Thursday, April 03, 2008

Backup Exec 12 install

I've just finished upgrading our backup software from Backup Exec 9 to Backup Exec 12 and I must say that the documentation, for all it's length (over 1600 pages in the pdf!), it wasn't much help. If this gets any google juice, maybe it'll let someone else avoid reading and re-reading the docs over again because Symantec decided to leave out some key information:

1. Grab the CD (or download folder) and run the Browser
2. Run the Environment Check or Start the Install (the install runs the Environment Check, so if you're ready to install, just run the install).
3. Fix any issues the Environment Check finds -mine warned me about using Terminal Services for the install, but I had no issues with it. As long as you are not using a mapped drive you should be good. Also, it'll warn you about Symantec Endpoint Protection & Endpoint Protection Manager -we ignored those as well as we didn't need whatever functionality they provide. YMMV.
4. Enter all your license numbers -all of them. Including any agents you've purchased such as SQL or Exchange.
5. Complete the install. In the process you'll have to decide on an existing or new account for Backup Exec to use that has privileges to all the resources you're planning to backup.
6. If necessary, UNinstall any old Remote Agents on the machines you'll be backing up.
7. Install the Remote Agent on the machines you plan to back up. You can either push it out from within Backup Exec (in the "Tools" menu) or run the install from each server from the CD or download folder by clicking on "Browser", then selecting "Start the Backup Exec Remote Agent Installation".

Now here's the issue I have with the doc's. They don't tell you that there's no separate agent needed for Exchange or SQL. By installing the Remote Agent, you'll have access to all the functionality of the Exchange and SQL agents (and whatever other ones there are) as long as the licenses for them are installed on the backup server.

So, once that generic "Remote Agent" is installed on all the machines you plan to back up, you're pretty much done.

The remote agent install does not require a reboot, but one of my servers prompted for a reboot after UNinstalling the old Backup Exec 9 Remote Agent.

We moved from one backup server to another, so we didn't actually upgrade -it was more like a new install, so I'm not sure if you were to install 12 on the same server as you had previously had 9 on, if you'd still have access to your old jobs, etc.

19 comments:

  1. Anonymous6:04 AM

    Thanks, this article certainly did get some google juice and saved me no doubt loads of time. You'd think they'd make the fact that the remote agent works for exchange and sql a little clearer!!

    Cheers

    Nick

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  2. Anonymous1:43 PM

    Hi:

    I might be wrong on this, but I think that it's not the Remote Agent install on the remote servers that is allowing you access to the SQL and Exchange resources, in a granular manner - it is the license key for SQL and Exchange that you entered during the install process on the license server, that allows you access these resources.

    -M

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  3. True, M. It's the Remote Agent + the License Key for Exchange or SQL that's entered on the server that allows the Exchange or SQL server to be backed up. But, the point of confusion is that the software that is the "Exchange Agent" or the "SQL Agent" is a part of the generic "Remote Agent" -there's nothing seperate that needs to be installed.

    All you need is the Remote Agent on the server to be backed up (whether it's a file server or running Exchange or SQL its the same agent) plus the license key on the server and that's it.

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  4. Anonymous10:44 AM

    Can you update us on how Backup Exec 12 is working for you? I'm using BE 10.0 and it's been working well. I'm considering upgrading. I haven't been able to find any user reviews on BE 12. The few user reviews I've found for BE 11d are dismal.
    Any comments would be appreciated.
    Bruce

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  5. It's backing up our data successfully and consistently, but BE9 was doing that for us as well. For me, all that's changed is the interface (a bit). We do have plans for putting some of the new features like VSS into practice, but we have not done so yet. When (and if) we do, I'll post an update.

    So, all I can say is it works, but with a product like BE12, you already knew that.

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  6. Anonymous11:49 PM

    thanks so much for the sharing. i am planning to upgrade from 9.1 to version 12. i used to have the media server installed on the same box as the exchange server (as recommended by Symantec), is this still applies for version 12? thanks.

    ReplyDelete
  7. I'm not sure about the best practices for putting the media server on your Exchange server. We have a separate, dedicated media server where I work. But, I did a bit of googling for you and found a couple things that may help you:

    Here's a discussion about some considerations when thinking about using your Exchange server as a media server:
    https://forums.symantec.com/syment/board/message?board.id=installations&thread.id=75

    Symantec "Best Practices" (doesn't really answer your question, but there's good info there):
    http://seer.entsupport.symantec.com/docs/298300.htm

    Hope that helps!

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  8. Anonymous5:19 AM

    The Agents for SQL and Exchange came with 2 License Keys each, but the Key for the Programm itself? Not a mention of it, took me a good half-hour on the phone to get one!

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  9. I went round and round and round the Symantec documentation thinking that I must be denser than a block of lead as I could not work out how to install the Exchange Agent.

    5 minutes on your blog and hey presto - all done, piece of cake.

    Thanks heaps
    Murray

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  10. Anonymous11:54 AM

    The information on the SQL and Exchange agents is a MAJOR omission from the documentation. May many blessings be heaped upon you for laying this out so clearly.

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  11. Anonymous10:57 AM

    Thanks, Erica this article was great I am responsible for the Army's Backups and they are using Backup Exec 9.0 your article on the upgrade really came in handy.

    Thanks Again

    G.

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  12. Great article, has saved me time in searching the symantec forum and definitely you have identified a flaw in their documentation.

    Cheers,

    Ozz

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  13. Anonymous5:15 PM

    Fantastic. I was wondering how this worked and couldn't find diddly on Symantec's site or in the documentation. This clears up a lot of confusion. Thanks!

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  14. Anonymous5:58 AM

    So if I am upgrading from ver 9 to 12, I don't have to uninstall version 9. We do have to uninstall the Exchange agent because we are no longer backing up Exchange from this machine. Is there an option to uninstall from the upgrade install?

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  15. I upgrade to BE 12 yesterday and I'm having a issue with the ODBC system DSN settings, can anybody tel me what the defaults are for this ODBC connection?

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  16. Anonymous10:43 AM

    Going from 9 to 12 on one requires you to do an intermediate upgrade to version 10 i.e. 9-10, then 10-12. Info at: http://seer.entsupport.symantec.com/docs/289451.htm

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  17. Jakson Medina9:31 AM

    Thanks for you post!!!

    Regards,

    Jakson Medina

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  18. Brian9:28 AM

    Can you run a Backup Exec 12 Job during the day/during prime time.

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  19. Anonymous9:46 AM

    Thanks for the articale

    ReplyDelete