What are the different kinds of backup?

Full - backs up every file or folder you select

Incremental - Backs up only those files that have changed since the last backup and resets the Archive bit
to indicate that the file has been saved. Does not delete the older version of a backed up file, it simply
adds a copy of the newest version.
Differential - Backs up changed files and deletes ones that are missing and files that are older versions of
files currently to be backed up.
"Mirror" - The backup set of folders is continuously synchronized with the source set of folders. When a file
changes in the source that change is made in the backup, usually immediately.
'Snapshot' - This is the same as Full, but doesn't mark files as saved.

1.Q: What if we already have a tape backup system?

Using a tape backup system and a remote backup system offers the best of both worlds. Critical files,
like billing, customer contact files and databases can be kept on the remote backup system. While, the
tape system can be used to create a full backup of the entire system once or twice a month, instead of
on a daily basis. The tapes and drive will last longer and require less maintenance. The remote backup
system can provide a quick and easy way to retrieve critical files and databases without the hassle of
searching through tapes.
2Q: What if we already have a Zip drive?
Frankly, we believe that it is not optimal for most users should not use a zip or other removable disk
media for backup. A remote backup service is completely automated and has the required file
redundancy to protect important data. The only safe way to use a zip drive for backup is to have three
disks and make the same backup three times. That way when one of the disks fails you are still
protected.
3Q: How long will a remote backup take?
Offices with high-speed Internet connections should find this service comparable with tape drives. Dial
up users will be able to do incremental backups in thirty to sixty minutes. The initial backup can take
several nights to complete. We recommend backing up the most important files first and then selecting
other files as the backup progresses. Or, the initial backup can be run over the weekend. Also, we can
come to your office and make the initial backup of your system.
4Q: Onsite, Offsite - What's The Difference?
Basically, remote backups work like regular tape backups, with one important difference. Instead of
sending backups to a tape drive or other media attached to the computer being backed up, a remote
backup sends encrypted file data over the Internet to a computer file storage system safely off-site. This
usually happens at night while your business is closed and nobody is using the computers. It's
completely automatic. In fact, you may forget it's working every night.
5Q: Why Are Remote Backups Considered More Beneficial?
The data is immediately stored off-site using an automated backup system. Also, only an Internet
connection is needed. Completely eliminating the need for expensive backup equipment and media.
And, since the system is automated, manual labor is eliminated.
6Q: How Secure Are Remote Backups?
Very. All files are encrypted using Blowfish or DES encryption, which is selected by the user with their
own personal encryption code, which is only known, by the user of the system. A hacker has never
broken blowfish encryption. DES is used by the federal banking system.
7Q: What is encryption?
Encryption is basically a mathematical formula that scrambles a data file. And the only way to
unscramble it is with the encryption code.
1. Q: What is VERITAS NetBackup? Top
A: VERITAS NetBackup is the industry leading enterprise data protection solution based on market
share for the largest UNIX, Windows, Linux and NetWare enterprise environments. Delivering data
protection and availability as a utility, large enterprises can leverage disk-based protection and
automated disaster recovery. VERITAS NetBackup offers optional database agents, enabling
online, non-disruptive backup and recovery to deliver data availability for Utility Computing.
2. Q: What is NetBackup Access Control? Top
A: Access Control is a core NetBackup feature that enables a NetBackup user to configure
enhanced security within a NetBackup environment. It leverages VERITAS Security Services to
manage NetBackup authorization and authentication. Authentication and Authorization:
Authentication – validates that a user identity is an approved NetBackup user
Authorization – verifies, for a user identity, permissions to perform a specific action, such as
configuring new tape media.

NetBackup Access Control provides security for all aspects of NetBackup. NetBackup Access
Control covers core features, installation, GUIs, and licensed add on agents and options.
3. Q: Does Access Control follow a group-based security model or a role-based security model?
Top
A: NetBackup Access Control follows a group-based model, which supports the following:
NetBackup users can be members of more than one group
NetBackup users do not have to log on as a member of a specific group
NetBackup users gets the sum of privileges of all the groups they belong to
4. Q: What user groups does Access Control support? Top
A: There are six default user groups, each with unique permission sets:
User (NBU_User)
Operator (NBU_Operator)
Media and Device Operator (NBU_Media Device Operator)
NetBackup Administrator (NBU_Admin)
NetBackup Security Administrator (NBU_Secuirty Admin)
Executive (NBU_Executive)

The NetBackup Administrator user group, for example, has all the capabilities that are currently
available to NetBackup administrators using earlier versions of NetBackup. The NetBackup
Security Administrator may create new user groups as needed. For more information, please
refer to the NetBackup System Administration Guide. (LINK to VERITAS Support web site)
5. Q: How does a NetBackup customer obtain VERITAS Security Services? Top
A: VERITAS Security Services ships on a CD. The VERITAS Security Services CD will be
distributed in the current NetBackup 5.1 CD Media Kit. NetBackup customers may also obtain the
VERITAS Security Services CD at no charge by engaging their regional customer care center.
Their email addresses are as follows:
Americas – Amercustomercare@veritas.com
EMEA – internationallicense@veritas.com
APAC/SouthPac – aplquery@veritas.com
Singapore Only - apaccustomercare@veritas.com
6. Q: Is a special license key required to use VERITAS Security Services? Top
A: No. VERITAS Security Services are enabled through the NetBackup server (NetBackup
Enterprise Server or NetBackup Server) license key.
7. Q: Does the NetBackup Advanced Client FlashBackup method support backing up data to
disk? Top
A: Yes. Starting with NetBackup 5.0 Maintenance Pack 1 (MP1), the NetBackup Advanced Client
FlashBackup method supports backing up to both tape storage units and disk storage units on all
supported the NetBackup Advanced Client FlashBackup method platforms.
8. Q: What licenses are required to leverage NetBackup Advanced Client functionality for
Microsoft SQL Server?
A: Both the VERITAS NetBackup for Microsoft SQL Server and VERITAS NetBackup Advanced
Client are required for each system running Microsoft SQL Server that will utilize an Advanced
Client backup or recovery technique.
9. Q: With NetBackup 5.0 Maintenance Pack 1 (MP1), what Advanced Client backup and
recovery techniques are supported with Microsoft SQL Server? Top
A: NetBackup 5.0 Maintenance Pack 1 (MP1) will enable customers to leverage various snapshot
techniques available with the NetBackup Advanced Client for Microsoft SQL Server, including
Instant Recovery through VERITAS Volume Manager snapshot and offhost backup through
VERITAS Volume Manager FlashSnap. For additional details, please refer to the NetBackup 5.0
database agent compatibility matrix, or to the VERITAS NetBackup Version 5.x Advanced Client
Features by Database Agent Matrix.
10. Q: When was NetBackup 5.1 GA (Generally Available)? Top
A: NetBackup 5.1 went GA on June 7, 2004. NetBackup 5.1 was announced via a press release on
June 14, 2004.
11. Q: What are the key enhancements that were delivered with NetBackup 5.1? Top
A: The key enhancements that were delivered with NetBackup 5.1 are as follows:
Advanced Client Integration for Network Appliance’s Snapshot™ and SnapRestore
Superior data security and protection
Access Control (enabled with NetBackup 5.0 MP1)
128-bit and 256-bit encryption
Advanced Client data protection for Microsoft Exchange, Microsoft SQL Server and IBM
DB2 UDB
Enhanced Microsoft Volume Shadow Copy Services (VSS) Support
Windows Server 2003
Exchange 2003
Itanium support for Windows (server) and HP-UX, Red Hat and SUSE clients
NetBackup Enterprise Server (master/media server) and NetBackup Server support for
SUSE

