Backing Up Symantec Enterprise Vault with Veeam

[habibalby]

Hi Guys,

We are running Symantec EV in two VMs. One runs the EV server and one runs SQL to host the DBs. Does Veeam Backup will be able to backup Symantec Vault?

Thanks,

[Vitaliy S.]

Hello Hussain,

Yes, we'll be able to backup it up, though I am not aware about specific EV backup requirements, but you can always enable application-aware image processing (provided that Symantec EV has VSS providers and writers). If doesn't support VSS, then please use VMware Tools quiescence with pre-freeze and post-thaw scrips that would put this application into maintenance mode for the snapshot and then resume once the snapshot is created.

Thanks.

[habibalby]

Hello,
I have selected the Application-aware and VMTools Quiescence, but it doesn't after backup, it EV doesn't show that those emails are Archived emails. The things is different when it comes to the EV I believe.

EV will create Vault Store, creates folders and emails as files. When Backup runs on those files, the file Attributes should change from Selected "File is ready for Archiving" to Unselected. Then, EV will consider them as Archived emails and will be delete them from Exchange Server. Now, if Veeam Backup runs and Veeam VSS, or VMTools VSS doesn't have the ability to change those files Attributes, EV doesn't consider them as Backed up eMails. Icons in MS Outlook should change from Pending for Archive to Archived.

[Gostev]

Of course, Veeam Backup will not set or change any EV parameters. Our solution does image-level backup of whole VM running EV, and nothing more than that. Thanks.

[habibalby]

Thanks, then my option is only to have a companition of both backup product, Symantec Backup Exec to backup EV and Veeam to Backup the VM-image...

Hope Veeam will consider this to be part of their next major release.

Thanks,

[icebun]

We are looking to deploy Enterprise Vault in the hope of reducing the size of our EDB files and improve our chances of replication to another site on our Exchange 2003 server.

Does anyone know if this is the case or the fact that having journalling switched on counter acts the advantages.

Any advice would be helpful.

[icebun]

[merged]

We are using Exchange 2003 and are considering using an archiving solution such as Symmantec Enterprise Vault.

I understand to do this the Journalling feature will be have to be turned on (we need the e-discovery tool).

Has anyone found an improvement in replication time due to the reduced size of EDB files, or if this countered by the fact that journalling has been turned on causing more changes to the underlying VMDK files.

Any advice would be helpful.

[TheVirtualDude]

Has anyone succeeded in implementing this backup for enterprise vault using veeam? I am having the same issue.

[kennyt2000]

[merged]

We are using Exchange 2003 and are considering using an archiving solution such as Symmantec Enterprise Vault.

I understand to do this the Journalling feature will be have to be turned on (we need the e-discovery tool).

Has anyone found an improvement in replication time due to the reduced size of EDB files, or if this countered by the fact that journalling has been turned on causing more changes to the underlying VMDK files.

Any advice would be helpful.

Hi there, we implemented Enterprise Vault and it has 2 impacts on the environment for a VM, first off it will for a short period of time increase the size of the exchange DB files but once you have vaulted the emails off to disk you will find that the edb files become very empty (Dependant on the aggressiveness of your archiving policy) you will then have to manually defrag and compact the edb files. This will hit your veeam backups for a few days as there will be a lot of changes but the net result will be the full backups will reduce in size. With replication as the edb files are notably smaller (we had a reduction of 70% in size) when the files are changed and blocks updated we noticed the incremental changes were much smaller for this particular VM. Enabling the journaling didnt seem to have any impact for us.

The question however is will the EV server also be a VM as it is very intensive with file transactions and indexing services so you may want to consider this when looking at the backup method for the server.

when looking at backing up an EV server symantec do provide scripts for putting the EV server into backup mode, we use a scheduled task to do this before the veeam job starts and then the once the job has completed. You have to use the same scripts with other backup vendors such as CA also.

[icebun]

Thanks for the response KennyT.

[lobo519]

[merged]

We are in the process of researching a new Email archive product for out Exchange servers. Most of them use the journaling feature. I am concerned the effect the journaling mailbox will have on Replication and Backup jobs - Does anyone have any experience? I was thinking about creating a separate database and putting it on it own virtual disk and then excluding that virtual disk in the jobs.

