Backup Exec - Enabling root access?

[MDLarson]

OK, I have to go through an extremely complicated install process involving a trip to NetInfo Manager and enabling the root user access. Veritas' Backup Exec install process is absolutely horrible compared to most other drag-n-drop / install programs.

Should I be worried? I know enabling root access is a no-no unless you know what you're doing... What am I getting myself into? I need my data backed up, but I don't want to screw my new G5 up.

[MDLarson]

Yuck. I complained about this via their email support and received this message (it came pretty fast, so that's nice)...

As far as MAC agent installation is concerned thats the standard method and therefore you need to follow all the steps.

Root access is basically a requirement by backupexec inorder to gain access to the data on the MAC server.

Once MAC agent is started you need not restart this service unless and untill you manually stop this service.

So they're basically unapolgetic as far as the install process goes. I wonder though... why is root access absolutely required for backup procedures? I know there are a whole slew of user accounts, and if all a backup really requires is read-access, then what's the big deal?

[perfessor101]

If you don't feel comfortable doing it then don't do it. I am not familiar with Veritas Backup, in fact this is the first time I have seen it mentioned anywhere, but their association with Symantec is far from reassuring given Symantec's history with the Norton disk utilities on OS X and the fact they dropped further development of those products. Given there is no installer package, and there qnza well should be, and your descriptions of the procedure as ...Extremely complicated... and ...absolutely horrible..., I think you are better off finding a different backup solution unless your job depends on using this one.

There are lots of other reliable backup alternatives on the market many with rich feature sets that either have an installer/uninstaller or use drag and drop installation. Among the most flexible and feature rich are Dantz Retrospect, Tri-Edre's Tri-Backup, and Prosoft Engineering's Data Backup. Depending on your pocketbook and needs one of these is almost guaranteed to get you backup job done.

After reading your second post, I think Retrospect is by far your best bet as an alternative. By-the-way admin access is often needed to backup system level files and all three utilities I mentioned will ask for the admin password - once. It is then active and available until you deactivate it. But this is all accomplished through the GUI.

[Arden]

Enabling root access doesn't actually do anything; it lets you do whatever you want without having to put your administrator password in all the time. And when you use Terminal, you run as root; to run as root in your normal account, you have to enter su.

I'm not sure why, but the name Veritas is sending up a red flag in my head. I'd avoid it and use one of the products Perfessor mentioned.

[MDLarson]

- Installing and Configuring the Macintosh Agent on a Mac OS X Workstation -
Previous: Requirements for Running the Backup Exec Macintosh Agent Next: Modifying the NetInfo Database

Installing and Configuring the Macintosh Agent on a Mac OS X Workstation

To install the Mac OS X - based Backup Exec Macintosh Agent using a naming service:


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Caution Having a working knowledge of UNIX is highly recommended and extremely helpful when installing the Mac OS X - based Backup Exec Macintosh Agent.
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At the Mac OS X workstation, start NetInfo Manager.
Using the Finder, click Applications and then Utilities.
Log on using an administrative account.
Use Domain and then select Security and then Authenticate.
Enable the root account.
Use Domain and then select Security and then Enable Root User.
Log on again if necessary using the same administrative account.
Use Domain and then select Security and then Authenticate.
Set the root password.
Use Domain and then select Security and then Change Root Password.
Exit NetInfo Manager.
Using Finder, select Applications and then Utilities and then Terminal.
In the Terminal window, change to the root user by typing su at the command prompt and then pressing <Enter>.
Because the Macintosh Agent must communicate with the Backup Exec media server, you must either specify the IP address, use a naming service or enter the media server's IP address in the NetInfo database in order for communications to occur.
To use a naming service (DNS, NIS, LDAP, etc.), you must configure the Macintosh to use this feature. For more information, see your Macintosh OS X documentation.
To use the media server's IP address, specify it in place of the media server's name in step 31.
To use NetInfo, perform the steps listed in Modifying the NetInfo Database and then continue with step 10 in this section.
Copy the be_agnt.tar file, which contains the Macintosh OS X Agent, to a temporary directory on the workstation to be protected. The be_agnt.tar file is located on the Backup Exec installation CD and in the Agents subdirectory of the Backup Exec media server's Programs directory.
You can copy the file to the workstation via the network using FTP, a Macintosh share on the media server, or any other method you prefer. Or you can insert the Backup Exec installation CD in the workstation to be protected and copy the file from the CD.


