still restore the entire AD by restoring the system state of your DC.

[roldis]

Hi!

Thank you very much for replies.

But, can you, please, explain me the followong:

-RAWS - ? (Remote...?);

-Are CASO (Central admin server option) is needed in my situation, or I can use Backup Exec without CASO licence? And what is benefits of CASO?

-Are ADBO (Advanced Disk Backup Option) is also needed for Backup Exec? Are Backup Exec by default didn't provide backup for files or system images (created with RAWS)?

Thanks.

[CraigV · Accepted solution]

1. RAWS = Remote Agent for Windows Servers - this is needed for each server you want to back up. It allows communication between the media server and the server to be backed up. Without it, life becomes very difficult. RAWS also runs as a service on the media server, and if this stops, backups will fail.

2. Since it looks like you have 1 server to do your backups, CASO isn't needed. It's going to be a waster to buy it. Even if you had 2 servers I wouldn't recommend it to be honest. So leave this out. CASO comes into its own when you want a central server to either delegate jobs to other managed servers, or want a single pane of glass to check up on backups/restores/managed media server status. I have 1 CASO server managing 29 servers in my case for 1 of my clients, but the others are all single media servers only.

3. ADBO isn't needed since you're backing up to tape.

I'd like to add though, that BE comes with 5 free DLO licenses, and you would have to buy a pack of licenses in order to back up the data on the remaining 30 workstations. I think they come in bundles of 25, but Symantec Licensing can assist with this. And since you only mention 1 license with no applications being hosted on it, excelt for being a file server, you'd need the following:

1. 1 x Backup Exec for Windows Servers (get 2010 R3)

2. a license pack to back up the remaining 30 workstations...

That's all I'd see...

[roldis]

Thank you, craigV!

Now last question, are DLO can also create full system image backups or only user profile folder? Just we are looking for solution to create full system backups of company's workstations (desktops and ntebooks connected in to one local network).

[CraigV]

I think 1 of the guy's above answered that, but DLO is specifically for data only. Data gets backed up to disk in a central location. You specify what gets backed up, and where.

If you're looking for an imaging programme, then I'd look at System Recovery. Alternatively, if your workstations are all the same, save some cash and create a ghost image for deployment. You can then use DLO/BE to restore the user data.

[roldis]

Ok, for workstations (notebooks and desktops) will be used standart DLO agents to create backups for user files.

But on the file server will be installed Backup Exec 2010 and it should create backup on tapes library, when will be needed also some specific licence to backup on tapes library?

Are Backup Exec also provide system image creation of the file server (I have only one server, which is as file server and on this server will be installed Backup Exec 2010 to create backups of network workstation, but I would like an option, what periodicaly are created full server system image and stored to tape), or then I will need to purchase additional one RAWS licence (for the same file server)?

Are DLO support "open file" function (if it needs to create backup of files, witch are being opened on the computer by some of program)? Are it can create some kind of "shadow copy" of opened file and create backup of it?

Also for Backup Exec is needed one Agent for Windows Systems (AWS) to create, for ex. incremental backups of workstations? Because, how I now, without it would be possible only "Full" backup.

And last: what about "media server"? Are it realy needed in my situation?

P.S. I'm new in this Backup Exec, and because so many questions from my side, and thank you in advance.

[CraigV]

Here we go...

1. BE ships with a license for 1 drive in an autoloader/library. If you have more than 1 drive, you need an LEO license (Library Expansion Option) for each additional drive. So if you have 4 drives in a library, 1 is free, and you need to buy 3 LEO licenses.

2. BE is not an imaging backup solution...you're looking for Symantec System Recovery.

3. You don't need a RAWS agent if you buy the DLO option. DLO gets installed by the user, or you, from a link that you can send out in an email. You'd set up a central location for them on shared storage which they would act with the details provided to them.

4. Get hold of the BE 2010 R3 Admin Guide (http://www.symantec.com/business/support/index?page=content&id=DOC4045&key=52757&actp=LIST)...this explains DLO in a bit more detail for you. I do believe though, that open files will be backed up. Certainly form the testing I did it was possible.

5. Yes, you need a media server...how else would DLO work? And how else would you back up that information to tape?

THanks!

[roldis]

And what about licences, are it will bee needs to renew every year? Or we can purcase licences one time and use they unlimited time period (more than 1 year)?

[CraigV]

Hi,

Licenses are renewed every year. There is a little wizard you can run from the Tools menu that will set a reminder for this...

Thanks!

[roldis]

Thank you very much for help, what you provided to me :)