Thoughts please!

[jeremyh8]

i am currently testing veeam and probably going to purchase. i am backing up symantec vault which is 1.2 tb in size and it took 4 hrs for first backup and very little dedupe. The backups after this took 8 minutes or less. This uses journaling but we have NOT backed up exchange with veeam yet. We should be doing that and replicating it in the next week or 2. feel free to send me a private message if you want more info.

[jeremyh8]

here is a good link for backing up vault. http://stackoftech.blogspot.com/2012/02 ... using.html

[habibalby]

here is a good link for backing up vault. http://stackoftech.blogspot.com/2012/02 ... using.html

Hello Jeremy,
Now the Pre-Job and Post-Job scripts goes into one script.ps1?

Code: Select all

 EV-VEEAM Pre-job

    #Send command to toggle vaultstore backup mode
    C:\Windows\SysWow64\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0\powershell -psconsolefile "c:\Program Files (x86)\Enterprise Vault\EVShell.psc1" -command "& {set-vaultstorebackupmode -name '[SITENAME]' -evservername [SERVERNAME] -evobjecttype site}"
    #Send command to toggle index locations backup mode
    C:\Windows\SysWow64\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0\powershell -psconsolefile "c:\Program Files (x86)\Enterprise Vault\EVShell.psc1" -command "& {Set-IndexLocationBackupMode [EV DIRECTORY SERVER NAME] -EVSiteName [SITENAME]}"
    #Start Veeam BackupJob
    add-pssnapin veeampssnapin
    get-vbrjob | where {$_.name -eq "[JOB NAME]"} | start-vbrjob -FullBackup

EV-VEEAM Post-job

    #Send command to toggle vaultstore backup mode
    C:\Windows\SysWow64\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0\powershell -psconsolefile "C:\Program Files (x86)\Enterprise Vault\EVShell.psc1" -command "& {clear-vaultstorebackupmode -name '[SITENAME]' -evservername [SERVERNAME] -evobjecttype site}"
    #Send command to toggle index locations backup mode
    C:\Windows\SysWow64\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0\powershell -psconsolefile "C:\Program Files (x86)\Enterprise Vault\EVShell.psc1" -command "& {clear-IndexLocationBackupMode [EV DIRECTORY SERVER NAME] -EVSiteName [SITENAME]}"

[habibalby]

Hello Once Again,

I found the solution to backup Symantec Enterprise Vault 9.0.2.1061 with Veeam Backup and Replication 6.1.0.205.

Every environment is differ to another with regards to the Veeam Setup and Symantec Enterprise Vault Setup and Configuration.

When Symantec Enterprise Vault is configured with the Site and Storage Groups "Vaults", there is a PowerShell script automatically will generate the Transform Backup Scripts for your environment. The Transform-Backup.PS1 script is located under C:\Program Files (x86)\Enterprise Vault\Reports\Templates.

Once the script runs, it will generate an HTML file which will have all the PowerShell cmdlet to set he Enterprise Vault/Site/Vaults 'Storage Groups' into Backup Mode and scripts to Exit/Clear the IndexLocation and Vault 'Storage Groups'.

Out of this you will have to create two scripts or more, in my environment with my basic knowledge of scripting, I have created four scripts, two PowerShell and two Windows Batch files that calls the powerShell scripts.

Note: You have to install the Enterprise Vault Console on the Veeam Backup & Replication Server in order to invoke and run the scripts.
Note: Permission you will require to run the Veeam Job and the Enterprise Vault Console. If the Veeam Services runs under Service Account, this service account need to be granted permission as Local Administrator on the Enterprise Vault Server and as a Power Administrator "Or create a new Authorization Group under that have definition of;
EVT Manage Index Location Backup Mode
EVT Manage Vault Store Backup Mode
Then add the user to the newly group created. And configure the Task Schduler to run the task under this user which manages the Veeam Services "Veeam"
This KB from Symantec can help you out with the permission: http://www.symantec.com/business/suppor ... =TECH67812
Note: The PowerShell has to run on the 32bit; c:\Windows\SysWOW64\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0\powershell.exe
Note: Do not configure the Schduler on Veeam Backup Job, let the Task Scheduler handle this instead.

