The final release of NMM 2.3 can be seen from the horizon!
So get your servers ready to be backed up with the most recent version of NMM!
How can you make sure that your production servers are qualified to be backed up without any fuss?
Just make sure you download, install and run the last version of NMM Configuration Checker from powerlink!
Q1- Ok, but what version of NetWorker do I need to use this release of NMM?
A1- It is required that you install NetWorker 7.5 SP3 or later, or NetWorker 7.6 SP1 or later before installing NMM 2.3.
Q2- Which Application does this release support?
A2- In addition to the Microsoft applications supported in the previous releases of the NMM software, NMM 2.3 provides support for:
- Exchange 2010 SP1
- Exchange 2007 SP3
- SQL server 2005 SP4
- SQL server 2008 SP2
- SQL server 2008 R2
- Data Protection Manager 2007 SP1
- Windows 2008 Hyper-V SP2
- Windows 2008 R2 Hyper-V
- SharePoint server 2007 SP2
- SharePoint server 2010
Q3- How about installing it on Dedicated Storage Node, is that finally supported?
A3- Yes, this long waiting feature is finally here. Beside that; the support for dedicated storage node in NMM 2.3 enables you to:
- Perform LAN-free backup from NMM client without the need to configure NMM proxy node and VSS hardware provider-based
backups for LAN-free backups. - Perform LAN-free backups while running VSS software provider-based backups.
- Migrate easily from the NetWorker Module for Exchange (NME) to the NMM software without major architectural changes on
application server host.
Dedicated storage nodes are supported for all the NMM supported applications. NMM 2.3 dedicated storage node support enables you
to perform LAN-free backups without configuring a separate proxy node for all the supported applications.
You can perform LAN-free backups for:
- Exchange 2010 database
- Exchange 2007 CCR node
- Windows File System
- SQL server
- SharePoint server
- DPM server
- Hyper-V server
- Active Directory server
Q4- Does it support the new Express Writers for Windows 2008 R2?
A4- NMM 2.3 provides support for Windows server 2008 R2 x64 (Web,Standard, Enterprise, and Datacenter editions) and all the new VSS Express Writers for Windows server 2008 R2:
- VSS Performance Counters Writer
- VSS Task Scheduler Writer
- VSS Express Writers
- VSS Metadata Store Writer
Q5- What about the new BCD on Windows 2008 R2?
A5- While installing Windows 2008 R2 on an unpartitioned disk, Windows 2008 R2 creates a separate partition to keep all the boot files
on an unmounted partition. The location of the boot files can be used by the ASR writer BCD component.
NMM 2.3 supports backup of BCD data on unmounted partition, and restore of BCD data to an alternate recovery location to avoid system crashes. You can then import BCD data by using Microsoft utility BCDEDIT. BCD component can be recovered to C:\ drive only if proper time stamp and the location is added correctly in nmm.raw file.
Q6- I’m using Windows DFS-R. Can I do a granular recoveries?
A6- NMM 2.3 supports granular recoveries of DFS-R folders on Windows server 2008 and Windows server 2008 R2.
Q7- Can I have some decent way to protect my Microsoft Exchange 2010 and 2010 SP1 with NNM 2.3?
A7- In NMM 2.3 provides the following:
- Qualification of Exchange 2010 and 2010 SP1 on Windows server 2008 R2 and Windows server 2008 SP2.
- New GUI for Exchange 2010 recovery.
- Support for:
• Exchange 2010 VSS writer-based backups
• Exchange 2010 full and incremental backups
• Exchange 2010 stand-alone and DAG environment backups
• Exchange server 2010 DAG passive database backups from a local backup server
• Exchange server 2010 DAG database backups by backing up one of the following on a DAG server:
– All active databases
– All passive databases
– All databases
• Exchange 2010 backup by using proxy node
• Exchange server 2010 directed recoveries
• Recovery to alternate mailbox database
• Remote database recovery
• Granular mailbox item recoveries for Exchange 2010 using the Recovery Database (RDB) management console to:
– Create
– Delete
– Mount
– Unmount
– Overwrite property
Note: Rollback recovery is not supported for Exchange 2010.
