TonyJK wrote:  Many thanks for your advice.  From your reply, my understanding is that a machine has to be set up for managing the FC Connected Tape Library & a VM in vSphere Host  cannot do so AS vSphere doesn't support FC attached Tape Library ?  Is it correct ?  Besides, there is another Windows Server running as Lotus Notes server connected to the FC.  My supervisor strongly oppose installing BackupExec on it.  I understand it is not a BackupExec discussion forum but from your experience, do you agree with my supervisor's comment ?   your backup server needs to have connectivity to the tape library,  if your library supported SCSI connectivity (which it does not), you could put "supported" scsi card into your ESX server and then configure pass-through tape drives directly to your "BackupExec VM". You are limited to FC tape connectivity only which is not supported by vSphere.  I would not put BackupExec on the same server as your email server, BackupExec will keep your network interfaces so busy that it might impact your email functionality.
Hi,  Currently, we have a DELL TL4000 Library connected to SAN.   We get BackupExec installed on a Windows Server (BACKUP) that is connected to SAN for managing backup.   To my best knowledge (please correct me if it is wrong), other servers connected to SAN retrieve  data from CLARiiON array >>> Individual hosts send data to BACKUP via LAN >> BACKUP send data to Tape via FC.  In this way, does it mean that we have to mandate a Windows Server connected to SAN just for the purpose for performing backup ?   The other servers connected to SAN are running vSphere 4.1 Hosts & Lotus Notes Server, is there any way so that we can save money by eliminating that Windows Server (BACKUP) ?  Your advice is sought.
Do we need a Windows Server to manage SAN Backup ?