What is the best way of protecting the Veeam Backup server?

[icebun]

As is it not possible to backup the Veeam server itself, can anyone advise on the best way to protect this server?

I know it is quite easy to build another one from scratch but I was more thinking about the database which contains all the jobs etc.

Any advice would be helpful.

By the way, apologies if this is covered elsewhere.

[Gostev]

The best way to protect Veeam Backup server is set it up in a way allowing you not to protect it at all. To achieve that, place Veeam configuration DB on an existing, remote SQL server. In this case, you do not have to worry about protecting Veeam Backup server at all. Redeploying Veeam Backup takes under 2 minutes when you can point it to remote SQL with the existing configuration database.

[UPDATE] Starting from version 6.5, B&R also includes automatic configuration backup to the selected backup repository.

[Lazarey]

I'm interesting by this post.

In case there's no SQL Server, how can i backup/restore configuration DB ?

[Vitaliy S.]

In this case I would recommend you to backup Veeam SQL configuration DB using native SQL backup methods, so you could later restore Veeam DB and use it with new installation of the backup console. Please search the forums to get more information about this method.

[Gostev]

Additionally, you can consider the following methods:

2. Use Veeam Backup to backup itself (use any mode but Virtual Appliance, and make sure Veeam VSS and VMware Tools queiscence turned off - the latter is controlled in the Advanced job settings). Since Veeam DB stores minimal data this should produce recoverable backups. Don't do this with more active SQL servers though

3. Use separate Veeam Backup install to backup primary install. Customers with DR sites are most commonly practicing such method, since they already have additional Veeam Backup server installed in their DR site. And of course any customer with multiple sites can do this too.

[Frosty]

Sorry for reactivating an old thread, but the above sparked my attention. In a DR scenario, assuming that there is a basic installation of Veeam on our DR hardware, ready to restore VMs, is it true to say that we don't need the configuration of the original Veeam server/database to do the restore of our VMs?

As a possible feature for the future, maybe Veeam could consider allowing a scheduled/automated "export configuration" (i.e. to an XML file, on the backup disks) and the option to manually "import configuration" from that XML file in a DR situation?

[Exrace]

I was thinking along the same idea.
Just import the backups on the DR side to do the restore.

[Davidatek]

Hello,
I'm wondering how everyone is backing up Veeam itself? We are running Veeam backup and replication 5.01 on a separate physical server, so in case this server dies, what should we be backing up? We do have Backup Exec so we can dump it to tape if needed.
I'd hate to have to recreate all of the jobs, etc.
Thanks

[Alexey D.]

I guess your main concern is how to protect the B&R server? If so, please refer to the posts above.

[ccrichard]

Can I use VmWare Data Recovery to Backup the Veeam Server?

[Gostev]

Yes, you can use any other backup product. VMware Data Recovery is not the best choice though, as it does not feature application aware processing, and Veeam Backup server has SQL on it. As Alexey already mentioned, there are better options provided above. Particularly, I would recommend separate Veeam install dedicated to protecting your primary Veeam Backup server. Or better yet, placing Veeam Backup DB on existing SQL server, if you have one. Thanks.

[Frosty]

[merged]

Just wondering if anyone can give me a tip on the best way to back up my Veeam Backup server. I've installed Veeam Enterprise v5 on a VM. I've given the VM a 'normal' C: drive, and then created two (2) independent disks of 2000GB each as drives E: and F: which is where I store my backups. My plan is/was to occasionally (on demand, not scheduled) run a backup of just the VM with its C: drive, and leave out the E: and F: drive independent disks ... doing this just now and then when I make major config changes by scheduling new Veeam backup jobs, or applying service packs to the O/S and so on. Does this sound like it will work? Or should I attack it a different way?

[Vitaliy S.]

Stephen,

Yes, it should work just perfectly, but you won't be able to use "application aware processing". In addition to this, I would also consider doing just SQL configuration database backups with SQL native tools as it is described above.

[pcrebe]

Sorry,
i've setub a backup job of veeam VM itsefl with VSS enabled, it seems working (ver. 5.0.2) is it right?
Is sql protected?
Thank you

[Gostev]

Hmm... curious to see how and why this works for you with application-aware processing enabled

[Vitaliy S.]

"Ignore application processing failure" option in action?

[pcrebe]

My job is setup so:
Virtual Applicance Mode, Failover to network enabled
veeam VM linked throught vCenter
Reverse Incremental, Optimal, Local Target
Enable application-aware processing enabled
Advanced Require success troncate log

the same job is used for vCenter linked directly throught the host

For veeam VM it works BUT with the state of the job Failed (also if it was success)
For vCenter, to have success, i need disable Application-Aware

If i try an Istant Restore the veeam VM starts and the state of the job from who the Istant Restore works has the start time egual to the real start time but with the end time the time of the restorea and the message Task has failed unexpectedly.
I've got the same result with a replica job with the same config.

[Gostev]

For veeam VM it works BUT with the state of the job Failed

This makes at all no sense? If the job status is Failed, then it means it does NOT work?

As for the Instant Restore problem (Task has failed unexpectedly), please contact support for troubleshooting, as this is unrelated to what is being discussed here, and needs to be troubleshoot separately. Thanks.