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Note If you are pushing the Macintosh OS X Agent from the media server to the workstation using FTP, ensure that you use the binary transfer mode, not the ascii mode. Prior to starting the file transfer, type binary at the command prompt on the media server, and then press <Enter>.
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At the workstation, from the temporary directory you want to use, type
tar -xvf be_agnt.tar

Press <Enter>.
Then, run the installation script by typing
./INSTALL

Press <Enter>.
The installation begins by reporting the Macintosh platform to which the agent is being installed. You are prompted for information to complete the installation and configuration of the Backup Exec Macintosh Agent.

If prompted, select a language by typing the number that corresponds to the language you want to use, then press <Enter>.
Enter the full directory path where you want the Backup Exec Macintosh Agent to be installed.
By default, the agent is installed in /etc/bkupexec. You can specify another directory. If the full directory path that you specify does not exist, you are prompted to have it created.

Enter the name for this workstation.
By default, the network node name is used. If you want to use a different name, make sure it is a unique name not used by other Backup Exec Macintosh agents.

You can choose to require a password for this workstation. If you do, you are prompted to enter a password.
You are asked about the number of network interfaces in your workstation. If you have more than one network interface, you are asked if you want to specify which network interface to use. If you answer yes, then you must specify an IP address of a local network interface for the agent to use. Should you have more than one network interface and choose not to specify which one to use, the agent will use an appropriate interface to communicate with a media server
Enter the directory path that you want backed up.
If you want to back up the Macintosh workstation's entire hard disk, simply define a directory path as "/". This allows the network administrator to select the entire disk for backup. You can create and publish up to eight unique directory paths.


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Note If your computer has more than one file storage volume on the same physical hard disk, or has more than one hard disk, then specifying the root directory (/) for backup will not protect all of the volumes. To back up the desired additional volumes, they must be specified individually. For example, to back up a disk called Videos, you must also specify /Volumes/Videos as one of the directories to be backed up.
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Enter a unique resource name for each published path.
The resource name is used by the media server to identify the contents of each published path.

If you chose a directory path of "/", by default the resource name is [root]. For any other path, the default name is the path name.

To allow files to be restored to a published path, type y, when prompted. If you do not want to allow the Backup Exec application to restore files, type n.
You can choose to require a password for each published path.
If you choose to password-protect the path, the password is required before Backup Exec can perform operations on this path.

You can continue to publish directory paths for backup and restore operations by repeating these steps.
When you have finished creating published paths, you are prompted to enter the names of the media servers that will back up your workstation. A maximum of twenty media servers is allowed.
After entering a media server name, the server is located and added to the list of valid media servers.

You are prompted to enter the frequency (in seconds) that you want the Backup Exec Macintosh Agent to send advertisement messages to the media servers so that the servers are aware that the workstation is accessible.

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Note It is recommended that you use the default frequency of 30 seconds.
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You are prompted to choose a method to back up symbolic links. Choose one of the following methods:
Method 1: The symbolically linked directory is handled as a special file and only the information required to create the symbolic link is backed up.
Method 2: The symbolically linked directory is backed up as a normal directory. All files and subdirectories within the symbolically linked directory are also backed up.
After choosing a backup method for symbolic links, your Backup Exec Macintosh Agent configuration is complete. You can edit the agent.cfg file to change your agent configuration at any time. Changes to the configuration file take effect after the Macintosh workstation is rebooted.
Start the Mac OS X Agent by moving to the folder where the Backup Exec Macintosh Agent is installed.
At the command prompt, type: ./agent.be &
The agent starts and runs in the background. The data on the Macintosh is now available for backup.



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Previous: Requirements for Running the Backup Exec Macintosh Agent Next: Modifying the NetInfo Database
This file was last updated on 09 December 2002

I know we spent around $1000 for this software, and I know we're not going to just drop it for something else... I suppose I'll have to do it.

[Captain Code]

Enabling root access does not do anything to your computer except enable the account. It'll let you modify the system files and allow access to some stuff that an admin account won't.

I guess that they probably run their software as root so it can back up everything on the disk.

When you run Terminal, you aren't running as root. You run as the logged in user. You can log into the shell as root by doing su root and entering the root password. su = switch user.

[Satcomer]

Be careful setting up root. Make sure you DON'T use the same password as your Admin account! Plus, please don't use commons words for root (or any other password). Most everyone knows basic password security. So for your Root password use a combination of small and upper letters with numbers and non-standard characters like % or * or # & ^.

[ElDiabloConCaca]

The root account in OS X automatically takes the password of the admin account set up during the installation of OS X, unless you change it, doesn't it?