Management of Backup Exec System Recovery clients

[tantalos]

Hello,

we have a small domain network of 20 client computers and one Microsoft Small Business Server 2011 Standard. As protection software we have bought Symantec Protection Suite Small Business Edition, which includes Symantec Backup Exec System Recovery.

Now we want to backup all of our clients using Backup Exec System Recovery. In the best case we would have a central management software that allows us the following:

1. roll-out of Backup Exec System Recovery to the clients
2. centrally manage backup tasks for our clients
3. monitor backup status
4. notify if backup did not work

With Symantec support they advised us to use Symantec System Recovery Management Solution (SSR-MS). But I am doubtful if this is really a suitable product for us, because under http://www.symantec.com/business/support/index?page=content&id=TECH157286 it says that

• this is a solution suitable for an environment with 20 or more servers,
• it does not support installing on a domain controller. We indeed have a SMALL network and the server on which I would install the management software is used as domain controller.

I fear that we would deal with a monster that makes our server a lame duck ... .

⇒  Is this the right product for us?

If not, which would be the right product with Symantec (should not produce additional licensing costs)?

If yes:

1. does it cost anything (against the background of our Protection Suite Small Business license)?
2. is there a cloud solution available or do we have to install SSR-MS on our SBS 2011?
3. is SSR-MS a ressource monster?
4. would SBS 2011 Standard be supported by SSR-MS 2013?
5. is this the correct installation document? http://www.symantec.com/business/support/index?page=content&id=TECH201523&profileURL=https%3A%2F%2Fs...
6. where do I find documentation for SSR-MS itself (for rolling out Backup Exec System Recovery, centrally creating backup tasks and so on ...)?

Sorry for my beginner questions. I am a Symantec starter ;)

Thanks and best regards,

tantalos

[criley]

As you have already mentioned, you CANNOT install the Management Solution on a domain contoller. This pretty much renders the rest of your questions redundant.

Please refer to the SCL for details of the operating systems that are supported with SSR-MS:

http://www.symantec.com/docs/TECH201318

Let us know if you have any further questions.

[Andreas_Horlach]

You may want to consider the SSR Monitor Tool. If you only have 20 Clients, this would be a good way to centrally monitor your clients from one location. Though it doesn't have all of the capabilites of SSR MS, here is what it can do:

• Symantec System Recovery Monitor is a light weight & intuitive application which allows to monitor BESR/SSR remotely.
• It displays information about each client, such as backup protection status, job last and next run time, remote BESR/SSR client version, protection status justification, etc.
• Add, remove and edit remote computer. Also allows to add remote computers in a bulk fashion – using the 'Import feature'
• Supports monitoring up to 100 remote computers
• Supports monitoring mixed environments where a computer is standalone or it is part of a domain/workgroup. 

To install SSR Monitor, run setup.exe from the \SSR\SSRMonitor folder on the installation media.