Job Mode: Workstation vs Servers

[agrob]

Good Day

We have severall Windows 10 Client computers, some with SQL Express installed which are running 7x24.
I need to deploy the VAW Agent and integrate them in VBR.

In the Job Mode, if i select "Workstation" i just have the "managed by agent" option. Also the Backup options are a bit different then if i Select "Server" in Job Mode. As the Clients are Connected 7x24 (down just for maintenance like windows updates) im thinking about using the "Server" Job Mode.

Question:
1. If i select "Server" Job Mode, is the license still counted as a Workstation License because it is a Client OS installed or is it counted as a Server VUL? I don't see a clear answer for this in the guide.
2. As some of the Clients have SQL Express installed and i don't see an "Guest Processing" Option under the Workstation Selection, is the SQL processed in Application Aware Mode or do i have to use Server Option in this case? Or in other words, if i use Workstation Mode, do i have enought protection for the Databases and Configuration of the SQL Express?
-> The most important thing is to restore the SQL Server itself (configuration etc) and not primary the Data in the User Databases. Is this possible with Workstation License?

Thanks

[Mildur]

Hi Andre

1. If i select "Server" Job Mode, is the license still counted as a Workstation License because it is a Client OS installed or is it counted as a Server VUL? I don't see a clear answer for this in the guide.

For Agents managed by a backup server, the type (workstation, server) in the backup job defines the required license type. If you backup the workstation with a server backup job, it's counted as a server license.

2. As some of the Clients have SQL Express installed and i don't see an "Guest Processing" Option under the Workstation Selection, is the SQL processed in Application Aware Mode or do i have to use Server Option in this case? Or in other words, if i use Workstation Mode, do i have enough protection for the Databases and Configuration of the SQL Express?

Workstation license doesn't provide Application Aware Processing. You need to use a server backup job to use application aware processing. See our product comparison.
VSS is still used, so the SQL Express will still be protected by the job. Just not with our Application Aware processing. Means you won't have Log Truncation or direct Item Level restore with the Veeam SQL Explorer in the Veeam Console.

Thanks
Fabian

[agrob]

Hi Fabian

Thanks for your reply and clarification.
So i think for us it would be enough to use the workstation license. in case we need to restore the whole db, we can just normal file restore option and restore db and logfiles. And in case of diasaster restore of the whole VM (Bare metal recovery) the sql server and the db should also sucessfully be restored. "just" the log truncating and Explorer for SQL are not possible. right?

Thanks

[Mildur]

Correct.
I recommend to run a test restore of a single database if you don't want to use AAP.
If you have a hypervisor connected to your veeam server , you can also start an instant recovery session and check if the database can be started.

[agrob]

I'll do that with the Instant Restore Session on a HyperVisor to check it.
Best Regards