[pcrebe]

Perhaps I expressed myself badly.

The backup job SUCCESS
The replica job SUCCESS
each has Enable application-aware enabled

if i start the replica the restarted VM_replica indicates the replica job as FAILED with the time like i wrote.
if i start an Istant Restore i've the same FAILED result for the backup job instead
each has Task has failed unexpectedly

sorry for my english but isn't my native language, i'd just like to undestand if the VSS works.
Thanks for your attention

[Vitaliy S.]

Carlo, in order not to guess anymore I would recommend contacting our support team so we could see this situation live. Also our tech guys would easily be able to determine whether VSS worked for your jobs or not.

[ctchang]

I've installed B&R 5.01 on a physical server, this is how I do the backup.

1. SQL 2008 R2 is running on the same server, it's where B&R store its data to as well, so I simply create a daily sql backup job around 1am.
2. Use the build-in Windows Backup Service to backup the entire server around 5am and keep for 14 days retention automatically.
3. Use Acronis Advanced Server to backup everything again around 6am and keep for 30 days retention automatically, oh...finally copy the Acronis backup file every once a month to a remote site just to double make sure.

So eventually I have three types of protection, I am pretty sure it won't fail this way!

In case the server fails, our Dell ProSupport 4 hours will kick in and replace the fail part or entire server within 1 hour normally.

I would say this is the easiest way to do it.

[lywwing]

[merged]

hi,
May I ask the veeam backup installed SQL database need backup or not? Cause my ARCserve need license to backup the SQL database, if I choose not to backup the veeam DB, what happen if I need restore whole veeam server without DB?
What information store in the DB? does it important?

Thanks

[Alexey D.]

Hello Ken,

All the settings, information on jobs, sessions, etc. is stored in B&R's database. So if you want to protect this data - you have to back it up. On contrary, B&R's installation doesn't necessarily have to be protected - if you lose it you can quickly deploy it and point to the existing database.

For further reading, you can start from this post of the current thread.

[laxi]

[merged]

Hi,
what is the best way to make a backup of the Veeam Backup&Replication Server?

If i make a normal Backup and the B&R Server crashes i need to install and configure a new B&R Server to get the backup back.
Should i replicate the B&R Server?

Or is there another way to backup the Servers configuration? (to import this configuration on an clean installed B&R Server)

Thanks

[flavor4real]

Just to add to this post,

I'm planing to have a 2nd Veeam Backup Server setup where both Veeam Backup servers backing each other up. Each Veeam Backup Server is in a different cluster but because it is only one server from the other cluster that get's backed up, that cross-backing method should not show a decrease in data transfer-speed.

[davegold]

In addition to the SQL server, is it important to back up VBR Catalog?

As you note, if you reinstall the server and do a fresh install of Veeam B&R, then the SQL server has the configuration. Assuming we'll just restore the full vbr' from tape (and ignore the incrementals), is there anything else we need to do?

Thanks,

Dave

[Vitaliy S.]

Hi Dave,

Please check our F.A.Q. and this topic for the answer: Help about replication and SQL servers needed (nevermind the title)

Thanks.

[laxi]

Hi,
the solution to install the SQL-Database on another VM is nice (the Veeam B&R Server could be restored quick and easy in the case of a failure).
But what happened if the SQL Database or the VM with the Database crashes? The Veeam B&R Server could not be used to restore the Database because of the Database is not available.

Wouldn't it be the best way to create a replica-Job for the Veeam B&R Server itself (the Database is on the Veeam B&R Server too)?
(I created a replication job. The log does not show errors, but I have not yet tested to start the replicated VM.)

Thank you

[larry]

For a physical server I just run the bat file below to copy the Veeam database off

Code: Select all

@Echo Off

REM Set All=%date:~4,2%%date:~7,2%%date:~10,4%%
REM Use above to keep one every day for ever

Set All=%date:~7,2%
Rem Use above to keep just 30 days


REM Echo %ALL%
SQLCMD -S GR-VEEAM\VEEAM -E -Q "BACKUP DATABASE VeeamBackup TO DISK='G:\backup\VeeamBackupdb_%All%.bak' WITH FORMAT"

REM Echo GR-VEEAM\VEEAM -E -Q "BACKUP DATABASE VeeamBackup TO DISK='G:\backup\VeeamBackupdb_%All%.bak' WITH FORMAT"
Exit

The above SQLCMD gets installed with SQL express ( or any full MSSQL )

Just place in the task scheduler or chain to as post task of any ( all ) backup jobs. I am sending mine to a drive that is sent to tape. When I replaced my Veeam hardware I just imported the database in – full access to backups and replicas.


I also run the above bat on each VC, then I use Veeam to backup the VC VM. Just change the server/database name. You can also add %time to keep one everytime your run a Veeam replicate job to then backup the database,
Hope this helps someone

[Vitaliy S.]

The Veeam B&R Server could not be used to restore the Database because of the Database is not available.

In this case, you should install a brand new backup server, import backup files and then restore SQL Server that crashed.

Wouldn't it be the best way to create a replica-Job for the Veeam B&R Server itself (the Database is on the Veeam B&R Server too)?

Yes, this should also work.