Q8- Is there any change to the way Microsoft Exchange server 2007 is backed up with this version?
A8- NMM 2.3 now provides support for the following:
- Backup and recovery of Exchange server 2007 SP3 with Windows server 2008 R2.
- Recovery Storage Group (RSG) options:
• Create
• Delete
• Mount
• Dismount
• Overwrite property
Q9- How does NMM work with NetWorker and Data Domain integration?
A9- NMM 2.3 provides support for:
- Client-side deduplication support for:
• Exchange 2010 (x64)
• SQL server 2008 R2 (x86, x64)
• SharePoint 2010 (x86, x64) - Data Domain optimized cloning (replication) for backup-to-disk through standard cloning workflow for all Microsoft applications supported by NMM
- Storage node deduplication for Data Domain for all Microsoft applications supported by NMM
Q10- Can I use NMM 2.3 with Microsoft SQL server?
A10- NMM 2.3 provides support for:
- SQL server 2008 on Windows server 2008 R2 (x64)
- SQL server 2008 R2 on:
• Windows server 2008 R2 (x64)
• Windows server 2008 SP2 (x86, x64)
Q11- Does it support Microsoft Hyper-V 2008 R2 virtualization?
A11- NMM 2.3 is qualified with Hyper-V 2008 R2 virtualization. NMM 2.3 provides the same level of support for Hyper-V 2008 R2 as it did in previous release.
To perform backup operation:
- Hyper-V 2008 R2 must be enabled.
- Child partitions (virtual machine) must be installed on Windows server 2008 R2.
The recovery steps to recover Hyper-V 2008 R2 server are the same as the steps to recover a Hyper-V 2008 SP2 server.
Note: NMM 2.3 does not support backup on Clustered Shared Volumes (CSV) enabled child partitions.
Q12- Which version of Microsoft SharePoint server is supported?
A12- NMM 2.3 provides support for:
- SharePoint server 2007 SP2 backup and recovery on Windows server 2008 R2.
- SharePoint server 2010 VSS writer backup and recovery on Windows server 2008 R2 and Windows server 2008 SP2.
Q13- Can I use it to make granular backup of Microsoft Active Directory on Windows server 2008 R2?
A13- NMM 2.3 is qualified for granular backup of Active Directory on Windows server 2008 R2.
Note: NMM 2.3 provides the same level of backup and recovery for Active Directory on Windows server 2008 R2 as it did in previous release.
Q14- Does it support Multihomed environment for Microsoft applications?
A14- NMM 2.3 supports backup and recovery for all Microsoft applications in a multihomed environment, for example, Exchange,
SQL, SharePoint, Hyper-V, and DPM.
NMM backs up the data by using VSS technology and writes to a backup device, like Avamar® or Data Domain by using dedicated
backup LAN instead of production LAN. Performing backups in a multihomed environment helps avoid contention between the
application traffic and backup traffic in a production environment.
Q15- Will it work with NetWorker 7.6 SP2 client Windows Disaster Recovery?
A15- NMM 2.3 leverages the support provided in EMC NetWorker 7.6 SP2 for Windows Disaster Recovery (WDR) for NetWorker clients and provides support for Windows offline system state recoveries.
Q16- Can I make a MS SharePoint granular backup and recovery with NMM 2.3?
A16- NMM 2.3 does not support SharePoint granular backup and recovery, including SharePoint optimized backup and SharePoint granular (non-optimized) backup. If you require SharePoint granular recoveries of SharePoint sites and site components, you can use the NMM 2.3 SharePoint VSS farm level backup capability.
Content databases from the SharePoint VSS farm backup can be recovered to alternate locations for data mining by third-party
SharePoint granular recovery tools, such as Kroll Ontrack PowerControls. However, if you do not want to use third-party tools,
it is recommended that you continue to use the NMM 2.2.x version that you are currently using.