Sharepoint restore fails due to database incompatibilities

[sandsturm]

Hi

I tried to setup the sharepoint backup within Veeam backup today. My environment is the following: Sharepoint database is on MSSQL 2012 Enterprise, Veeam staging server is on MSSQL 2016 Enterprise. If I want to start the Sharepoint Veeam Explorer and try to mount the database, I get the message:

The selected SharePoint database has to be upgraded to be open in the specified Microsoft SQL Server 2016. After database upgrade, older versions of SQL server will not be able to open this database. Do you want to continue?

After clicking "No", the message:

The selected Microsoft SharePoint database version is older than any of the supported by the specified Microsoft SQL Server 2016. Upgrade was denied.

In my opinion, it's just important to have the staging server on the highest version to be able to mount databases from older SQL servers, or am I wrong?

thx,
sandsturm

[foggy]

SQL Server upgrades the database automatically, otherwise it cannot be mounted.

[sandsturm]

which database will be upgraded in this case? The sharepoint database?

[nielsengelen]

This will upgrade the SharePoint database to make sure it can be restored there. This is due to difference between 2012 and 2016.

[sandsturm]

But I cannot upgrade all my databases to mssql 2016, just because I want to backup them? For some of our applications I wouldn't have a supported configuration if I just update the database, some software venors do have a list of supported databases and if such a database is not compatible with mssql 2016, I can't upgrade them. Is that really the way to go for all MSSQL backups or is this just a requirement for the Sharepoint backup? I can't believe that?

thx,
sandsturm

[Mike Resseler]

Hi Sandsturm,
In case of the Veeam explorer, besides mounting the database and mount it to a staging server, we need SQL server itself do specific items to give you the view of all of those Sharepoint sites and lists and documents and such... Otherwise your view in the explorer would be very empty .

Now. Just to be clear:
If you want to restore an entire SharePoint site, including VM. That won't be a problem at all.
If you want to do ILR with your current staging server, then it is also not a problem. It will ask you to "upgrade" the database but nothing will happen. We mount it in "read-only". Your backup will NOT be altered. Then you can browse, look at whatever you need to restore, and do that ILR of the specific database to the SharePoint site (with the 2012 database). After you are done, and stop the Veeam explorer, the so-called changes to that database inside the backup are simply thrown away.

Makes sense?

Thanks
Mike

[StevenMeier]

Thanks Mike for this explanation.

I have a 2016 std sp2 Server and was doing a sharepoint IL restore from sharepoint 2010 and got the same error message . I must admit it was confusing. I selected no and just stopped the process and logged a support job to get some clarity as I could not find anything about this and how and what the process does when doing this and what does it do to the backup etc.

Some examples in the docs might be a good idea as it was a bit baffling or not as clear as it could be.

Cheers
Steve