Recommended Anti-Virus exclusions for Unitrends backup

ISSUE

Depending on the configuration, anti-virus applications can be quite debilitating to system and backup performance while Unitrends is performing a backup. In some instances, backup operations may timeout, causing various errors reported by the client and the appliance if on-access/real-time/network scanning is too disruptive to the backup process. Some anti-virus applications can break change block tracking for image-level agent backups.

 

For more specific instructions, see the article "Backups are running slowly on servers using anti-virus software (Allow/Exclusions for security software) (zendesk.com)"

RESOLUTION

Implement the following exclusions into your A/V policies to prevent false positives, broken tracking and overhead caused by persistent A/V scanning during your backup window.
 

Process Exclusions for Unitrends Client Agent
      • C:\PCBP\WBPS.exe
      • C:\PCBP\WBPR.exe
      • C:\PCBP\bpnetd.exe
      • C:\PCBP\agentconfig.exe
      • C:\PCBP\UTBlockAgent.exe  (For Image-level backups)
      • C:\Windows\System32\VSSvc.exe
      • C:\windows\winexesvc.exe
Directory Exclusions for Unitrends Client Agent
      • C:\PCBP\
      • C:\unicbt\
      • C:\Unitrendsvcbt\
      • \System Volume Information\uvcbtBitmap (for each volume present)

        For example, a system with a C, D and E volume would exclude the following:

        c:\System Volume Information\uvcbtBitmap

        d:\System Volume Information\uvcbtBitmap

        e:\System Volume Information\uvcbtBitmap


Network Exclusions (Inbound and Outbound)
For communicating between the Unitrends Client Agent and the Unitrends Appliance
      • All Client Agent Backup Types:  TCP Ports 1743 - 1749 
      • Windows Image-level: TCP Port 443
      • Linux/Unix: TCP Ports 1743 - 1844
PowerShell: The Unitrends Client Agent may send PowerShell commands to configure settings and submit the backup or restore requests. This also occurs during install of the Unitrends Client Agent. If PowerShell access is blocked, the Client Agent will still install but the proper settings will not be in place, leading to backup/restore failures. Please configure the computer and security software to allow Unitrends to communicate with PowerShell.

Hyper-V Hosts 

PowerShell is used to communicate with Hyper-v which in turn conducts the snapshot (checkpoint) and for the Inventory Sync request. You must ensure that Unitrends can submit the PowerShell command and that the files above are allowed to do their work to protect and restore as you see fit.


In addition Microsoft has provided instructions for recommended Antivirus Exclusions on Hyper-V Hosts per MS KB: 
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/3105657/recommended-antivirus-exclusions-for-hyper-v-hosts

 

TASKS

Because some antivirus software can quarantine the Unitrends agent when it is listed as a threat, setting the exclusions may sometimes not result in success.  In these cases, a reinstall of the Unitrends Client Agent should result in successful backups.

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