VM level backup and Plugin for SQL at the same time?

[jackal2001]

We currently run VM backups for hyper-v servers. We have a job running for a SQL server that backs up the entire server which has over a dozen databases on it. That backup job runs nightly and does have guest processing "enable application-aware processing" enabled. The process settings for SQL does have backup logs periodically (backed up logs will be truncated) every 15 minutes. We have full synthetics running once a week and no GFS. There are backup copy jobs going to Veeam Vault as well with different retention and does have GFS.
A new requirement came up where they need to keep a single database on that server retention for 2 years with daily incrementals. (the standard VM backup is only like a month). My research indicated that I would need to use Veeam plug in for SQL as that would be the only way to select a single DB from that server and create new jobs as needed.
My question, is that I don't think I can set up the Veeam plug in for SQL while the VM backup job is running. Won't this cause backup chain corruption if attempting to run both at the same time? VM level backups can remove the backed up logs truncated option, but that would remove it for all the other DBs on that server as well. In the plug in for SQL, I believe there is no option to do log truncation as it is automatically enabled (correct me if I'm wrong on that).
I was running this by AI and they said the only safe solution would be to move that single DB we have the new 2 year requirement for to a new SQL server and only run the Veeam plug in for SQL for that DB. I think then if we wanted to also backup the entire VM at the same time, we would just create a new backup job without using Guest Processing?
Any feedback would be appreciated.

[PetrM]

Hello,

I believe you should process this "2 years retention" database using the plug-in in Copy-Only mode (this wizard step) and set the retention to around 730 days. Also, please keep in mind that we are actively working on GFS implementation, so the suggestion above should be considered only a temporary solution until we release fully functional GFS for the SQL plug-in. This new functionality will allow you to configure GFS per policy and process different databases according to different policies, even if these databases are running on the same server.

Thanks!

[jackal2001]

Hello. Thank you for the reply. We are still running V12 (latest version) of VBR at this time.
I was more interested at this time if my assumptions were correct in that with the way we are doing VM level backups with log truncation. If I just go and install the Plug-in for SQL and set it up in conjunction with the VM level backups still running, there will corruption in the backup chains. Is that correct? My only option at this point would be to set up and move the DB to a new SQL server to use the Veeam plug-in for SQL???

[pirx]

Similar situation. Currently we back up SQL VMs with Veeam but exclude the SQL disks, DB backup is done by a different backup tool. Now that Veeam gives DB Admin more control with SQL plugin, we want to try this out. But from looking at documentation it's not clear to me how to properly set this up.

Use case:
- backup VM
- backup SQL with plugin to give DB Admin full control

How do I setup the VM backup in Veeam when I use SQL plugin? Exclude DB disks? Disable AAIP? In my opinion that could be better described in docs (or I am missing it) as usually you want both, VM and SQL backup.

[PetrM]

Hello,

I think the idea is relatively simple: if you use two different applications or backup methods to protect the same SQL Server database, one of these applications must function in Copy-Only mode to prevent LSN updates and subsequent log backup chain corruption. Please find more information on this page of our user guide.

My recommendation is to process your "2 years retention" database in Copy-Only mode. Please refer to this page of the user guide for instructions on how to enable it.

Regarding the second case described in your last post, I’d suggest configuring the image-level job in Copy-Only mode and using the plug-in to give the DBA full control, including transaction log backup processing.

Thanks!

[jackal2001]

Thanks again for your help and the links.

With your suggestion of "configuring the image-level job in Copy-Only mode and using the plug-in to give the DBA full control, including transaction log backup processing.", I'm assuming since we have over a dozen DBs on that server, we'd have to create say 4 jobs for example:
Creation of Jobs using the Veeam for SQL plug in on server DBSERVER01:
1. Job 1 - Select only db called "platinum", backup set name = vps-set-platinum-2year-DB, backup type = differential, retention policy = 730. save as a sql server agent job.
2. Job 2 - Select only db called "platinum", backup set name = vps-set-platinum-2year-Logs, backup type = logs, retention policy = n/a. save as a sql server agent job.
3. Job 3 - Select all other databases, backup set name = vps-set-dbserver01-3week-DB, backup type = differential, retention policy = 21. save as a sql server agent job.
4. Job 4 - Select all other databases, backup set name = vps-set-dbserver01-3week-Logs, backup type = logs, retention policy = n/a. save as a sql server agent job.

After that is set up and/or before it is actually run the first time, we would need to re-configure the VM image level backup as you suggested, changing the VSS setting from "process transaction logs", to "perform copy only".

If all that sounds correct, just two more questions.

1. Can I install the Veeam SQL plug in on the SQL server without it impacting the existing setup of VM image level backups? Will I be able to set all the connections, repositories, accounts, etc up in the configuration without any impact to the existing backups being run? I'm assuming as long as I don't actually configure and run backups using the plug-in, I shouldn't break anything else.

2. We are doing backup copy jobs to veeam vault, based off existing backup jobs. I'm assuming I can still do backup copy jobs with the newly provisioned sql server agent jobs via the plug in?

Thanks again for all the guidance!

[jackal2001]

ETA to above post. I'm not sure if the other requirements that may be needed but it may be easier to just set up a copy only backup job using the plug-in. this way we can still keep our VM level backups going as-is with log truncation, etc. IDK. Thoughts?

[PetrM]

Hi Jason,

Answering your questions:

After that is set up and/or before it is actually run the first time, we would need to re-configure the VM image level backup as you suggested, changing the VSS setting from "process transaction logs", to "perform copy only".

Yes, this is right.

Can I install the Veeam SQL plug in on the SQL server without it impacting the existing setup of VM image level backups?

It will not break any existing jobs unless we are talking about the transaction log backup chain and Copy-Only is not used at all.

I can still do backup copy jobs with the newly provisioned sql server agent jobs via the plug in?

Yes, but you will need to create a dedicated backup copy job that handles plug-in backups. Please find more information on this page.

it may be easier to just set up a copy only backup job using the plug-in. this way we can still keep our VM level backups going as-is with log truncation

Sure, that might be an option as well. My main point is that either the plug-in or the image-level job must operate in Copy-Only mode.

Thanks!