Veritas Backup Exec 20.

1: Administration
(Agents and Features)

Appendix A: Agent for Linux

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Lesson introduction
Install and Configure
• Lesson 00: Course Introduction
• Appendix A: Storage Devices
• Lesson 01: Backup Exec Fundamentals
• Appendix B: Central Admin Server Feature
• Lesson 02: Licensing Backup Exec
• Appendix C: Remote Administration Console
• Lesson 03: Installing Backup Exec
• Lesson 04: Working with the Backup Exec Administration Agents and Features
Console
• Lesson 00: Course Introduction
• Lesson 05: Disk Storage Devices
• Lesson 01: Deduplication Feature
• Lesson 06: Cloud-based Storage Devices
• Lesson 02: Introduction to Remote Agent, Applications and
• Lesson 07: Network Storage Devices Databases
• Lesson 08: Disk, Network, and Cloud Data Management • Lesson 03: Protecting Microsoft Exchange Server
• Lesson 09: Tape Devices and Tape Management • Lesson 04: Protecting Microsoft SQL Server
• Lesson 10: Backing up Data • Lesson 05: Protecting Microsoft SharePoint Server
• Lesson 11: Managing Servers and Jobs • Lesson 06: Protecting Microsoft Active Directory
• Lesson 12: Restoring Data • Lesson 07: Protecting Virtual Environments
• Lesson 13: Working with the Database Encryption Key • Lesson 08: Performing Virtual Machine Conversions
• Lesson 14: Simplified Disaster Recovery • Appendix A: Agent for Linux
• Lesson 15: Upgrading Backup Exec
Lesson objectives
Topic Objectives
Agent for Linux • Explain the functions of the Agent for Linux
• Install and configure the Agent for Linux.
• Back up from and restore data to a Linux computer.
Topic: Agent for Linux

After completing this topic, you will be able to:

• Explain the functions of the Agent for Linux
• Install and configure the Agent for Linux.
• Back up from and restore data to a Linux computer.
Agent for Linux
Backup Exec server

• Local Install and configure

• Uses snapshot technologies
• Supports Simple, Logical Volume Manager, and RAID
volume configurations

Agent for Linux is included in both

Silver and Gold Licensing Editions.
Red Hat SUSE Linux
Minimum installation requirements
Minimum Requirement Description
Operating System Backup Exec 20.1 Software Compatibility List Article URL:
https://www.veritas.com/support/en_US/article.000017788
RAM 1GB RAM above the operating systems’s requirements for the exclusive use
by Backup Exec.
1.5 GB for client-side dedup
CPU Intel Xeon EMT64, Intel Pentium EMT64, AMD Athlon, and AMD Opteron
Access • Beoper group within the NIS domain’s group file or on each local server
• Root logon account
Requirements for the Agent for Linux

Linux server must have Perl 5.8.8 or later installed

Root logon account on the Linux servers

Backup Exec installation media

Enter a license for the Linux Agent on the Backup Exec server. The Agent for
Linux is included in both Silver and Gold Licensing Editions
Installing Agent for Linux (1/2)
Step by step installation http://www.veritas.com/docs/000031048

Log on to Linux system: Root account or Account with admin privileges

Copy the RALUS_RMALS_RAMS-XXXX.Y.tar.gz file to local drive

Copy from Backup Exec Server or Backup Exec Install Media

Extract the file and open extracted folder location

Run Linux ./installralus

Follow the prompts

Installing Agent for Linux (2/2)

You can also install Agent for Linux remotely.

By default, the Agent for Linux installer uses remote shell (rsh) protocol for a
push-install.

It is recommended to use secure shell (ssh) protocol instead.

Backup Exec saves the install log file to the following location: /var/tmp/vxif/
installralus<summary file number>/installralus.log
Installer creates beoper group
Creating the beoper group

beoper group
Backup Exec
server Includes all Backup Exec administrators
responsible for backing up Linux machines.

Network Linux server

Information running Agent
Server for Linux

If a Network Information Server (NIS) is not used, the beoper group must be
created for each Linux machine with root as a member.
Installing Agent for Linux: Start agent
Communications between Linux hosts and Backup Exec
Publish to Backup Exec servers by listing them in the ralus.cfg file:
SOFTWARE\Symantec\...\Agents\Agent Directory List 1=srv.mycompany.com
SOFTWARE\Symantec\...\Agents\Agent Directory List 2=mediaserver1
SOFTWARE\Symantec\...\Agents\Agent Directory List 3=10.10.1.12

1 2 3
List file and directory exclusions in the ralus.cfg file:
SOFTWARE\Symantec\...\Agents\Engine\RALUS\SystemExclude01=/dev
SOFTWARE\Symantec\...\Agents\Engine\RALUS\SystemExclude02=/proc
SOFTWARE\Symantec\...\Agents\Engine\RALUS\SystemExclude03=/mydir

1 2 4
Key
1
Required string
2
Required and unique identifier (The order or appearance is irrelevant.)
3
Required DNS name or IP address
4
File or directory to be excluded
Backing up Linux servers (1/3)
Backing up Linux servers (2/3)
Backing up Linux servers (3/3)
Snapshot for Linux

• Using Snapshot technology for Linux Snapshot backups

– Useful to backup files locked in use by either the OS or other
applications.
– Snapshots of Linux available in Backup Exec 2014 and higher.
– Previously known as - Advanced Open File option for Linux (AOFO-L).
• Check the SCL for Snapshot support.
• CIFS and NFS are not supported.
Snapshot for Linux

Use snapshot technology is default option for all the supported Linux platforms and versions.

Linux agent by itself detects whether a snapshot technology can be used and in most
cases is supported only on select Redhat and SuSe platforms only.
Agent for Linux: Best practices (1/2)

Use the Agent for Linux to back up user data and configuration files.

Select the option By modified time for the backup method that you choose.

Disable file locking for backup jobs.

Exclude pipes and socks from backup jobs.

Configure backup jobs so that they do not follow symbolic links or mount points
unless they are the only access points to their referenced object.
Agent for Linux: Best practices (2/2)

Add the same directories manually to the Backup Exec Exclude list if you have added
directories to the autofs automounter utility.

Enter file and directory exclusion information in the ralus.cfg file for files and directories
on a host that you do not want to back up.

Do not restore data across different operating systems.

File system protection vs Operating system protection
Agents File System Protection Operating System Protection

Agent for Windows Yes Yes

Agent for Linux Yes No

Only user data is protected

Check the Software Compatibility List for the supported

operating systems.
https://www.veritas.com/support/en_US/article.000017788
Linux references
• Installation: https://www.veritas.com/support/en_US/article.100017476
• Linux Ports: https://www.veritas.com/support/en_US/article.100016843
• Linux Configuration: https://
www.veritas.com/content/support/en_US/doc/59226269-99535599-0/v53931964-9953
5599
• Linux Debug: https://www.veritas.com/support/en_US/article.100016633.html
• Backup Exec 20.1 Software Compatibility List (SCL):
https://www.veritas.com/support/en_US/article.100041607
• Manually starting the Agent for Linux (RALUS Daemon)
/etc/init.d/VRTSralus.init stop
/etc/init.d/VRTSralus.init start
End of presentation