Pre Script:
This script will include the Power cmdlet which will set the Enterprise Vault in backup Mode and will invoke the Veeam Backup Job to run.

Code: Select all

# Pre-job to set the Symantec Enterprise Server and Site into Backup Mode. 

#Site: EV Site
#Set backup mode on site
c:\Windows\SysWOW64\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0\powershell.exe  -psconsolefile "C:\Program Files (x86)\Enterprise Vault\EVShell.psc1" -command "& {Set-VaultStoreBackupMode -Name 'EV Site' -EVServerName evserver -EVObjectType Site}"

#VaultStoreGroup: Staff VSG
#Set backup mode on vault store group
c:\Windows\SysWOW64\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0\powershell.exe -psconsolefile "C:\Program Files (x86)\Enterprise Vault\EVShell.psc1" -command "& {Set-VaultStoreBackupMode -Name 'Staff VSG' -EVServerName evserver -EVObjectType VaultStoreGroup}"

#VaultStore: Low VS
#Set backup mode on vault store
c:\Windows\SysWOW64\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0\powershell.exe -psconsolefile "C:\Program Files (x86)\Enterprise Vault\EVShell.psc1" -command "& {Set-VaultStoreBackupMode -Name 'Low VS' -EVServerName evserver -EVObjectType VaultStore}"

#VaultStore: Over VS
#Set backup mode on vault store
powershell -psconsolefile "C:\Program Files (x86)\Enterprise Vault\EVShell.psc1" -command "& {Set-VaultStoreBackupMode -Name 'Over VS' -EVServerName evserver -EVObjectType VaultStore}"

#VaultStore: Normal VS
#Set backup mode on vault store
c:\Windows\SysWOW64\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0\powershell.exe -psconsolefile "C:\Program Files (x86)\Enterprise Vault\EVShell.psc1" -command "& {Set-VaultStoreBackupMode -Name 'Normal VS' -EVServerName evserver -EVObjectType VaultStore}"

#VaultStore: High VS
#Set backup mode on vault store
c:\Windows\SysWOW64\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0\powershell.exe -psconsolefile "C:\Program Files (x86)\Enterprise Vault\EVShell.psc1" -command "& {Set-VaultStoreBackupMode -Name 'High VS' -EVServerName evserver -EVObjectType VaultStore}"

#SetIndexLocations:  EV Site
#Set backup mode on indexes in site
c:\Windows\SysWOW64\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0\powershell.exe -psconsolefile "C:\Program Files (x86)\Enterprise Vault\EVShell.psc1" -command "& {Set-IndexLocationBackupMode -EVServerName evserver -EVSiteName 'EV Site'}"

#Start Veeam Backup Job SymantecEV;
Add-PSSnapin VeeamPSSnapin

# Add the name of the backup jobs to be included in the $chainedjobs array.

$chainedjobs = ("SymantecEV")

foreach ($jobname in $chainedjobs){
$job = Get-VBRJob -name $jobname
$jobtry = 0
start-VBRJob -job $job

$job.GetLastResult()
if($job.GetLastResult() -eq "Failed"){
    do{
        Start-Sleep 480
        Start-VBRJob -job $job -RetryBackup
        $jobtry++
    }
    while(($jobtry -lt 3) -and ($job.GetLastResult() -eq "Failed"))
}
}

The start job script it will start and it will loop through for 3 times as RetryJob till it gets the result Success/Warning other than Failed.
Call this script in the Task Schduler either using PowerShell.PS1 or you can create a Windows Batch file to call the script

Code: Select all

PowerShell.exe G:\Script\PreJob.ps1

Then in the Veeam Backup Job configuration in the Storage Section -> Advanced Settings you have to put the Post-Job Script under the Post Job Activity Section.

Post-Job Script:
This script will include the Power cmdlet which will clear the Enterprise Vault from backup Mode once the Veeam Job Succeeded.

Code: Select all

#Post-job to Clear the Backup Mode on the Enterprise Site and EVServer.

