Backup Exec 20.1 Administrator's Guide
- Introducing Backup Exec
- Installation
- Methods for installing the Agent for Windows
- Using a command prompt to install the Agent for Windows on a remote computer
- Using a command script to install the Agent for Windows
- Installing the Remote Administrator
- Installing Backup Exec using the command line (silent mode)
- Backup Exec license contract information
- About upgrading to Backup Exec
- Getting Started
- Backups
- Backing up data
- Restores
- How Backup Exec catalogs work
- Job management and monitoring
- Alerts and notifications
- Enabling active alerts and alert history to display on the Home tab
- Adding a recipient group for alert notifications
- Sending a notification when a job completes
- SNMP traps for Backup Exec alerts
- Disk-based and network-based storage
- Configuring disk storage
- Configuring disk cartridge storage
- Backup sets
- Cloud-based storage devices
- Amazon S3 cloud-based storage
- Google cloud-based storage
- Microsoft Azure cloud-based storage
- Private cloud-based storage
- About S3-Compatible Cloud Storage
- About the Backup Exec™ CloudConnect Optimizer
- Legacy backup-to-disk folders
- Legacy backup-to-disk folders
- Legacy backup-to-disk folders
- Tape storage
- Robotic libraries in Backup Exec
- Creating robotic library partitions
- Managing tapes
- Creating media sets for tapes
- Labeling tape media
- Default media vaults
- Storage device pools
- Storage operations
- Conversion to virtual machines
- Configuration and settings
- Using Backup Exec with firewalls
- Deleting DBA-initiated job templates
- Backup Exec logon accounts
- Reports
- Creating a custom report
- List of Backup Exec standard reports
- Troubleshooting Backup Exec
- Troubleshooting failed components in the SAN
- Generating a diagnostic file for troubleshooting Backup Exec
- Using Backup Exec in cluster environments
- Configurations for Backup Exec and Microsoft Cluster Servers
- Disaster recovery of a cluster
- Simplified Disaster Recovery
- Setting or changing the alternate location for the disaster recovery information file
- Creating a Simplified Disaster Recovery disk image
- Preparing to recover from a disaster by using Simplified Disaster Recovery
- Recovering a computer with Simplified Disaster Recovery
- Performing manual disaster recovery
- Integration with Veritas™ Information Map
- Appendix A. Backup Exec Agent for Windows
- About the Backup Exec Agent Utility for Windows
- Appendix B. Backup Exec Deduplication Feature
- Creating or importing deduplication disk storage
- Selecting storage devices for direct access sharing
- Appendix C. Backup Exec Agent for VMware
- Backing up VMware virtual machines
- About instant recovery of a VMware virtual machine
- About Recovery Ready for VMware virtual machines
- Appendix D. Backup Exec Agent for Microsoft Hyper-V
- Backing up Microsoft Hyper-V virtual machines
- About instant recovery of a Hyper-V virtual machine
- About Recovery Ready for Hyper-V virtual machines
- Appendix E. Backup Exec Agent for Microsoft SQL Server
- Backing up SQL databases and transaction logs
- Restoring SQL databases and transaction logs
- Disaster recovery of a SQL Server
- Appendix F. Backup Exec Agent for Microsoft Exchange Server
- Backing up Exchange data
- Appendix G. Backup Exec Agent for Microsoft SharePoint
- Backing up Microsoft SharePoint data
- Appendix H. Backup Exec Agent for Oracle on Windows or Linux Servers
- Configuring the Oracle Agent on Windows computers and Linux servers
- Configuring an Oracle instance on Windows computers
- Viewing an Oracle instance on Windows computers
- About authentication credentials on the Backup Exec server
- About backing up Oracle databases
- About restoring Oracle resources
- Appendix I. Backup Exec Agent for Enterprise Vault
- About backup methods for Enterprise Vault backup jobs
- Restoring Enterprise Vault
- About the Backup Exec Migrator for Enterprise Vault
- Configuring the Backup Exec Migrator
- About retrieving migrated Enterprise Vault data
- About the Partition Recovery Utility
- Appendix J. Backup Exec Agent for Microsoft Active Directory
- Appendix K. Backup Exec Central Admin Server Feature
- About installing the Central Admin Server feature
- What happens when CAS communication thresholds are reached
- About job delegation in CAS
- How to use Backup Exec server pools in CAS
- How centralized restore works in CAS
- Appendix L. Backup Exec Advanced Disk-based Backup Feature
- Appendix M. Backup Exec NDMP Feature
- About restoring and redirecting restore data for NDMP servers
- Viewing the properties of an NDMP server
- Viewing storage properties for an NDMP server
- Appendix N. Backup Exec Agent for Linux
- About installing the Agent for Linux
- About establishing trust for a remote Linux computer in the Backup Exec list of servers
- Editing configuration options for Linux computers
- About backing up a Linux computer by using the Agent for Linux
- About restoring data to Linux computers
- Editing the default backup job options for Linux computers
- Uninstalling the Agent for Linux
- Appendix O. Backup Exec Remote Media Agent for Linux
- About installing the Remote Media Agent for Linux
- About establishing trust for a Remote Media Agent for Linux computer in the Backup Exec list of servers
- About the Backup Exec operators (beoper) group for the Remote Media Agent for Linux
- About adding a Linux server as a Remote Media Agent for Linux
- Editing properties for the Remote Media Agent for Linux
- Creating a simulated tape library
- Viewing simulated tape libraries properties
- Appendix P. Accessibility and Backup Exec
- About keyboard shortcuts in Backup Exec
- Backup and Restore tab keyboard shortcuts
- Storage tab keyboard shortcuts
Granular Recovery Technology
You can use Granular Recovery Technology (GRT) to restore certain individual items from backup sets. For example, you can use the Agent for Microsoft Exchange Server to restore an email from a backup without having to restore the entire mailbox. Or, you can use the Agent for Microsoft SharePoint to restore a list without restoring the entire site.
