Backup Exec 12

[timbo343]

Im going to be upgrading from backup exec 10 to 12.

 

Though something has been troubling me about it , and was wondering if anyone can help me out?

 

I always think along the worst case scenario. Since backup exec 12 uses 256 bit AES encryption and backs up to bkf files, windows backup will NOT restore files in this backup. So if I take Thursday nights backup offsite with me on an external USB drive, how do i access the data?

 

So if the backup server and the main data server fails, how do we access the backup to restore the data? Im sure you cannot just re-install backup exec and hope to restore the data as you need to re-create the media drives.

 

Has anyone else come across this problem? or are you running some software that will restore the data from an encrypted backup?

 

Thanks

 

Tim

[jack0w]

Best place to check would be the Symantec website, they have some pretty good knowledge base articles on encryption.

 

That said though, we're currently using Backup Exec 11d and when setting up encryption we were required to choose a passphrase. My understanding is that if we need to restore data from this tape and the server with Backup Exec on has failed it is just a case of reinstalling Backup Exec onto a server with access to a tape drive, enter the same passphrase for the encryption, catalogue the tape and setup the restore job.

 

Unless the way this works has all changed in version 12 you should be fine

Edited April 17, 2008 by jack0w
typo

[timbo343]

Right ok.

 

But we dont backup to tape in house, we backup to a NAS.

[jack0w]

Can't say for sure on this one since I don't have any experience of backing up to a NAS but I can't see the procedure being much different.

 

Perhaps there is somebody on here who is backing up to a NAS with encryption who can confirm this......

[benIT]

If disaster struck with backup exec you have below options (at least)

 

1) If you have IDR option, you can make a restore image in advance, that used in conjuction with IDR Data, allows you to get basic windows installed and restore from any source, this includes NAS or remote servers. I did a trial run and it works very well!!

 

2) If you dont have IDR option, you just install windows again from fresh, keep partition info the same and O.S the same. Setup tape drivers and backup exec (install backup exec to different location, so when restore done you can delete this temp version, keeping restored version), enter tape/backup file password, catologue the tapes/backup files, and restore. (as Jack0w describes).

 

hope this helps

[timbo343]

but we dont use tape drives.