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Exchange 2003 GRT in Netbackup 7.6

Carl_Ayres
Level 4

Hello,

I am looking to upgrade our Netbackup domain from 7.5 to 7.6. The issue I have is that Exchange 2003 GRT backups are no longer supported in Netbackup 7.6. We are still running Exchange 2003 in our environment (don't ask why). Is it possible to leave a 7.5 media server active in the netbackup domain and force the Exchange GRT policy to use the 7.5 media server only?

Any advice appreciated.

Regards

Carl

 

2 ACCEPTED SOLUTIONS

Accepted Solutions

Mark_Solutions
Level 6
Partner Accredited Certified

It may not as bad as you think .. and the guides / readme's make it sound like you cannot do anything with Exchange 2003 any more.

It may be possible with just a 7.5.0.7 client installed on your exchange server.

I have to be honest that I haven't had the chance to test this yet - I know you cannot backup Exchange 2003 at all with a 7.6 client and you have to use a 7.5 one but have you actually tried the GRT part of it with just a 7.5 client going to your 7.6 appliance?

I would be interested to know if it works - would make life a lot easier for you... My last customer was using Exchange 2003 and we had to use a 7.5 client to get it to backup to their 7.6.0.2 appliance but we were not in a position to test the GRT part.

View solution in original post

Carl_Ayres
Level 4

that's an interesting thought Mark. Leave the client at 7.5.0.7 and the Master/ Media's at 7.6.

I am yet to upgrade my netbackup domain to 7.6, and the Exch2003 GRT backups are the reason I can't upgrade until i find a work around. 

I could do as Riaan says, upgrade and see what happens but I know my company wouldn't let me go ahead unless I have a robust solution already in place.

I believe the following will work.

Build a 7.5 media server

Enter the storage server credentials for the 7.5 media

Copy one of my exisiting NBU5230 storage units and give it a distinguishable label e.g _EXCH2003

Select "Only use the following media server" and select the 7.5 media only

Do the same for the target NBU5230 storage unit (off site DR NBU5230)

create SLP to backup and Duplicate to the new storage unit

Change Exch2003 GRT policy to point to new SLP.

 

I am going to upgrade on the 27th July. I will try leaving just the client at 7.5.0.7 and test the GRT backup, and restore. If it doesn't work, i will bring the Exch2003 storage units in to play.

thank you all for your replies today.

View solution in original post

10 REPLIES 10

RiaanBadenhorst
Moderator
Moderator
Partner    VIP    Accredited Certified

The problem here is that what you're planning is usually an OK solution if you're not using any special feature in NetBackup i.e. just a file system backup. GRT depends a lot on the media server, but I'm sure the master is also playing a big role. Either way, it might work, but on the day that you want it to it might not, and then support will just tell you its not supported.

 

Carl_Ayres
Level 4

Hi Riaan, and thanks for your reply.

I forgot to mention that we backup to NBU5230 appliances. I am going to try and add or copy a puredisk storage unit, then add just the 7.5 media server to that new storage unit. I'll see what happens.

Carl_Ayres
Level 4

So i copied an existing storage unit and called it something else, then I selected "only use the following Media server" and selected the 7.5 media server.

this now raises another question, can a storage unit be shared out twice?

RiaanBadenhorst
Moderator
Moderator
Partner    VIP    Accredited Certified

Suppose you'll have to look at the benefits you'll get by upgrading vs the GRT ability. Depends on the amount of GRT restore requests you get i guess. Exch 2003 is supposed to be dead and buried by now :p
 

Carl_Ayres
Level 4

yes Exch2003 should be dead and buried, life would be simple if that was the case :)

RiaanBadenhorst
Moderator
Moderator
Partner    VIP    Accredited Certified

Hi Carl,

 

You can do that but I'm not understanding your plan. Are you just seeing if you can direct the GRT backup to a certain media server? If so, you can do that, its configurable.

 

The question still remains whether a master on 7.6 and media on 7.5 will backup the 2003 GRT. Unfortunately you'll not know that until you upgrade the master to 7.6. Point of no (easy) return so to speak.

Mark_Solutions
Level 6
Partner Accredited Certified

It may not as bad as you think .. and the guides / readme's make it sound like you cannot do anything with Exchange 2003 any more.

It may be possible with just a 7.5.0.7 client installed on your exchange server.

I have to be honest that I haven't had the chance to test this yet - I know you cannot backup Exchange 2003 at all with a 7.6 client and you have to use a 7.5 one but have you actually tried the GRT part of it with just a 7.5 client going to your 7.6 appliance?

I would be interested to know if it works - would make life a lot easier for you... My last customer was using Exchange 2003 and we had to use a 7.5 client to get it to backup to their 7.6.0.2 appliance but we were not in a position to test the GRT part.

Carl_Ayres
Level 4

that's an interesting thought Mark. Leave the client at 7.5.0.7 and the Master/ Media's at 7.6.

I am yet to upgrade my netbackup domain to 7.6, and the Exch2003 GRT backups are the reason I can't upgrade until i find a work around. 

I could do as Riaan says, upgrade and see what happens but I know my company wouldn't let me go ahead unless I have a robust solution already in place.

I believe the following will work.

Build a 7.5 media server

Enter the storage server credentials for the 7.5 media

Copy one of my exisiting NBU5230 storage units and give it a distinguishable label e.g _EXCH2003

Select "Only use the following media server" and select the 7.5 media only

Do the same for the target NBU5230 storage unit (off site DR NBU5230)

create SLP to backup and Duplicate to the new storage unit

Change Exch2003 GRT policy to point to new SLP.

 

I am going to upgrade on the 27th July. I will try leaving just the client at 7.5.0.7 and test the GRT backup, and restore. If it doesn't work, i will bring the Exch2003 storage units in to play.

thank you all for your replies today.

Mark_Solutions
Level 6
Partner Accredited Certified

No problem .. i can tell you for sure that if you upgrade the client to 7.6 then it will not backup the Information Store and it will fail  .. just haven't had a chance to try one with GRT enabled yet.

Carl_Ayres
Level 4

Mark, just to let you know I was unable to test leaving the Exch 2003 client running on 7.5 whilst backing up to a 7.6 appliance. I have left a 7.5.0.7 media server in place to host the Exch 2003 GRT backups.