Host-based backup of VMware vSphere VMs.
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Zew
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Mixed SQL backups

Post by Zew »

Hey All,

Question for you guys. Recently I had my DBA change the Native Backup job he has scheduled to run on our SQL server (From allways doing Fulls, to utilizing diffs). AFAIK this is a native SQL backup job via scripts, and saves content to another storage media.

We recently used this native backup job to restore data in a test enviro where I am working to do an entire new domain enviro. Big task and am doing some crazy progress in this. However, My DBA notified me that he was success in doing the full restore, however when he went to restore the diff he was shocked for it to state it is a diff from a different backup job. His assumption was that Veeam is using the native APIs to do it's backup, and thus the logs do not match to do a restore on the native backup set.

Is this correct? Is it not possible to run Veeam SQL backups and native SQL backups using incremental for both types?
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Re: Mixed SQL backups

Post by Andreas Neufert »

This depends really on your setting at the Backup & Replication Jobs.

If you enable InGuest processing the default setting is to work with the Transaction Logs and to truncate them. If you have any other backup software running including your scripts you should change the Veeam Settings to
"Copy only" processing at the InGuest Processing Settings screen. More details here: https://helpcenter.veeam.com/docs/backu ... tml?ver=95

At MS SQL only one backup solution is allowed to work with the logs. It would be an option to not use the scripting and use Veeams InGuest processing + Logfile Backups (every 5-60min). This is much more efficient as the SQL full backup is done daily only on a change block tracking base on disk level (3-20% changes instead of 100% full data transport). As well you are able to use SureBackup (restore verification with VBS script that checks a lot of stuff at SQL) and use our Veeam Explorer for SQL for Restore.
Zew
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Re: Mixed SQL backups

Post by Zew »

Yes we have InGuest Processing enabled, and truncate the logs.

I'm not sure turning that off would allow us to do granular database recovery operations, as well as using SharePoint explorer on those particular backup sets then.

Thanks for the info, I'll relay it to my DBA. :)
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Re: Mixed SQL backups

Post by foggy »

You will still be able to do granular recovery and use Veeam Explorer for SharePoint, however, would need to add the databases manually there.
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Re: Mixed SQL backups

Post by Andreas Neufert »

As I said only one backup sofware is allowed to touch the logs.
When you want to keep your existing SQL scripts, you have to enbale copy only processing within Veeam.
That way you can restore the database and tables (...) to the point of backup.

If you want to use Veeam Point in time or point of transaction restore, you need to disable your script backup.
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Re: Mixed SQL backups

Post by Zew »

Hey thanks for the information. I technically already manually have to specify the DB and Log files when doing SharePoint recovery, as you mentioned doing Guest file recovery to get the MDF and LDF files accessible from the VBK/VIB files. Then Run Share point File Explorer, the reason for the DB specification and log specification is both a designed not to be in the default locations. Does this mean I can remove the guest processing on my SQL backup job in Veeam and still be able to do this with granularity, as each point in time backup is done without log truncation/ guest processing?
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Re: Mixed SQL backups

Post by foggy »

Yes, you can. Not sure, however, why you need to specify the files location manually in case AAIP is enabled, since it should be able to detect them automatically even in non-default folders.
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Re: Mixed SQL backups

Post by Andreas Neufert »

AAIP=Veeam Inguest Processing
Zew
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Re: Mixed SQL backups

Post by Zew »

Thats odd that you mention that foggy, cause I have to do that both for when I run Exchange Explorer and SharePoint Explorer. I always have to specify where the log files are in the wizard after selecting my MDF files under the FLR folder location. In case of Exchange it's an All-in-One VM and does have Application Aware Processing enabled. However when it comes to SharePoint, I simply mount the DB's guest file systems and then manually point SharePoint Explorer to the SharePoint databases I need to work with. The DB backup job also has application aware processing enabled.

I'm not sure then why I do have to select the Log files, the other thing though is that in SharePoint Database the Logs are on a whole different disc and folder path.
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Re: Mixed SQL backups

Post by Andreas Neufert »

Strange. Please open a support ticket and upload a log bundle. Maybe support can find it out.

Did you had tested as well to start the Explorer directly instead of starting the WinFLR first? (Richt click on the backup, application restore , Exchange...
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Re: Mixed SQL backups

Post by Andreas Neufert »

Which version of B&R do you use ?
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Re: Mixed SQL backups

Post by foggy »

It depends on how do you open database in Explorer. In case of a double-click on a file in FLR browser or manual browse to the database file from Explorer UI, logs lookup is not performed. Try to open Explorer from Veeam B&R or using the command on the FLR browser ribbon.
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Re: Mixed SQL backups

Post by Zew » 3 people like this post

Thanks for the Tip Foggy,

Yeah I would Right click my SQL sevrer backup and select recover guest files. Once the FLR folder was mounted, I'd open SharePoint Explorer from the start menu and manually navigate to the FLR directory within it.

I'd basically do the same thing for Exchange, just using the Exchange Explorer app instead. I'll do it the way you suggested. Thanks again for that feedback, greatly apprciated.

I also want to Thank Veeam for making a product I generally don't have to fight or repair often. It really does work, also that you guys monitor the forms for feedback and suggestions. Keep up the amazing work!
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Re: Mixed SQL backups

Post by foggy »

Thanks for you kind words and value you bring to the community as an active member.
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