#Clear backup mode from site
c:\Windows\SysWOW64\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0\powershell.exe -psconsolefile "C:\Program Files (x86)\Enterprise Vault\EVShell.psc1" -command "& {Clear-VaultStoreBackupMode -Name 'EV Site' -EVServerName evserver -EVObjectType Site}"

#Clear backup mode from vault store group
c:\Windows\SysWOW64\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0\powershell.exe -psconsolefile "C:\Program Files (x86)\Enterprise Vault\EVShell.psc1" -command "& {Clear-VaultStoreBackupMode -Name 'Staff VSG' -EVServerName evserver -EVObjectType VaultStoreGroup}"

#Clear backup mode from vault store
c:\Windows\SysWOW64\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0\powershell.exe -psconsolefile "C:\Program Files (x86)\Enterprise Vault\EVShell.psc1" -command "& {Clear-VaultStoreBackupMode -Name 'Low VS' -EVServerName evserver -EVObjectType VaultStore}"

#Clear backup mode from vault store
c:\Windows\SysWOW64\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0\powershell.exe -psconsolefile "C:\Program Files (x86)\Enterprise Vault\EVShell.psc1" -command "& {Clear-VaultStoreBackupMode -Name 'Over VS' -EVServerName evserver -EVObjectType VaultStore}"

#Clear backup mode from vault store
c:\Windows\SysWOW64\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0\powershell.exe -psconsolefile "C:\Program Files (x86)\Enterprise Vault\EVShell.psc1" -command "& {Clear-VaultStoreBackupMode -Name 'Normal VS' -EVServerName evserver -EVObjectType VaultStore}"

#Clear backup mode from vault store
c:\Windows\SysWOW64\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0\powershell.exe -psconsolefile "C:\Program Files (x86)\Enterprise Vault\EVShell.psc1" -command "& {Clear-VaultStoreBackupMode -Name 'High VS' -EVServerName evserver -EVObjectType VaultStore}"

#Clear backup mode from indexes in site
c:\Windows\SysWOW64\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0\powershell.exe -psconsolefile "C:\Program Files (x86)\Enterprise Vault\EVShell.psc1" -command "& {Clear-IndexLocationBackupMode -EVServerName evserver -EVSiteName 'EV Site'}"

When the Pre-Job Script runs, you will notice on the Enterprise Vault Server that an Event IDs will be generated which indicates that the Enterprise Vault Server is Set for Backup Mode and all the Storage Groups;

Code: Select all

Successfully set Backup Mode on all the Vault Stores that are managed by the Storage Service on this computer. Event ID 7060
Computer Name: evserver.domain.com 

Code: Select all

Successfully set Backup Mode on all the Vault Stores in the Vault Store Group that are managed by the Storage Service on this computer.  Event ID 7059

Vault Store Group Name: Staff VSG 

Code: Select all

Disabling additions, deletions, and updates to the following index locations because they are in backup mode: Event ID 7319

E:\Index\index1
E:\Index\index2
E:\Index\index3
E:\Index\index4
E:\Index\index5
E:\Index\index6
E:\Index\index7
E:\Index\index8
 
Status: Success  (0) 

Once the Backup Job in Veeam Server finished, the Post-Script will be triggered and will clear out the Backup Mode and Symantec Enterprise Vault will generate an Event IDs
as successful cleared Backup Mode for all the Storage Groups Vault.

Code: Select all

Successfully cleared Backup Mode from Vault Store. Event ID 7079

It's successfully implemented and runs fine without any issue. Hope someone else will benefit from this;

Thanks,

[habibalby]

Backing Up Symantec Enterprise Vault with Veeam Backup & Replication

http://dailyvmtech.wordpress.com/2012/1 ... plication/

[zoltank]

Hello,
I have selected the Application-aware and VMTools Quiescence, but it doesn't after backup, it EV doesn't show that those emails are Archived emails. The things is different when it comes to the EV I believe.

EV will create Vault Store, creates folders and emails as files. When Backup runs on those files, the file Attributes should change from Selected "File is ready for Archiving" to Unselected. Then, EV will consider them as Archived emails and will be delete them from Exchange Server. Now, if Veeam Backup runs and Veeam VSS, or VMTools VSS doesn't have the ability to change those files Attributes, EV doesn't consider them as Backed up eMails. Icons in MS Outlook should change from Pending for Archive to Archived.