For more details, please refer to the NetBackup 5.1 Release Notes.
12. Q: Will customers on maintenance be able to upgrade to NetBackup 5.1 at no charge? Top
A: Yes. NetBackup customers with current maintenance support contracts will be able to upgrade to
NetBackup 5.1 at no additional charge.
13. Q: How does a current NetBackup customer obtain NetBackup 5.1? Top
 A: NetBackup 5.1 is a “pull” release, which means customers seeking to upgrade must engage
VERITAS Software for the media. Typically, this is done through one of the regional customer care
centers, which may be contacted via the following e-mail addresses:
Americas – Amercustomercare@veritas.com
EMEA – internationallicense@veritas.com
APAC/SouthPac – aplquery@veritas.com
Singapore Only - apaccustomercare@veritas.com
14. Q: Were new SKUs created for NetBackup 5.1? Top
A: No. VERITAS Software replaced the previous media kit with a combined NetBackup
5.0/NetBackup 5.1 media kit.
15. Q: Are there separate CDs for NetBackup 5.1 Encryption? Top
A: No. The code for the NetBackup 5.1 Encryption option is included on the NetBackup 5.1 GA
software.
16. Q: How has NetBackup Encryption been enhanced with the 5.1 release? Top
A: With the NetBackup 5.1 Encryption option, VERITAS Software now supports 128-bit and 256-
bit encryption, in addition to the legacy 40-bit and 56-bit DES encryption. NetBackup also supports
several new ciphers (encryption algorithms), including AES-128-CFB (the current U.S. federal
standard), AES-256-CFB (the 256 bit version of the U.S. federal standard) BF-CFB (the popular
Blowfish algorithm), and DES-EDE-CFB (also known as Triple-DES).
17. Q: Does NetBackup 5.1 introduce any new Network Appliance enhancements? Top
A: Yes. NetBackup 5.1 introduces new Advanced Client support for performing local snapshots of
a Network Appliance filer. This functionality also supports performing local snapshots of Oracle
hosted on a Network Appliance filer.
18. Q: Where can I find out what NetBackup Advanced Client backup and recovery techniques
are now supported for Microsoft Exchange, Microsoft SQL Server, DB2 and Oracle? Top
A: The best reference point for compatibility is the VERITAS NetBackup Version 5.x Advanced
Client Features by Database Agent Matrix, which is posted on the external VERITAS Support Web
site – http://seer.support.veritas.com/docs/268369.htm
Backup Exec:

How do I get my backup device online after getting an event ID 58501 (ADAMM
Configuration Error)
Either replace the pvl.mdb found the the Backup Exec folder with the one from your install media (in
which case you will lose all overwrite protection info and media pool info along with other media-
related info) or you can attempt to repair the Database by opening it with Access and using the
database repair utility.

How do I avoid having to acknowledge the ejct notification for the job to end? (Backup Hangs at
99%)

The easiest way, if you are going to have someone change tapes daily, is to remove the "Eject on End"
flag in the job definitions. When the person changes the tape, they can eject via BackupExec, or press
the eject button on the drive.

Why does my backup fail with error: "Invalid Physical Volume Library Argument"

There is little or no help at Veritas's support knowledge base regarding this problem. The general
indications from the forums tell you to try the obvious things: reinstall the software, reinstall the device
drivers. Personally, I also tried a new drive, different OS, new tapes and an updated version of Veritas.
The error reported in the job log is:

OFO: Started for device: "C:"

Storage device "DEVICENAME" reported an error on a request to query entity information.

Error reported:
Invalid Physical Volume Library Argument.
^^^^^

The way I found to fix this problem is to replace a corrupted media library .mdb file that backup . Exec
uses to store information on devices and media. This is a file called pvl.mdb in the Backup Exec\NT
directory. Simply rename this file or move it somewhere else. Then copy the pvl.mdb file from the
installation files CD. Put this new file where the old one was, and change it from read-only (if you
copied it from CD it will be read only). You also need to change overwrite protection settings in the
Media tab in the program (right click media set 1 and then properties).

This should get rid of the corrupted media database.

