How to Restore whole SharePoint Server

[apolloxm]

Case ID:02534679
We are using the ISCSI connection in our SharePoint Server, and all of our SharePoint Server are the Hyper-V VM Servers, Since Veeam with Hyper-V can't support ISCSI, So, We choose Veeam Agent for Microsoft Windows to backup the whole SharePoint Server(including the C drive). My question, For the disaster recovery, how we can recover the SharePoint Server if we only have VBK file for SharePoint Server

[HannesK]

Hello,

Since Veeam with Hyper-V can't support ISCSI

nobody can do VM-based backup for physical machines In-guest iSCSI means that it is a physical machine, even if some parts of it (usually the OS disk) might be virtualized.

As you back up the entire machine, there are two options:
1) Instant Recovery to Hyper-V (then you have a real VM in the end).
2) Bare metal restore. This allows to have these "mixed" machines with physical and virtual disks.

As always: I suggest to do test restores to ensure that every step is trained

Best regards,
Hannes

PS: I asked support to close the case, as it is a "how-to" question and not a "it's broken" issue

[apolloxm]

Hello Hannes,
Thanks for your reply.No, this is a Virtual machine, Not a physical machine, the VM have ISCSI connection(connected to a storage with ISCSI, but you can still see the E or F drive).
for two option
1) Instant Recovery to Hyper-V (then you have a real VM in the end). how about the ISCSI disk data?
2) Bare metal restore. This allows to have these "mixed" machines with physical and virtual disks. As I know Bare metal restore only support Physical machine,

[HannesK]

Hello,

the VM have ISCSI connection

can you do a storage migration with Hyper-V native tools? if no, then it's a "Frankenstein machine" that has a physical part.

how about the ISCSI disk data?

as you ask about iSCSI data again, it sounds again like in-guest iSCSI to me. Which means the machine must be treated as physical machine (with an agent)

1) please report back if you saw issues
2) Bare metal restore works for physical and virtual machines backed up by the agent. the screenshots in helpcenter (this one is VMware) are made with virtual machines

Best regards,
Hannes

[apolloxm]

For the Bare metal restore, is that only support VBM file not support the VBK file?

[HannesK]

the VBM file is an XML file (can be opened with a text editor). nothing can be restored from VBM directly. Having the VBM files makes import easier. It's always recommended to have the VBM file. What is the background of the VBM question?

If the agent backups are stored in a VBR repository (which sounds like you do), then there must be a working VBR server for bare metal restore. One cannot just copy a VBK / VIB files that were processed by VBR and restore them directly with the agent. Restore works from full backups (VBK) and incremental backup chains (VBK + VIBs) - same like any other restore.

[apolloxm]

Hi Hannes,

Thanks for your reply! Yes, I understood that VBM file is jusan an XML file. However, I tested Veeam Recovery Media tool, When I try to import the file, there is only have VBM file can be imported, I can't find the VBK file option.I knew that we can connect to VBR repository.but If the VBR server is down, and we only have VBK file, how we can do the Bare metal restore?

[HannesK]

Hello,

If the VBR server is down, and we only have VBK file, how we can do the Bare metal restore?

if the backup server was involved in backup, then a new backup server must be installed first. then connect to the VBR server during bare metal recovery.

With standalone backups (without VBR involved) for example to local disk or SMB share, the bare metal restore works without VBR. In other words: the backup software must exist to do restore.

Again: I suggest to test recovery scenarios and document it in a way that the documentation is available in a place where it is accessible in case of emergency.

Best regards,
Hannes