Backup Exec System Recovery Desktop Version licensing question

[bowen2011]

Hi there guys,

I'm a bit confused about the licensing system symantec are using. I have purchased some licenses for System Recovery 2010 Desktop Version and in all the documentation / system requirements Server / SBS 2003 are listed as a supported OS. However when I attempt to activate the license on a 2003 box I get a cannot install license error.

I had assumed that Desktop Version indicated that it would have fewer features than the full Server version not that it would not run on a Server OS at all. Also if this is the case why have them listed as supported OSs and why have all the exchange backup / restore options available in the interface?

Many thanks in advance.

[shailesh866]

SSR(Formerly BESR) desktop edition license would only work on desktops. A BESR server license would be required to install it on a server.

For further deatils contact our customer care dept : http://www.symantec.com/business/support/assistance_information.jsp

[criley]

and why have all the exchange backup / restore options available in the interface?

You can still use the desktop version for Exchange restores, not backups though.

As the above poster said, you cannot use a desktop license on a server operating system.

[bowen2011]

Understood - many thanks for that. I will contact support for full pricing information but in the meantime is there any chance you can clarity something for me as I am confused about the product distinctions.

There is the full server version (I downloaded the trial of this) which seems quite different from the desktop version (setup is much more involved as you'd expect). This is around £500.

Am I right in thinking that you can run the run the simpler desktop version on a server but just need a different license? And if so would this work out cheaper than buying the full server version?

The reason I am looking to do it this way is that there Server's in question are not running exchange or any SQL databases - all I need is a reliable way of backing up the files as I have been doing with the trial version.

[criley · Accepted solution]

The software for the server and desktop versions is basically the same. It's only the license that determines which 'version' you have.

As stated previously, you must use a server license on a server operating system. You can also use a server license on a desktop operating system (although not sure why you'd want to). You can only use a desktop license on a desktop operating system.

Hope that helps to clarify.

[bowen2011]

Many thanks for clearing up my licensing question.

Sorry to digress but I want to make sure I am using the correct version. I have just tested the trial server version again to compare. As you say its the same as the desktop version in terms of the interface. Have they overhauled the interface in recent versions because it seems really over simplified compared to the ones I used to use. For example you can't easily restore entire folder structures from the file and folder restore menu you just get a search window rather a directory tree to restore from.

Is this definitely the full blow server version I have?

[criley]

For example you can't easily restore entire folder structures from the file and folder restore menu you just get a search window rather a directory tree to restore from.

That's correct. I've already discussed this on another thread and have fed this back to our product management team. Unfortunately, with the existing product, there is not a simple/easy way to restore an entire folder structure in one go using the file/folder backups part of the product.

Is this definitely the full blow server version I have?

Yes.

[bowen2011]

Many thanks for all the information that's really helpful.

Would I be right in thinking that the symantec backup model has shifted towards taking full images of drives / partitions rather than selectively backing up files / folders?

Cheers.

[criley]

BESR/SSR is designed mainly for backing up entire machines or at least entire volumes in the event that the machine goes down and needs restoring.

If you are backing up large amounts of data, I personally would not recommend that you use file/folder level backups in BESR/SSR.

Be aware that you can still restore selective files/folders from a full-volume level backup.

Feel free to mark this post as solved if you are satisfied that your questions have been answered.

[bowen2011]

Sorry I thought marking a solution would close the thread!

I think the penny may have finally dropped. I was under the impression that symantec backup was now known as symantec system recovery - but are they two distinct products that are available seperately?

[criley]

BESR (Backup Exec System Recovery) is now known as SSR (Symantec System Recovery). They are the same product.

Are you getting confused with BE (Backup Exec)? See below:

http://www.symantec.com/business/backup-exec-for-windows-servers

[bowen2011]

Yes that's exactly what I was doing - it was the backup exec prefix that through me! Just downloaded the trial version of Backup Exec 2010 and its the interface I remembered.

I take it there is no desktop version of backup exec?

[criley]

I take it there is no desktop version of backup exec?

Have a look in the agents and options section and you'll see details about the Desktop and Laptop Option.

[bowen2011]

Thanks again for all your help.

[next]

Hi,

The product we have is the Symantec System Recovery Server 2011 Windows server.

The question I have is once we install it on a server for testing can we install it to a different final server?

Do I have to worry about the license or the uninstall takes care of it?

Therefore once I install the product on a particular server can I later move it?

Thanks in advance.