To restore individual items, the Granular Recovery Technology feature must be enabled when you create a backup job.
GRT is enabled by default for backups for the following agents:
Agent for Microsoft Active Directory
Agent for Microsoft Exchange Server
Agent for Microsoft SharePoint
Agent for VMware and Hyper-V
You can restore either full backup sets or individual items from GRT-enabled backups.
By default, the Agent for VMware and Hyper-V uses Granular Recovery Technology to protect files and folders at a granular level. You can also enable the granular recovery of Microsoft Exchange, SharePoint, and Active Directory application data that resides on virtual machines.
When you back up data, Backup Exec creates a catalog that contains information about the backup sets and about the storage device on which the backup sets are stored. GRT-enabled backup jobs require more time to catalog because of the amount of granular information that they contain. For GRT-enabled backup jobs, by default the catalog operation is delayed and runs as a separate operation to have less effect on your backup window. Because the catalog operation runs separately from the backup job, it does not prevent another scheduled backup job from starting on time.
When you enable GRT for Microsoft Exchange, Microsoft SharePoint, Microsoft Hyper-V, or VMware backups, the full catalog operation runs immediately after the backup job by default.
For Exchange and SharePoint agent-based backups, the full catalog operation runs immediately after all full backups. It runs once every 24-hours for all incremental backups and differential backups, even if you schedule more than one GRT-enabled job to run in the 24 hour period.
For Hyper-V and VMware backups, the full catalog operation runs immediately after all full, incremental, and differential backups by default.
You can configure the full catalog operation to run on a schedule if you do not want it to run immediately after the backup job. You can also run an Instant GRT operation that runs as part of the backup job.
See Configuring Instant GRT and full catalog options to improve backup performance for GRT-enabled jobs.
The following table lists the individual items you can restore for each agent.
Table: Individual items that can be recovered for each agent
Agent | Individual items |
---|---|
Agent for Microsoft Active Directory | You can restore the following individual items:
|
Agent for Microsoft Exchange Server | You can restore the following individual items:
|
Agent for Microsoft SharePoint | The following are examples of the individual items that can be restored:
|
Agent for VMware and Hyper-V | You can restore drives, folders, and files from virtual machines that run a Windows operating system. You can also enable the granular recovery of Microsoft Exchange, SQL, SharePoint, and Active Directory application data that resides on virtual machines. See Using Granular Recovery Technology (GRT) with the Agent for VMware. |
When you run a GRT-enabled backup job, Backup Exec creates media with an IMG prefix (for example, IMG00001). IMG media is a specific media type that Backup Exec creates only for GRT-enabled backup operations. When you run a GRT-enabled backup job, the IMG media stores the backup data.
Note:
It is recommended that you do not use software compression or encryption for GRT-enabled backup jobs. The compression and encryption processes are resource-intensive. Enabling either software compression or encryption can result in degraded performance for GRT-enabled backup jobs.
You should consider which device you use for GRT-enabled backups before you begin. You should also consider any special requirements for the type of data you back up.
It is recommended that you select a disk storage device for any backups that are enabled for Granular Recovery Technology (GRT). The disk storage device should be on a volume that does not have file size limitations. An NTFS drive is an example of a volume without file size limitations. Some examples of volumes that have file size limitations include FAT and FAT32 volumes.
Note:
Backup Exec does not store the granular backup sets on disk in encrypted form when you enable encryption for the GRT-enabled backup jobs that are sent to disk, deduplication, and disk cartridge devices. Only the backup sets for the backup sources that do not support GRT are stored in encrypted form. All the backup sets for the backup jobs that are sent to cloud, OpenStorage, and tape devices are stored in encrypted form.
