Backing up and restoring media server from Self Protect Backup sets

Description

Backup up and restoring a Backup Exec media server from a Self Protect Backup job.

Backup Exec metadata that consists of information about backups and media server configuration should be protected. This metadata includes records of the files and data that have been backed up, the media on which the files and data are stored, all media and the storage devices information.

 Without regular Catalog and Backup Exec database backups, you risk losing all valuable information on your media server.

To avoid any essential metadata loss Backup Exec is introducing a Self-Protect backup job that gets automatically created during the Backup Exec installation and will be responsible for performing all valuable metadata backup of media servers.

Some key points to keep in mind regarding the self protect backup and restore feature:

• Self Protect backup job is automatically created on installation of Backup Exec with no user-editable pre-defined backup selections. This job is by default targeted to ‘Any Storage’ and we recommend configuring dedicated storage for easy restore of media server.
• Self Protect backup sets contain critical components like catalog files, Backup Exec database, database encryption keys, job logs and so on which can be restored to any existing media server. It is recommended to enable job level encryption or target self protect job to a storage device that supports encryption (such as, dedupe and cloud storages, tape and OST devices) to protect backup data from unauthorized access.
• Self Protect job cannot be deleted since it protects the essential metadata of the Backup Exec server, it can be put on hold if the user is already doing media server backups through other jobs.
• Before starting with the restore process from a self protect backup set, the user needs to have details of the current media server hostname, catalog path and job log path.
• Before restoring backup sets created by a self protect backup job, some manual steps are required to be carried out by the user mentioned in ‘‘Restoring media server from self-protect backup sets’ section below.
• For CAS-MBES environment, the job will be automatically created on each media server and will backup metadata specific to that media server. Restore from Self Protect backup sets needs to be performed on each media server separately.

Restoring standalone media server from self-protect backup sets:

• Before you start restoring a self protect backup sets, review the following requirements and prerequisites:

1. The target media server name (NetBIOS) and domain name should be the same as the source server as the self-protect backup sets will restore catalogs to the original server name path.
2. During the Backup Exec installation on a new server, make sure to keep the Catalog and Job log path the same as the source server. Self-protect backup sets will restore catalog and job logs files to its original server path.
3. Users need to attach the same disks/storage to a new media server. If the source media server has disk storage configured on a physical volume and cannot be moved, then copy all the content of the  BEData folder including hidden files to the new media server. The BEData folder is the Backup to Disk Storage folder that you had configured on Backup Exec when creating storage from the Backup Exec User Interface from the Storage tab. This folder will be on a Windows volume. E.g. D:\BEData or similar.
4. If the source media server has a deduplication or cloud storage device configured, the user needs to import these to the destination server on a new media  server before starting with self-protect restore process. Please refer technote Importing Cloud deduplication storage.  
   https://www.veritas.com/support/en_US/article.100050611
5. For restoring the metadata created by a self-protect backup job, the end user performs a restore from the self-protect backup set and then performs additional manual steps to bring up a new media server in the same state after a disaster scenario: 

1. Install Backup Exec keeping Server name, Data Path, Catalog path and Job log paths the same as the source server.
2. Attach or copy the storage containing self-protect backup sets to target machine as mentioned in points 3 and 4.
3. Import the legacy storage containing self-protect backup sets to this new media server.

Note: The option 'Use storage-based catalogs' must be enabled on the target media server. If you disable this option, the backup sets that you created with Self-Protect backup job cannot be restored properly during recovery operations. As a result, Self-Protect cannot recover the failed computer. To ensure that this option is enabled, click the Backup Exec button, click Configuration and Settings > Backup Settings > Catalog.

4. Run ‘Inventory and Catalog now’ on this configured storage.

5. After the Inventory and Catalog, the Self-protect backup sets will be available for restore.
6. On the Backup and Restore tab, right-click the media server, and then click Restore.
7. On restore wizard, Select Files, folders, or volumes, and then click Next.
8. Select File and folder backups to a point-in-time and click Next.
9. Select the most recent backup set to bring the new server to the same state.
10. Keep clicking next and finish.
11. Once the restore job is complete, the media servers Backup Exec database needs to  be restored using Beutility.

6. For restoring the database, users need to perform a few manual steps through Beutility:

1. Launch Beutility from the Backup Exec directory.
2. Click All Backup Exec Servers > Right-click on the Backup Exec server name > select Restore Database from Self-Protect Backup

c. The following informational dialog box will appear, read carefully and click OK. 

d. Provide the Account and password details 

Please note, the provided credentials will update the Backup Exec Service Account, System Logon Account, System Logon Account Owner on the restored media server. Account: DOMAIN\Username        

e. Click OK. 

Allow the restore process to complete and click close. Launch Backup Exec on the new media server. The installation will be in the same state as the original media server. If any errors are observed during services start, Open Backup Exec services manager and restart all Backup Exec and Deduplication services. 

Restoring CASO/MBES from self-protect backup sets:

1. For CASO media server restore,  

Follow the steps mentioned 'Restoring media server from self-protect backup sets' with CAS enabled during Backup Exec Installation. 

2. On completion of installation, restart the Backup Exec services on both CAS-MBE servers. 

For only MBES media server restore

1. During CASO-MBES restore from a self protect backup set, if Backup Exec is installed as MBES the user may encounter the MBES going to a Stalled/No communication state at CASO.

To ensure proper communication between the CAS and MBES, certain additional steps listed below are required: 

2. Install Backup Exec as a standalone media server and follow the same instructions and steps as in 'Restoring media server from self-protect backup sets'r.  After step 6, after the Backup Exec Database restores the job history and jobs are restored, but the storage tab may appear blank (no devices) as shown in the image below:

Enable the MBES feature by following the steps in the technote: https://www.veritas.com/support/en_US/article.100029009

  c. As soon as the Managed Backup Exec server reconfiguration is completed, deduplication storage may be in an offline state. 

2. If a previous MBES server had deduplication or a cloud device, then update the following deduplication services status from Disabled to Automatic. 

    3. Run some backup jobs to enable communication between CASO and MBES servers.

On CASO:

On MBES: