Writing to Tape Help

[ec-inflxx]

That seemed to start the job. But I got this response:
PsExec v1.98 - Execute processes remotely
Copyright (C) 2001-2010 Mark Russinovich
Sysinternals - www.sysinternals.com



JOB ID: {BCA81C9C-6004-4D92-B4E5-A85793D12E7B}
JOB NAME: Test-Veeam2Tape

RETURN VALUE: 1
C:\Program Files\Symantec\Backup Exec\bemcmd.exe exited on ilarchive01 with error code 1.

Yet, the job seems to be running? Weird?

[Gostev]

Are you saying it work differently if you run the same command line locally on BE server?

[ec-inflxx]

No it looks like it does the same thing doing it local on the BE server with no psexec:

C:\Users\administrator.INFLX>"C:\Program Files\Symantec\Backup Exec\bemcmd.exe"
-o01 -jTest-Veeam2Tape

JOB ID: {BCA81C9C-6004-4D92-B4E5-A85793D12E7B}
JOB NAME: Test-Veeam2Tape

RETURN VALUE: 1

It is just weird that it uses the phrase "error code 1" on my Veeam server doing it from psexec but it still runs?

[ec-inflxx]

So I have tested this now putting that command into the post-activity script box. And I dont seem to have any luck here is what is happening:

1 of 1 VMs processed (0 failed, 0 warnings)

Total size of VMs to backup: 40.00 GB
Processed size: 40.00 GB
Processing rate: 333 MB/s
Start time: 12/14/2010 9:07:08 AM
Time remaining: 00:00:00

Running post job command

Transforming previous full backup chain into rollbacks
Transformation completed successfully

It just sits at 99% and nothing ever started on the BE server. I am supposed to copy that exact line into the post-activity script area correct?

Thanks. Seems like we are close!!

[Gostev]

Correct. Be sure you copy psexec into \Windows\System32 too. Veeam Backup job logs should give a clue if the command line starts correctly. Thanks.

[ec-inflxx]

Actually the psexec was on the Veeam server. Not on the BE server.

How should I go about stopping this job? The "Stop Job" hasnt seem to do anything.

Thanks.

[Gostev]

Yes, psexec should be on Veeam server in \Windows\System32.
Just kill the job process with the task manager.

[ec-inflxx]

Yes, it was there and the job ran fine when I did it from a command prompt. And from all the instructions I read I should just be able to copy that command into the post-activity box without having to create a .bat. I guess I will have to e-mail support and see what they think.

[KevinBeaumont]

[merged]

Hi guys,

Okay - I want to back up my VMware infrastructure with Veeam to disk, then have tape based backups covering the next year, so the support people can restore any VM to any period in the last year.

I don't mind which Veeam modes I use (incremental, reverse incremental) - I just need to figure out how to dump out minimal data each day, and have a 'full' each weekend. I was planning to set up a Backup Exec job to back up the Veeam folder each day, "incremental" (so only modified files). However I've noticed the synthetic fulls modify the timestamp of all the Veeam backup files, which would cause them all to dump to disk.

Hohum. I was just basically wondering - does anybody else do this? What's the best way for me to set things up? I'm confident I can handle the technicalities of Backup Exec etc, I just want to do it the right (and easy) way rather than reinventing the wheel.

Thank you, oh hive mind!

[ISExpress]

[merged]

Hi All

We use Veeam to backup to disk and than use Backup Exec 2010 to backup this file to tape. This jobs are both scheduled so the veeam job starts at 8pm and normally finishes anytime between 1am - 3am. We have our BE job scheduled for 5am.

What would be ideal is if I can run a post script or pre script job (I hear on the grapevyne it can be done) so that the BE job can start of straight away after the Veeam job.

As our backups size are slowly increasing this I can see becoming more important we recently had our veeam job go over 5am (assumed it was because there were a lot of changes to server VMDK files causing processing those files to take longer) and I dont want to run into this issue again.

Has anyone done a script which could perform this function?

Anyone willing to share this or point me in the direction of what commands I need to script this?