To let EV know it has been backed up we have a post-job script which runs which copies a blank text file named "IgnoreArchiveBitTrigger.txt" to the active EV partition's folder per this Symantec article: http://www.symantec.com/business/suppor ... =TECH35610

[habibalby]

That's what I was thinking about it, because the archived file are checked as ready to be archived. I have done the same with the .VBK files using attrib.exe - a to indicates the files from Pending Archived emails with Clock icons to Archived emails with Vault icon.

Thank you, will do that

[nickb]

Hi,

I apologise up front if this question has been asked before but I cannot seem to find the answer to what should be a simple problem. I am a novice Veeam user and an even bigger novice at Powershell. I am attempting to backup an Enterprise Vault server using a scheduled task and a simple powershell script. By following some posts and blogs I have created a script which successfully renames the trigger file and places the mail vault stores and EV indexes into backup mode. However I cannot seem to start the Veeam backup from the script. The command I am currently trying to use is:

Get-VBRJob -name EnterpriseVault | Start-VBRJob

Any assistance would be greatly appreciated.

[habibalby]

Hi Nick,

Everything is posted I've described it in http://dailyvmtech.wordpress.com/2012/1 ... plication/ this blog ..


Pls let me know if you are not successful going through.

Thank

[nickb]

Hi,

Thanks for posting the link to the blog. I have tried to adapt the script as per your blog but the Veeam backup job still does not start. Everything else in the script runs fine. Here is the script:

Code: Select all

#Reset Archive Bit

DEL "\\dcappentvault\x$\vaultstore\mailvaultstorepart13\IgnoreArchiveBitTrigger.old"

#Send command to toggle vaultstore backup mode

C:\Windows\SysWow64\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0\powershell -psconsolefile "c:\Program Files (x86)\Enterprise Vault\EVShell.psc1" -command "& {set-vaultstorebackupmode -name 'evsite1' -evservername dcappentvault -evobjecttype site}"

#Send command to toggle index locations backup mode

C:\Windows\SysWow64\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0\powershell -psconsolefile "c:\Program Files (x86)\Enterprise Vault\EVShell.psc1" -command "& {Set-IndexLocationBackupMode dcappentvault -EVSiteName evsite1}"

#Start Veeam BackupJob

Add-PSSnapin VeeamPSSnapin

$chainedjobs = (“EnterpriseVault”)

foreach ($jobname in $chainedjobs){
$job = Get-VBRJob -name $jobname
$jobtry = 0
start-VBRJob -job $job

$job.GetLastResult()
if($job.GetLastResult() -eq “Failed”){
do{
Start-Sleep 480
Start-VBRJob -job $job -RetryBackup
$jobtry++
}
while(($jobtry -lt 3) -and ($job.GetLastResult() -eq “Failed”))
}
}

What am I doing wrong?

Thanks again.

[habibalby]

Hi, how you are running this script, as a .bat script calling the .ps1 script? What about if you run the command in the Veeam power shell does it start?

Does the veeam power shell is installed?
Try to run get-vbrjobin the command shell see what happen.

[nickb]

Hi,

I have created a scheduled task which calls powershell to run a .ps1 file using "C:\Windows\System32\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0\powershell.exe" with the argument "C:\Scripts\EVPreJob.ps1". Veeam powershell is installed. If I run get-vbrjob I see a list of all Veeam jobs.

I know that the EV commands work. If I try the start job section in powershell I get the following:

Code: Select all

Add-PSSnapin VeeamPSSnapin

Add-PSSnapin : Cannot add Windows PowerShell snap-in veeampssnapin because it i
s already added. Verify the name of the snap-in and try again.
At line:1 char:13
+ add-pssnapin <<<<  veeampssnapin
    + CategoryInfo          : InvalidArgument: (veeampssnapin:String) [Add-PSS
   napin], PSArgumentException
    + FullyQualifiedErrorId : AddPSSnapInRead,Microsoft.PowerShell.Commands.Ad
   dPSSnapinCommand

