Backup Exec 8.5 and Windows 2003

[spross]

Hi All,
I have a client that wants to upgrade to Windows 2003 for their servers and Exchange 2007. But for a variety of reasons, they want to keep Backup exec 8.5. Does anyone know if version 8.5 will run on a 2003 box?

Scott

 

[steveot]

It may run but not supportted. You can protect the server fully with it. You can select the shadow copy components to backup , etc. Not tested, unsupported.

Need 9.1 or above

 

[spross]

But if I do not ahve to use the shadow copy to back it up, do I? Also will it work with Exchange 2007 as well?

Thanks!

Scott

 

[steveot]

If you looking to protect the server in disaster recovery you need 9.1 and above...period.

If you want to protect user files..not exchange it may work. But how important is the information to you or the clients information. You will get no support from symantec if something happens and you cant restore the data.

Backup Exec 11d or next release due out shortly will support Exchange 2007

8.5 is end of life about 4 years ago.

 

[spross]

Steve,
Can the Operating system be backed up? Not sure what you mean by "If you looking to protect the server in disaster recovery you need 9.1 and above...period"

Can you explain further? I have found Symantec's support to be so bad that I do not find it to be useful to me.

Thanks again.

Scott

 

[Zelandakh]

8.6 works on Windows 2003 without shadow copy support. I've done file server data retrieval but without the toys that comes with 9.1 you don't get much in the way of help on restoring bits of the OS.

I wouldn't try Exchange 2007 server though in theory you might be able to use it to back up remotely.

 

[steveot]

When you select a server for backup in windows 2003 you have C: drive and Shadow Copy Components/system state

Shadow Copy component is the registry/permissions/security and active directory information if its a DC.

So if you dont back this up and the server crashes you have to rebuild the OS from scratch and you can only restore user data and applications..but the application may have to be reinstalled since you dont have the registry information back in.

IF you have 9.1 or above and you backup c: and shadow copy component and server crashes you rebuild OS and just restore C: and Shadow copy and system is back to the way it was before the crash.

My opinion you have ask you client how much is there data is worth. If YOU dont back it up properly and they lose data..how much money and time will it cost them .. will it put them out of business or set them back x amount of days..compared to spending maybe $1000-2000 to get a compatible verions of Backup Exec or another product that supports what you want to do.

When you goto 2003 you probably going to be backing up more data...is the tape device going to be able to support the capacity now..and in a few months.
If they can afford to goto Exchange 2007 then they can afford to buy a backup product to back it up or at least use NTBACKUP or something.

 

[spross]

That is Ok because I am not going to be using Shadow recovery. But I am wondering how it would work if I wanted to rebuild the entire OS.

Scott

 

[spross]

That answers my question. Thanks. They have a lot going on with the current backup program and we have been told that the new Backup Exec products will not easily support the some of the different implementations.

Scott