Many thanks

[iroche]

I have this configured in my setup the link below gives a good simple example.

http://ict-freak.nl/2009/08/20/veeam-ba ... e-by-side/

[zak2011]

I am running Backup Exec 2012 and VBR6.1 on the same physical machine. BE2012, is server based and works quite different. My Veeam backups go to the Data Domain which is directly connected the physical server. How would do i tell BE2012 to copy the backups files on the Data domain and put them to a tape.
Thanks!

[foggy]

Arun, what exactly you do not understand regarding the scenario? Basically, you need to configure backup job in BackupExec to get files from DataDomain to tape and trigger it after the Veeam job is completed the way it is described in this topic above.

[zak2011]

Hi Foggy. You said "Basically, you need to configure backup job in BackupExec to get files from DataDomain to tape and trigger it after the Veeam job is completed the way it is described in this topic above".
Could you describe how to do it with BE2012??
Can you describe how to do it in BE2012 as per the posts above??
Veeam technical support team didnt know it..perhaps you know it!

[Vitaliy S.]

Arun,

I would expect Veeam technical support not to know how to configure BE 2012, but they are really good in configuring Veeam B&R

Could you describe how to do it with BE2012??

How do you configure backup jobs that offload backup files to tapes in BE now?

Thanks!

[zak2011]

I agree Veeam support is good with Veeam B& R. I will be going in for VBR6.1 licenses in a few weeks time and i have BE2012. As I need to have Veeam backups to tape .. as a future customer and a user of Veeam ,i don't think its wrong to expect some help from Veaam in this since i was told its possible to do this with Backup Exec right from the beginning.
Backup jobs that offload backup files to tapes in BE are configured by creating jobs for each server as BE2012 is server based now . It is quite different from what was in the previous versions...The jobs are created in stages linked to each server.
If i need to tell BE2012 to backup the data backed by Veeam on the Data Domain NAS to tape, i am just not sure how to make it work based on the posts above.
Thanks!

[zak2011]

I have contacted Symantec regarding this and the following link helps to integrate Veeam backups to tape with BE2012.
http://www.symantec.com/business/suppor ... TECH189560
I have forwarded this to the Veeam technical support about this so that future users facing the same issue would be helped!

[panzer]

Hi.
While waiting for a large storage Device with deduplication, I still have to transfer data to tape for archiving and storage space purposes. Backup Exec and a tape Library is available for this job. How should I configure the backup jobs in Veeam? I want to move backupdata from disk every third month or so, but I still want to be able to do restore files from lets say last month without involving Backup Exec. Is this possible?

[foggy]

Stig, you should configure Veeam backup jobs with reversed incremental mode and 3 months retention. Review this topic for details on how to integrate with backup to tape solutions.

[panzer]

Stig, you should configure Veeam backup jobs with reversed incremental mode and 3 months retention. Review this topic for details on how to integrate with backup to tape solutions.

So I just copy the .vbk file to tape and let it get overwritten after 3 months?

[Vitaliy S.]

If you want to offload only 1 restore point per each three months, then yes, you should be copyng VBK file as it contains the most recent data for your backed up VMs. On the other hand, you're willing to offload the entire backup chain (for three months), then you should be copying VBK + VRB files to tape. Hope this helps!

[foggy]

Actually, the VBK file never gets overwritten with reversed incremental backup mode as it is always the most recent backup file in the chain. Yes, you just offload the VBK every third month, the rest will be controlled by the retention policy - you will always have three months of incrementals along with your VBK file available on disk for fast restores (without copying files from tape).

[marcy]

hello,

actually i backup my vmware cluster with veeam backup 6.5 and following options:

- keep restore points on disk: 14
- enable synthetic full backup every thursday
- transform previous full backup chains into rollbacks (save disk space)

now i would like to backup the full backup (synthetic full on thursday) every friday with my tape backup solutions.

is this the right way?

i have a lto4 tape library (7 cards for 800/1600gb) and a actually veeam backup size by ~ 900gb / full backup

regards

[dellock6]

Yes the design seems good, only doubt is about the size of VBK file and the tape size. VBK is already deduplicated and compressed and is 100 Gb bigger than tape native size, do not know how much further compression you can gain during the save to tape.