I should stress at this point that you will lose the data contained in that file of any media sets you have.
However this will fix the persistant problem which may become increasingly irritating. (You will not
lose the data held on the backup tapes themselves, or the catalogs of backup history which you would
need for restoring data)

How to setup SMTP Email Notification.

If Backup Exec is running on your server and you don't have MicroSoft Exchange or any other server
software installed, you can still set up email notification through SMTP.

What you do need is:

1. Email account access.
2. An email account and the name of the correct SMTP server.
Okay internet access is fairly normal for most Servers but what's this about an SMTP server?

Basically, you need an ISP hosted email account so you can access the Mailserver . You CANNOT use
Hotmail or any other Web-based email account as these are protected from this kind of use.
So, contact your ISP and get them to give you a new email address and the SMTP server name. For
example:

Email address : backupserver@ispname.com

SMTP server name : mailserver.ispname.com

Open up backupExec (The version I'm using is 8.0, please advise if this is any different for other
versions).
Click Tools on the Menu and select Notification Setup.
Click on the SMTP Setup button.
Enter the name of the SMTP Server and your email address.
Set the SMTP port to 25 which is the port used in most cases for email.
Click Ok.

On the Notifications tab, select the event you want to be notified of.
Click the Add Notification button.
Enter the email address to notify or addresses separated by semicolons(;).
Enter the subject line and the message text.
Click Ok.

You will see a new notification item on the right hand side with a mail icon beside it.
IMPORTANT : Make sure to test the notification by pressing the Test Notification button and
checking the target email account. Backup Exec does not know if the mails are being sent correctly, so
you need to test this yourself.
If all is setup correctly, you should receive a test mail from the email account.

With this kind of notification, you cannot include an attached job log, however I've found this kind of
email notification invaluable in monitoring the backup procedure. You can set it up for the following
four events:
Job Succeeded
Job Aborted
Job Failed
Operator Attention

However, be warned that if you include the Operator Attention event and forget to change the tape,
you'll be send an email every 15 minutes prompting you to replace the tape until the problem is
resolved.
I resolved this by setting the following Registry Values:

Copy and paste the following into a text file and rename to bent.reg. Then save the file and double
click on it to add to the registry.

REGEDIT4

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Veritas\Adamm\]
"Media Request Timeout Seconds"=dword:30

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Veritas\Adamm\Alerts\]
"Insert Overwrite Media Changer Response"=dword:1
"Insert Overwrite Media Changer Timeout"=dword:30
Can I restore files backed up with Backup Exec with NT Backup?

Nt Backup. can restore files backed up with Backup Exec as long as there wasn't any compression used
to make the backup.
Neither Soft- or Hardware Compression.

How to scan backup tapes to make a restore selection

To perform a restore operation from tapes created with Backup. Exec, you need to have a complete
picture of what's stored on the tapes and you may need to search through the data stored on the tapes.
To do this, Inventory and Catalog the tapes. The following explains this further, hope it's helpful.

You need to catalog the tapes, so that you can see what files are actually stored on them. Depending
how it's set up, BE will usually keep details of this in the catalog database ., but to be sure catalog it.

Before cataloging, you need to inventory the drive. This will allow you to see the correct name of the
tapes inserted into the drive. I've found most people don't give their tapes meaningful names and just
leave the default DLT000012 style names.

So, perform the following two steps for each tape, or until you find the data you want to restore.

To Inventory a tape.
1. Insert the tape.
2. Click on the devices tab.
3. Select the correct tape drive.
3. Right click on the tape drive and select Inventory.

The inventory will complete in a few minutes and should display the correct tape name.

To Catalog a tape
1. Inventory the tape.
2. When complete, right click on the tape drive again and select catalog.

This can take a while depending on what's on the tape.

This will add the directory structure of the data on the tape to the restore tree. You will need to do this
for all tapes you want to search.

Making a restore selection.

When this is done, click on the restore selections tab. You will see details of what is on each tape. This
is organised by selection and backup session which is a bit confusing at first because you may see
more than one copy of each file, but once you find what you're looking for you can make the selection
and run a restore job.