Setting up centralized data protection in a heterogeneous network

Assume that the network infrastructure includes servers (1, 2, 9) and workstations (3, 5-8) running Windows and Linux. You also have a VMware ESX server (4) that hosts two guest systems.

You have to protect each server as a whole, the users' data on the workstations, and the virtual machines. You want to be able to track the health of the data protection, be sure that the backup archives do not store duplicated information and that the obsolete backups are deleted from the storage in a timely manner. These goals can be achieved by regular backup of the desired data items to a centralized vault with deduplication.

Setting up the Acronis infrastructure

1. Install Acronis Backup & Recovery 10 Management Console [Console] on the machine which you prefer to operate from (3). The console enables you to access and manage other Acronis components through Graphical User Interface.
2. Install Acronis Backup & Recovery 10 Management Server [AMS] on one of the Windows servers (2). The management server is your single entry point to the Acronis infrastructure.
3. Install Acronis Backup & Recovery 10 Agent on each of the machines to back up the machine's disks, volumes or files.
   • Agent (W) - Agent for Windows
   • Agent (L) - Agent for Linux.

   When installing the agents, register each of the machines on the management server. To do so, enter the server's name or IP address and the server's administrator credentials in the appropriate window of the installation wizard. Or, alternatively, add the machines to the management server later using their names or IP addresses.

4. Install Acronis Backup & Recovery 10 Agent for ESX/ESXi [Agent (ESX)] on the ESX server (4) to back up the virtual machines from the host. The agent is delivered as a virtual appliance.
5. Install Acronis Backup & Recovery 10 Storage Node [ASN] on one of the Windows servers (9). The storage node enables you to organize the infrastructure for storing backup archives and to use the deduplication functionality. The node can be installed together with the management server if the host is capable enough.

   When installing the storage node, register it on the management server in the same way as you register the agents.

Installation tips

• Both AMS and ASN can be installed on a workstation operating system as well.
• There can be multiple storage nodes on the network. Each of the nodes can manage up to 20 local or remote vaults.
• Multiple Acronis Backup & Recovery 10 components can be installed on a machine with a single installation procedure.
• In an Active Directory domain, you can deploy the components using the Group Policy.

Setting up the storage node

Before using the storage node, make sure that all users that will back up to the node's vaults have Windows accounts on the node.

• If the node is included in an Active Directory domain, all the domain users will be able to back up to the node; and all the domain administrators will become node administrators.
• In a workgroup, create a local user account for each user that will back up to the node. Members of the Administrators group become node administrators. You can add more accounts later as required.

1. Run the console, connect to the management server.
2. Create a managed vault as described in Operations with centralized vaults. Enable deduplication when creating a managed vault.

Setting up groups and policies

The detailed explanation of when and why you need to organize groups of machines can be found in the Grouping the registered machines section. Here are some scenarios supported by the aforementioned Acronis Backup & Recovery 10 implementation.