Physical SQL Server Cluster Backup Recommendations

[bjdboyer]

Got a new customer moving over to Veeam and they have 2 physical SQL servers in a shared active/passive configuration. Right now they use something called Ola hallengren utility to do the backup to a Data Domain device. The DDR is going away, so we need to do something.

Anything coming in the new 9.5 endpoint agents that would be cluster aware? Everything else they have is VMware, this is the only one off.

Thanks
Bill

[Mike Resseler]

Hi Bill,

No, Veeam Agent for Windows (new name) will not be cluster aware. However, we are going to support a single protection node protection scenario. VAW can be installed on the active node to protect the SQL node. All the goodies such as transaction log backup and truncating will work. Also, item-level recovery will work also.

Hope it helps

Mike

[bjdboyer]

But on cluster fail over the backups fail, right? I would have to make sure to run the backup on the active node of the cluster all the time. Could the Veeam Endpoint Backup service be configured as a cluster resource so it's only active on the node owning the SQL cluster? But thinking on that I don't see how the incrmental changes could be tracked if the node currently running the backup had been passive for a long period of time.

Might just create a CIFS share just for the SQL backups and redirect them there form the data domain. Then Veeam gets the server the CIFS share is on. No real change on the customers part. Just going to a different place. they backup and restore/recovery scripts remain the same. Log processing is already part of that.

Thanks.

[Mike Resseler]

Bill,

You are right... In the scenario that I described you are unprotected at the moment you failover. On the other hand, failing over is hopefully not something you want to stay on for a longer period

Your other solution is also perfect, at least until we will have cluster-aware technology built-in

[glamic26]

at least until we will have cluster-aware technology built-in

Hi Mike. Is cluster-aware technology on the road map for the Windows Agent? If so any possible timeline? Thanks.

[Markus Doll]

Is cluster-aware technology on the road map for the Windows Agent? If so any possible timeline?

This is exactly what I'm interested as well.

So far we've 60 sockets licensed and are currently doing the backup of our physical systems with DPM, but as soon as cluster awareness is build in, we'll switch completely to VEEAM.

Best,
Markus

[Gostev]

It is planned, but I cannot share any specific timelines just yet.

[mianosm]

It is planned, but I cannot share any specific timelines just yet.

It seems like VAW is still not even supported, any insights on the timelines expected for support, and cluster-aware support?

[Mike Resseler]

VAW is GA at this moment (If I am not mistaken since last Friday )

Cluster-aware support is not in this version but is certainly on our to-do list!

[ChuckS42]

VAW is GA at this moment (If I am not mistaken since last Friday )

Cluster-aware support is not in this version but is certainly on our to-do list!

Perhaps a premature question, but when cluster support is added, how would this be licensed? One license per cluster node, or one license for the active node?

[vClintWyckoff]

The licensing and edition conversations are not finalized and decided upon.

[tknaller]

is there any news on backing up mssql cluster with veeam agent for Windows?

[jmmarton]

With VBR 9.5 Update 3's management of agents, that also adds Windows failover cluster support for VAW when VAW is managed by VBR.

Joe

[tknaller]

awesome thank you, any prospect on its release date?

greetings,
thomas

[ChuckS42]

The licensing and edition conversations are not finalized and decided upon.

With the release of Windows Cluster support right around the corner, can the question be answered? (one license for the whole cluster, or one license per node)

[Dima P.]

Hello Chuck,

License is going to be consumed per agent installation. If you are going to protect entire cluster then server license is required for backup agent on every node.

[ChuckS42]

As I expected. Thanks for the response.