AmolB
Frequently there are posts on the connect site about protecting or recovering Backup Exec itself from a Disaster.
Below procedure explains what to backup and how to recover Backup Exec.
Background:
Everyday Backup Exec runs a database maintenance and creates a healthy copy of BE database.
This copy of database is saved in the form of BEDB.bak in the DATA folder, located in the installation
directory of BE. The option of database maintenance is enabled by default and it runs at 04:00 hours.
This option can be disabled (not recommended) and the schedule time of maintenance can be changed too.
In BE2010 and older versions, Database Maintenance option is avialable in the BE console -> Tools ->
Options -> Database Maintenance. In BE 2012 this option is avialable in BE console -> Backpu Exec
button (Top left hand corner) -> Configuration & Settings -> Backup Exec Settings ->Database Maintenance.
What to Backup?
To recover Backup Exec from a disaster you need latest copy of the Data & Catalogs folder. As mentioned
above BEDB.bak (latest good copy of BE database) is saved in the Data folder. About the Catalogs folder as
the name suggests it stores catalogs of the data which is being backed up daily by BE. Without catalogs you
cannot restore any data from the backup sets although catalogs can be generated by running a catalog job on the
media but its a time consuming process. So you need to backup Data and Catalogs folder located in the
installation directory of BE.
How to Recover?
If BE server crashes or if BE needs to be reinstalled than with the help of Data and Catalogs folder you can bring
backup BE to the state as it was prior to disaster. What you need to do is mentioned below in few simple steps.
- Install Backup Exec.(same version and same server name)
- Restore Data and Catalogs folder from the backups.(run inventory and catalog job before restoring)
- Replace existing Data and Catalogs folder with the Data & Catalogs folder from backups.
- Open BEUtility.exe -> Right click on the media server -> Select Recover Database -> Select "Drop existing database and reload from backup" (This will make sure that healthy database is used by Backup Exec)
Note: There are many ways to recover BE I have described 1 of them.
