Backup Exec: Remote Agent communication issue

[Archiee3]

Hi all,

When selecting a remote server's drive in a backup job in Backup Exec (which is greyed out, indicating that I cannot select it), I get the following error message:

"You are not authorized to access this item, a licence key for Backup Exec Remote Agent for Windows Servers is not installed on the machine, or the Remote Agent is old or incompatible."

To fix this issue I have tried the following:-

1. Reinstalled the remote agent on the remote server a number of times (by pushing it out from the backup server)

2. Checked the backup user credentials: I can connect to the remote system drives easily with the user credentials from the backup server in windows explorer.

3. I've followed the following guide:

http://seer.support.veritas.com/docs/258984.htm

which lists the following potential issues resulting in this problem:

a. The logon account does not have access to the remote server.
See 1

b. The license for the Remote Agent is not installed on the media server.
I've checked - we have licensing for the servers I'm trying to backup. Plus backups worked until recently

c. The Remote Agent for Windows Servers is not installed on the machine.
See 2 - I've also verified that the service is running

d. The Remote Agent is installed, but it is an incompatible version.
checked- its the right version installed on the remote server. As far as I know, we haven't ever upgraded Backup Exec, so there wouldn't be a version issue. Furthermore, the backups were working as normal for a long time before they suddenly stopped so I've ruled this one out.

e. Network Data Management Protocol (NDMP) has been directed to a port other than the default port.
checked the services file in <systemroot>\System32\Drivers\etc
no entry on NDMP.
The server is running Veritas Backup Exec 9.1 Rev. 4691

We have recently installed Symantec Endpoint Protection 11 on the server, but I did check the inbuilt firewall to see if it was blocking port 10000, but it seems not.

So I'm stumped. Backups didn't work for a while because I couldn't select the things I wanted to backup. However, I found a slight fix -> if you input your selections in text mode, rather than graphical mode Backup Exec at least tries to backup what I want. It fails most of the time (particularly on system state & c:\windows system files) with "0xa0008488 - Access is denied." or "0xa00084af - The directory or file was not found, or could not be accessed."

This all stems from the original problem of the Backup Exec server and remote agents not working properly. I should also point out that of the 5 or so servers this backup exec backs up, NONE of them can be graphically selected anymore, which suggests its a backup server issue and not a remote agent issue.

Any advice at all would be much appreciated!


Thanks

 

[NortonES2]

Backup Exec uses ports 10000+, you might be better configuring the firewall to allow all traffic to / from the backup server. If that works then you can create a more restrictive rule if required.

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If it doesn't leak oil it must be empty!!

 

[Archiee3]

I turned off the firewall in endpoint, but it doesn't make a difference to the issue.

Any more ideas?

 

[Archiee3]

I resolved this issue. It was Endpoint. By turning off SEP's 'network threat protection', you resolve this issue. I am still trying to figure out how to configure this feature so that it can be turned on and allow Backup Exec communication, because I want to use the feature, but in conjunction with backup operations.

Cheers,

Archie