Will Symantec Backup Exec DB Agent work with Progress?

[Blakey43]

Hi,

Will Symantec Backup Exec DB Agent work with Progress? By that I mean will it back up databases without shutting them down or calling a Progress backup function.
Progress 10 and 9.1E running on Windows Server 2008 and 2003 respectively.
Backup Exec 2012 agent for applications and databases

Or is it just for MS SQL?

I'll also ask Symantec, but your input is appreciated.

Thanks,
Steve

 

[TomBascom]

No. It will not.

The only safe ways to do a backup of an OpenEdge database are:

1) shutdown, then backup all the bits
2) establish a quiet point with "proquiet", then backup all of the bits
3) online with probkup

Symantec could, of course, decide to work directly with Progress to properly support the OpenEdge database but they have not done so. So their product will produce an unusable backup unless you first shutdown the db.

Even if you have been lucky and "got away with it" a few times you are playing with fire.

 

[Rob Fitzpatrick]

What we typically do is use OS tools (cron/scheduled tasks) to run a probkup online and save the backup to disk. Then you can safely back up the backup file with a tool like Symantec, to ensure you have copies off the server and off site as well. It's a good idea to back up the structure files too.

I don't trust an OS backup of DB files, as it requires the person configuring the backup to know the DB structure, and to also know when it changes. If the backup knows where "all of the bits" are, and then the DBA adds an area or an extent, or moves the BI file, or enables auditing or encryption, then suddenly the backup no longer captures the whole DB anymore.