If you must use a disk storage device on a volume with file size limitations, Backup Exec requires a staging location. Backup Exec temporarily stores a small amount of metadata in the staging location during the backup job. It deletes the data from the staging location when the backup is finished. The staging location is not necessary, however, if you use a disk storage device on a volume without file size limitations as the destination.
The staging location's default path is C:\temp.
The volume that is used for a staging location for backup jobs should meet the following requirements:
It is local to the Backup Exec server
It does not have any file size limitations
Additionally, to avoid disk space problems, it should meet these requirements:
It should not be a system volume
It should have at least 1 GB of available space
Backup Exec also uses a staging location to restore GRT-enabled data from a tape or from a disk storage device on volumes with file size limitations. The staging location must be on a volume that does not have file size limitations and is local to the Backup Exec server. The staging location is not necessary if you restore GRT-enabled data from disk storage on a volume without file size limitations, such as NTFS.
Backup Exec uses the staging area differently for the following types of restores:
Table: Staging processes
Location of data to be restored | Staging process |
---|---|
Tape | Backup Exec copies the entire backup set or sets to the staging area. The staging area must have enough disk space for the entire backup set or sets from which you want to restore an individual item. Before you use a tape device for a GRT-enabled backup, ensure that sufficient disk space is available to perform a restore. Backup Exec deletes the data from the staging area when the restore job is complete. |
Cloud | Backup Exec uses a staging location to restore GRT-enabled data from the Cloud Storage Device. Backup Exec copies the entire backup set or sets to the staging area. The staging area must have enough disk space for the entire backup set or sets from which you want to restore an individual item. Before you use a Cloud Storage Device for a GRT-enabled backup, ensure that sufficient disk space is available to perform a restore. Backup Exec deletes the data from the staging area when the restore job is complete. |
Disk storage device that is on a volume with file size limitations (such as FAT or FAT32) | Backup Exec must copy a small amount of metadata that is associated with the backup set to the staging area to complete the restore. Backup Exec deletes the data from the staging area when the restore job is complete. |
The staging location's default path is C:\temp. You can change the default backup and restore staging locations in the Backup Exec settings.
Keep in mind the following requirements when you use Granular Recovery Technology (GRT) with the agents listed:
Table: Granular Recovery Technology requirements
Agent | Restrictions |
---|---|
Agent for Microsoft Active Directory | You must use a Backup Exec server that is running Windows Server 2012 R2 to back up an Active Directory server that is running Windows Server 2012 R2. In a CAS environment, Backup Exec runs the backup job on the central administration server if it is running Windows Server 2012 R2 and the storage is configured locally. Otherwise, Backup Exec attempts to find a managed Backup Exec server that is running Windows Server 2012 R2 to run the job. If it cannot find one, the job completes with a status of success with exceptions and the backup sets are not GRT-enabled. If the Active Directory server is a virtual machine, Backup Exec may not be able to detect that the server is running Windows Server 2012 R2. The resulting backup may not be GRT-enabled. |
Agent for Microsoft Exchange Server | Backup Exec must have access to a uniquely named mailbox within the Exchange organization for backup and restore of the Information Store. See Requirements for accessing Exchange mailboxes . Backup Exec uses a disk storage device that does not have file size limitations and is local to the Backup Exec server as the default staging location for GRT-enabled backups of Exchange. Backup Exec may use a staging location other than the one that is configured in default backup options because a disk that uses the same disk geometry as the database logs is required to perform GRT operations. However, the location does not affect the performance or the amount of disk space that is required for the operations. You can create a vhd file or vhdx file to use as the staging area instead of a physical volume, if you want to minimize the effect on your resources. Configure the vhd or the vhdx file as a large-sector volume and make sure that it is at least 1GB in size. Then mount the vhd file or vhdx file to a directory. Backup Exec automatically finds the virtual volume when it needs a staging area to back up any data that resides on a large-sector drive. Recommended devices for backups that use Granular Recovery Technology |
Agent for Microsoft SharePoint | You must have a current version of the Agent for Windows installed on all of the servers that participate in the SharePoint farm. |
Agent for VMware and Hyper-V | You can recover only individual items to virtual machines that run a Windows operating system. By default, the Agent for VMware and Hyper-V uses Granular Recovery Technology to protect files and folders at a granular level. You can also enable the granular recovery of Microsoft Exchange, SQL, SharePoint, and Active Directory application data that resides on virtual machines. If you back up a virtual machine to tape, the Use storage-based catalogs option must be enabled in the Catalog settings to ensure that you can recover individual items from the backup sets. |
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