I have used Symantec Backup Exec for coming up to 12 years and have recently upgraded to version 2012 which at first was a bit scary but once I came round to how the new GUI works it all makes perfect sense, great! BE is used to backup our Exchange servers (cluster) and SQL servers plus a few other bits and pieces, nothing major or out of the ordinary here.
As part of our backups we also run Symantec Continuous Protection Server (CPS). CPS is used to protect 2 of our file servers, about 3TB in total.
Just to give you an idea of the setup I have... I have a DELL R710 Windows Server 2008 R2 box, this is connected (via fibre) to a NEXSAN SataBoy SAN (16TB) and also to a SPECTRA Logic T50e tape library. I have a mini 'backup' network setup here, I have a HP 24 port switch which patches everything up so backup traffic is separate to production.
Currently I use Backup Exec to run nightly scheduled backups and CPS is running 24/7, all backups are stored on the SataBoy. I run a tape backup at the weekend to the SPECTRA library, this is about a 7TB backup, tapes are stored off-site.
Here comes the issue(s!) I have...
BE 2012... I love the interface but I get error upon error upon error, driving me insane! The last 3 months approx 50-60% of my time is spent babysitting the backups, nightmare. I have been speaking with my 'friends' at Symantec over in India but dealing with them is becoming a joke, I sometimes have to wait up to 48 hours to speak to someone which is no good to me. They help me fix one problem and then 2 days later I get another, I am just becoming increasingly frustrated, its driving me nuts!
On top of this Symantec have announced that CPS will be dropped, this for me is BIG BIG news
as CPS is so vital to our backup routine.
The reason behind this post is to ask what do people recommend? where do I go? I need something that will WORK, I need a new CPS alternate.
I attended 'Backup Live' last week in Birmingham and Curtis said to check our AppAssure and FalconStor, I have meetings with these guys in the next couple of weeks.
One thing I will point out is that I work for Local Authority, money isn't readily available and I need to use our existing hardware (server, tape library and SAN)
No doubt I have not put anywhere as much info here as I should as this is a 'big ask' here but any help will be gratefully received.
Cheers and thanks
