Backup Exec Simple Core Pack Licensing with Instance meter (V-287-13801, V-287-13802, V-287-13803, V-287-13804)

Description

The Backup Exec Simple Core Pack license unlocks all the product functionality available in core product including the Microsoft 365 workload support.

This license is subscription based only and has the instance meter tied to it.

An instance is defined as a single compute instance, such as a virtual machine in a cloud computing environment or a physical host in the datacenter or 10 M365 users.

The Simple Core Pack license by default allows protecting:

1.       Backup Exec server itself.

2.       5 instances (can be a physical machine, virtual machines or 10 M365 users)

3.       1 bonus instance that allows protecting 10 M365 users.

• For additional instances, the customer has to purchase and install the “Backup Exec Simple Add On” licenses.
   

For more details refer to the Backup Exec Licensing guide.

Instance Usage reporting and enforcement through Backup Exec UI and Alerts

Where to check instance usage in Backup Exec UI:

Backup Exec UI – Home Tab -> Licensed Status widget: Will show number of instances deployed and details. The same table displayed there can also be used to manage the instances when Backup Exec is in Grace Period state or Enforcement Period state.

Note: On every Backup Exec server, this instance calculation happens once in every 24 hours (daily). Currently it happens at 4 AM daily. The UI reflects the values based on the last calculation done on the Backup Exec server.

Threshold for warning alerts
 

Alert have been introduced that will be raised at various thresholds when user have over deployed and is in violation of licenses installed.

In case of instance based licensing the alerts will start to show from 80% threshold.

Warning Alerts

The various kind of warning alerts are as shown below:

Alert 1: When instance usage is nearing the allowed maximum
 

The below alert will be seen when the instance is nearing the allowed maximum. Take necessary action to ensure the licensing terms are adhered to.

"%d is the current instance usage count. You are licensed for a maximum of  %d instances. Go to Licensed Status > Manage Instances in the Backup Exec Home tab for more details. Ensure that you adhere to the licensing terms and do not exceed the maximum licensed instance count."



 

Alert 2: When instance usage is greater the allowed maximum but less than extra grace of 15%
 

The below alert will be seen when the instance is greater the allowed maximum but less than extra grace of 15%. Take necessary action to ensure the licensing terms are adhered to.

"%d is the current instance usage count. You have exceeded the allowed maximum of %d instance count. Go to Licensed Status > Manage Instances in the Backup Exec Home tab for more details. Ensure that you adhere to the licensing terms and do not exceed the maximum licensed instance count. Contact your reseller or visit www.backupexec.com for information about obtaining more licenses."



 

Alert 3: When instance usage is greater than the allowed maximum and also greater than extra 15%
 

The below alert will be seen when the instance usage is greater than the allowed maximum and also greater than extra grace of 15% but it is in this state for less than 30 days. Take necessary action to ensure the licensing terms are adhered to.

"%d is the current instance usage count. You have exceeded the maximum of %d instances for %d days. Backup Exec will enter the Enforcement state in %d days. During the Enforcement state, Backup Exec refers to the instances selected in the Backup Exec Home tab (Licensed Status > Manage Instances). Backup will continue to run for the selected instances. Backup for the instances not selected will fail. Contact your reseller or visit www.backupexec.com for information about obtaining more licenses."



 

Alert 4:  When instance usage is greater than the allowed maximum and also greater than extra 15% for more than 30 days
 

The below alert will be seen when the instance usage is greater than the allowed maximum and also greater than extra grace of 15% and it is in this state for more than 30 days. Take necessary action to ensure the licensing terms are adhered to.

"%d is the current instance usage count. You have exceeded the maximum of %d instances for more than 30 days. Backup Exec is running in the Enforcement state. During the Enforcement state, Backup Exec refers to the instances selected in the Backup Exec Home tab (Licensed Status > Manage Instances). Backup will continue to run for the selected instances. Backup for the instances not selected will fail. Go to Licensed Status > Manage Instances and select the required instances. You will have 3 attempts to update the selections. Contact your reseller or visit www.backupexec.com for information about obtaining more licenses."




 

Subscription Expiration related alert

The Alerts are rasied when the license is expiring (i.e. subscription period)

90^th day before expiry – 1^st alert is raised.

Between 60^th – 30^th day before expiry – weekly alerts is raised.

Between 30^th – 0 days before expiry – daily alerts are raised.
 

Backup Exec behavior in Normal, Grace and Enforcement State period

Normal State period

Backup Exec will be in this state when the number of instances being backed up is less than or equal to the number of instances entitled by the licenses. The Instance usage can be viewed using the Manage Instances window. The Entitled instances table will not be available for edit at this stage because there is no requirement for it.

In Normal state Entitled Instances is calculated based on recent instances backed up (last 30 days). First ‘n’ instances will be selected as entitled instance.

The instances are displayed in their respective tabs as shown in the screenshot.


 

Grace State period
 

Backup Exec will be in this state when the number of instances being backed up are more than the number of instances entitled by the licenses. The grace period is by default of 30 days.

The Instance usage can be viewed using the Manage Instances window. The Entitled instances table will be available for edit unlimited number of times at this stage (in the 30 days of grace period). The table can be edited to choose which servers/M365 users are critical and should be considered as entitled when and if the Backup Exec server enters the Enforcement state after the grace period has completed. Backups for the servers/M365 users that are marked entitled will continue to run while those not selected will fail with a licensing error.

Backup Exec will go back into Normal state under the following conditions:
 

1.       The number of unique instances backed up in the last 30 days falls below the number of entitled instances allowed by the licences.

Or

2.       A New set of additonal licenses are deployed on the Backup Exec server such that number of unique instances backed up is equal or less than entitled instances allowed by the licences. 

Enforcement State period

Backup Exec will be in this state when the number of servers being backed up are more than the number of instances entitled by the licenses and the 30 days grace period has also completed.

The Instance usage can be viewed using the Manage Instances window. The Entitled instances table will be available for edit only three (3) times at this stage. After three attempts have been used, the table cannot be edited anymore. The table can be edited to choose which servers/M365 users are critical and should be considered as entitled when Backup Exec server is in the Enforcement state. Backups for the servers/M365 users that are marked entitled will continue to run while those not selected will fail with a licensing error.

Backup Exec will go back into Normal state under the following conditions:

1.       The number of unique instances backed up in the last 30 days falls below the number of entitled instances allowed by the licences.

Or

2.       A New set of additonal licenses are deployed on the Backup Exec server such that number of unique instances backed up is equal or less than entitled instances allowed by the licences. 

Job log error message for a non-entitled server when its backup is run during the enforcement state.




Job log error message for a non-entitled virtual machine when its backup is run during the enforcement state.




Job log error message for a non-entitled M365 user when its backup is run during the enforcement state.



 

Instance Usage calculations in a centrally administered environment
 

In an environment configured with one Central Admin Server (CAS) and multiple Managed Backup Exec (MBE) servers:
 

1.      Instances will be counted against backup jobs that are created and delegated from CAS irrespective of which Backup Exec server executes the job.

2.      For job created locally on the MBE server, the license local to the MBE server will be considered.