[habibalby]

hello,
now i would like to backup the full backup (synthetic full on thursday) every friday with my tape backup solutions.
is this the right way?
regards

With Synthetic full backup, on Thursday it will chain all of your VIBs into VBK file that would be created on Thursday. After last job you can initiate the tape backup solution to start backing up your repositories.

Look at this blog, but in here, I'm using Forward Incrementals with 5 Retention Period. https://dailyvmtech.wordpress.com/2012/ ... exec-2010/ Integration Veeam Backup with Symantec Backup Exec 2010

[AliG]

I've read allot of forum posts and sadly I'm still stuck, and looking for help.
We just recently purchased Veeam 6.5, and because of SOX requirements we have to archive to tape. So I'm looking for ideas or best solution on how to do the following:
I currently have two Veeam backup jobs called Tier 1, and Non-Critical.
I'm using the Incremental Backup method, Create Synthetic Fulls on Saturday, and also "Transform previous full backup chains into rollbacks" My retention policy is 30 restore points to maximize the amount of restore points on disk.

I'm able to get away of not backing up to tape nightly but must do it weekly, for a 5 week rotation, and have a Monthly Archive backup to be stored for at least 2 years. And in all honestly with the method I'm doing, I don't think its really possible to do a daily backup.

I'm currently using Backup Exec 2012, until hopefully when Veeam releases their major release to support tapes. I do not have to use Backup Exec 2012 so if anyone has any other recommendation I'm open to it. If not, what is the best way using a combination of scripts to kick start BUE, resetting archive bits, etc. to be able to backup my Veeam Jobs to tape using the Veeam settings I'm using now. If it's at all possible.

Thanks
Ali

[foggy]

Yet another good topic on Veeam and BUE integration.

[habibalby]

Hello Ali,

Have a look on the Veeam and BUE Integration thread in this forum and let us know your feedback. I have integrated successfully with Backup Exec https://dailyvmtech.wordpress.com/2012/ ... -exec-2010

[AliG]

Thanks everyone for the link, so to make sure I got this right. I keep 30 Restore points on disk to maximize the amount of backup data to Disk. This is primarily for DR purposes.
Should I run a tape Incremental Daily, backup and then on Sunday run a full Backup, but make sure I reset the Archive Attribute before the full backups run? How will I know which files to reset the Archive bit using a script?

Or am I better off, running my Full Backup the last day of the Month, to have a safety net, and run incremental throughout the month?

I don't care if I burn through tapes, as long as it covers me, and and until Veeam's release.

I just want to make sure I wrap my head around this correctly.

Thanks Everyone!

[habibalby]

Hello,
Your Deleted VMs on disk Retention period 30 days as well? When does the chain files get deleted from disk, VBK and subsequent VIBs files? Then in here you can make sure the date prior files get deleted from disk, provided the last job gets completed, you can start your Monthly job with Reset archive bit or Copy.

Suppose you run Backup Exec on Friday to backup every job "VBK to last VIB", and Saturday your Full Active JOb on been will run, and you run symantech Incremental job on SUnday or Monday, this Job will backup your Full active on Saturday and two VIBs, Sun and MON. To avoid backing up the last VBK by Symantec, you can reset the archive bit of the Directory where your jobs located before you start the daily incremental by Symantec.

If you copy/backup the full backup chain, the restoration from tape would be to restore the entire chain job, import it into cream and browse your backup to restore.

My retention to 5 for both keep VM on disk and deleted VM on disk. Last Thursday my Full working week Completed on Cream by 11:25pm, Symantec started backing up my Last week VBK Fri + VIBs Sun-Thresday by 12am. This will give me full chain restorarion . Today I'm running full backup and so far 5 critical jobs completed and 1 remain will be over by 1 am tonight. So, Sunday Symantec will run as Inceemental , I don't it to backup Today's full Veeam Backup, so I reset the Archive Bit of the Directories before first Veeam Incremental start, then Symantec will backup only VIBs files.

Next Thuresday 12am Symantec will start as Full/Copy and will include full Chain job, Fri"Full" Sun-Thu"Incremental".

There is a risk of leaving last week full backup on disk for a week without off loading yo tape, but I thing storage is reliable specially if your under Raid5 repositories.

Hope it helps,