PS C:\Users\administrator.TOGA> $chainedjobs = ("EnterpriseVault")
PS C:\Users\administrator.TOGA> foreach ($jobname in $chainedjobs){
>> $jobtry = 0
>> start-vbrjob -job $job
>> $job.getlastresult() -eq "Failed"){
>> do{
>> start-sleep 480
>> start-vbrjob -job $job -retrybackup
>> $jobtry++
>> }
>> while(($jobtry -lt 3) -and ($job.getlastresult() -eq "Failed"))
>> }
>> }
>>
Missing closing '}' in statement block.
At line:4 char:34
+ $job.getlastresult() -eq "Failed" <<<< ){
    + CategoryInfo          : ParserError: (CloseBraceToken:TokenId) [], Paren
   tContainsErrorRecordException
    + FullyQualifiedErrorId : MissingEndCurlyBrace

Any idea where I am going wrong? Thanks again for your help.

[habibalby]

call the .ps1 scripts via a batch scripts and it will work. and the Windows Scheduler put the PreScript and in the Veeam job configuration in the Advanced, put the PostScript that will call the .ps1 script.

Let me know how it goes.
Thanks,

[nickb]

Hi Hussain,

I have initiated the script from a batch file and this is the error I see when it tries to start the Veeam backup job:

Code: Select all

Start-VBRJob : Exception has been thrown by the target of an invocation.
At C:\scripts\evprejob.ps1:22 char:13
+ start-VBRJob <<<<  -job $job
    + CategoryInfo          : InvalidOperation: (Veeam.Backup.Po...and.StartVB
   RJob:StartVBRJob) [Start-VBRJob], TargetInvocationException
    + FullyQualifiedErrorId : Backup,Veeam.Backup.PowerShell.Command.StartVBRJob

I will see if I can find any posts for this error.

Thanks.

[habibalby]

Do you run it with the same username that is configured on the Veeam Services? You have a permission issue seems to be.

[nickb]

That is the problem. The script is now working thanks to you. I really appreciate your time and efforts.

[habibalby]

Glad it works

[strattos]

Hi there habibalby,

1. Can I set the pre & post scripts as a pre & post commands in the Veeam Backup Task so that when the 1st ends the veeam job runs and whent he veeam job ends the post script runs in sequence? If not i guess the only way to proceed is to calculate the time window the 1st script needs to complete successfully and then set the veeam job to initiate at a time after the 1st scripts completion time?

2. "You have to install the Enterprise Vault Console on the Veeam Backup & Replication Server in order to invoke and run the scripts." Is this the correct way or the other way round? I mean shouldn't I install veeam proxy on the enterprise vault server? How the Veeam SRV will trigger a command towards the EV server? Or is the console of EV installed on Veeam SRV that actually sends the triggers to EV server based on the scripts?

Your feedback would be much appreciated!

[habibalby]

Hi there habibalby,

1. Can I set the pre & post scripts as a pre & post commands in the Veeam Backup Task so that when the 1st ends the veeam job runs and whent he veeam job ends the post script runs in sequence? If not i guess the only way to proceed is to calculate the time window the 1st script needs to complete successfully and then set the veeam job to initiate at a time after the 1st scripts completion time?

It's better to put it part of the script you don't have to separate the two tasks, the post script also needs to create the trigger files then exit from backup mode. This is very important step to let the EV Server that the backup has been processed and DVS backed up.

I have modified the scripts in my blog here; http://dailyvmtech.wordpress.com/2012/1 ... plication/ and included the part how to let the EV Server to trigger the backup mode.

2. "You have to install the Enterprise Vault Console on the Veeam Backup & Replication Server in order to invoke and run the scripts." Is this the correct way or the other way round? I mean shouldn't I install veeam proxy on the enterprise vault server? How the Veeam SRV will trigger a command towards the EV server? Or is the console of EV installed on Veeam SRV that actually sends the triggers to EV server based on the scripts?

This is the way I have seen it's working, unless you found some other way. You don't have to install Veeam Proxy "proxy is to handle backup load" nothing to do with this backup method. The console will send the trigger you have to register the EV Server in the EV COnsole that installed on the Veeam Server "By accessing the EV Server on the Veeam Server". Be ware of the permission part it's an important element of this backup to work.

Thanks,