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Eire09
Enthusiast
Enthusiast

Backup Exec 12.5 Vs 11d

Hi,

I'm currently using Backup Exec 11d & just wondering if anyone is using version 12.5 & what advantages it has over version 11D? Would it be worth upgrading?

Thanks in adance guys.

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AndreTheGiant
Immortal
Immortal

The great advantage is the VMware Agent in 12.5. But it cost!

Andrea

**if you found this or any other answer useful please consider allocating points for helpful or correct answers

Andrew | http://about.me/amauro | http://vinfrastructure.it/ | @Andrea_Mauro
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Eire09
Enthusiast
Enthusiast

Thanks Andrea. Is the VMware agent installed on each VM?

There is also a VMware agent for version 11.5D, right?

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AndreTheGiant
Immortal
Immortal

>Is the VMware agent installed on each VM?

No, is "simple" a VCB integration hidden into the software, so only on the backup exec server side.

>There is also a VMware agent for version 11.5D, right?

This agent is available only from version 12.5

Andrea

**if you found this or any other answer useful please consider allocating points for helpful or correct answers

Andrew | http://about.me/amauro | http://vinfrastructure.it/ | @Andrea_Mauro
HyperViZor
Enthusiast
Enthusiast

If you haven't invested much in the BackupExec licenses, and you have an enterprise environment, I would encourage you to migrate to NetBackup instead of upgrading to BE12.5.

As AndreaMauro mentioned, the VCB is only supported starting from 12.5, but again it's not meant for enterprise environments and they are always two steps behind NetBackup in terms of functionality, like the deduplication for example, BE still doesn't support it natively, so you have to use a hardware based dedup to handle the large VMDK backups. I believe also BE doesn't support granular file recovery from VMDKs (need to double check), while NetBackup (for sure) does one VMDK backup and has two level of restore.

Hany Michael

HyperViZor.com | Virtualization, and everything around it

Hany Michael
HyperViZor.com | The Deep Core of The Phenomena
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t35216
Contributor
Contributor

Hi All,

I have deployed BE 12.5 with the AVVI agent, basically GRT is available to allow file/folder level restores from within a windows OS. When you buy the AVVI agent you have access to an inifnite number of remote agents to be deployed within your virtual infrastructure. The one draw back with this implementation is the lack of selection of System state and Shadow copy components. These will have to be selected seperately in the traditionsl way. Not a problem since you have the remote agent installed but still sloppy in my opinion

Eire09
Enthusiast
Enthusiast

I'm after deploying Backup Exec 12.5 on a new server with a trial license.

I get the following error message when I try to back up a server -

The job failed with the following error: Cannot run the VMware VCB command 'vcbmounter.exe'. Ensure that the VMware VCB framework is installed.

When I try to backup the same server from the command prompt it works fine though by putting in the following commands:

vcbMounter.exe -h VCServer.domain.com -u Username -p Password -a ipaddr:ServerToBebackedUp -r c:\mnt\Servername-fullVM -t fullvm

Any suggestions on what I'm doing wrong with Backup Exec?

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AndreTheGiant
Immortal
Immortal

It seem that is missing some environment path, check the value of:

VCBBASE=C:\Program Files\VMware\VMware Consolidated Backup Framework

Andrea

**if you found this or any other answer useful please consider allocating points for helpful or correct answers

Andrew | http://about.me/amauro | http://vinfrastructure.it/ | @Andrea_Mauro
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t35216
Contributor
Contributor

Check that the account you are running the job with has local admin rights on the VC server. I presume you are using the GUI to select on the failed job,

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Eire09
Enthusiast
Enthusiast

Thanks Andrea.

Probably stupid novice question but where do I check VCBBASE?

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Eire09
Enthusiast
Enthusiast

The account I'm running the Backup Exec job has full access to VC Center.

Yeah, I'm using the GUI to select the job.

I've tried both ways ie

1. Using Pre & Post scripts

2. Selecting a VM through VMWare Virtual Center & ESX Servers

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AndreTheGiant
Immortal
Immortal

Into the backup machine open cmd and run: set

If the variable is NOT set, go to control panel, system properties, advanced, environment, new SYSTEM variable. Then reboot, o restat BE services.

Andrea

**if you found this or any other answer useful please consider allocating points for helpful or correct answers

Andrew | http://about.me/amauro | http://vinfrastructure.it/ | @Andrea_Mauro
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Eire09
Enthusiast
Enthusiast

The variable is set. I was hoping it was going to be that!! Any other suggestions?

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Eire09
Enthusiast
Enthusiast

Guys I might have found the reason for the problem I'm having.

Within Backup Exec if I select Source/Resource Credentials. Here there are two lines

1. VC Server Name - Logon Account - When I run the test I get the following 'The backup exec remote agent for windows systems is not installed on the remote computer, or is not running, or is not the correct version'

2. VM I'm trying to backup - Logon Account - Test Results - Resource Not Found

The logon Account in question in here is an administrator on the Backup Exec server & also on VCenter.

Any suggestions what will resolve this?

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t35216
Contributor
Contributor

Please see here:

Also have you added the account to the administrator role in Virtual Centre

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