Requirements for backing up remote Windows Machines with Backup Exec for Windows Servers

Details:

To be able to fully protect and support the backup and restore of remote Windows Machines, a Remote Agent for Windows Servers (RAWS) must be installed on these machines and activated (licensed or in evaluation) on the media server. During the 60 Trialware Evaluation of Backup Exec, an unlimited amount of remote machines can be backed up or restored. Once the core server licensing has been entered, a license (or one site license with a hard copy certificate for each server) must be entered on the media server to prevent the Remote Agents from being deactivated on the media server for each of these remote servers. The same licensing requirement goes for Windows Vista Machines. Windows XP and prior workstations do not require any additional licensing to be backed up.

Note: Fully protect means to be able to run a full backup of the entire machine that can be restored later (disaster recovery) if the machine crashes (i.e.: hardware failure, natural disaster), gets infected with a virus, etc...

It is possible, however, to backup and restore both Windows and non-Windows Operating System files via User Shares even when Remote agent is not installed on them. The following has to be enabled under Tools>Options>Network and Security within the Backup Exec Console to perform such a backup of User Shares (Figure 1)

Figure 1

Please note: Though this type of backup or restore of just files may be possible, backup or restore of Default Administrative Shares, Active Directory (System State), complete disaster recovery, etc... will not be possible. The backup of User Shares selection is specifically designed for Servers\Devices for which Backup Exec does not have an agent. For example SNAP Servers or NAS (Network Attached Storage) Boxes with an operating system that emulates Windows and a Remote Agent cannot be installed on, which are not supported by the Backup Exec NDMP Option. User Shares backup or restore of Windows Servers which do not have the Remote Agent installed are not supported. Only partial or limited support will be provided for the backup or restore of shares on non-Windows Machines, because an agent cannot be installed to enable all of the functionality and features the Backup Exec Product has available.

"Partial Support" is a more limited level of Support Services than you would receive under "Standard Support." Partial Support is when our technical support engineer provides you with known Fixes/Patches/Workarounds, existing Maintenance Packs, or information from our technical knowledge base in response to your request for assistance. Partial Support does not include development of any new modifications (including security vulnerabilities) to your Licensed Software. Nor will we attempt to reproduce the Problem or escalate issues through management channels or to our engineering resources. Such Partial Support will be subject to the availability of resources, and we may need to limit the time we are able to spend on the Problem.

Note: for more information regarding Symantec's Support Policy, go to:

http://www.symantec.com/enterprise/support/Enterprise_Technical_Support_Policy.pdf

Products Applied:
Backup Exec for Windows Servers 10.0, 10.0 5484, 10.0 5520, 10d (10.1), 10d (10.1) 5629, 11d (11.0), 11d (11.0) 6235, 11d (11.0) 7170, 12.0, 12.5, 9.0, 9.0 4367, 9.1, 9.1 4691

Last Updated: October 24 2008 05:05 PM GMT
Expires on: 10-23-2009

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Subjects:
Backup Exec for Windows Servers
Application: Installation, Licensing, Troubleshooting
Remote Agent For Windows Servers: Install, Troubleshoot

Languages:
English (US)

Operating Systems:
Windows 2000

Advanced Server, Server

Windows NT

4.0 Server SP6a

Windows Server 2003

Enterprise Server, Standard Server

Windows Vista

Business (x64) 6.0.6000, Business (x86) 6.0.6000, Business RC2, Enterprise 6.0.6000, Enterprise RC2, Home RC2, RC2, Starter (x86) 6.0.6000, Ultimate (x64) 6.0.6000, Ultimate (x86) 6.0.6000, Ultimate RC2

Windows Server 2008

DataCenter (x64-64bit), DataCenter (x86-32bit), Enterprise (x64-64bit), Enterprise (x86-32bit), Standard (x64-64bit), Standard (x86-32bit), Web Server (x64-64bit), Web Server (x86-32bit)

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