Veeam Endpoint Backup: error in SQL Server logs, why?

[xpg934]

Hello.

I use Veeam Endpoint Backup FREE to backup files (file level backup).
Also this physical Windows Server has SQL Server installed, but sql-databases are not handled with Veeam.
Thus, each run Veeam I get errors in SQL Server log (Veeam backup is started at 04:00):

Code: Select all

02/10/2017 04:01:57,Backup,Unknown,BACKUP failed to complete the command BACKUP LOG model. Check the backup application log for detailed messages.
02/10/2017 04:01:57,Backup,Unknown,Error: 3041 Severity: 16 State: 1.
02/10/2017 04:01:04,Backup,Unknown,Database backed up. Database: MyDataBase creation date(time): 2014/03/13(15:52:54) pages dumped: 17025661 first LSN: 1436777:4468:181 last LSN: 1436777:4542:1 number of dump devices: 1 device information: (FILE=1 TYPE=VIRTUAL_DEVICE: {'{042CC01D-A9C4-4810-8209-F083581FA2F1}1'}). This is an informational message only. No user action is required.
02/10/2017 04:01:02,spid53,Unknown,I/O was resumed on database MyDataBase. No user action is required.
02/10/2017 04:01:02,spid53,Unknown,I/O is frozen on database MyDataBase. No user action is required. However if I/O is not resumed promptly you could cancel the backup.

Why Veeam is do something with SQL Server? (it tried to backup database to vitrual device... database size is > 200Gb and always used by clients)
How I can turn off this? we need only file level backup, not sql server databases and so on.

[Dima P.]

Hi Alexey,

Did you include SQL database location via file level backup? If yes, try to exclude it from the backup and re run the job.

[xpg934]

Yes, real databases are located at D:\database\*, and backed up files at D:\database\backup\*

Thank you, I'll try.

[Dima P.]

Alexey,

Great. Keep us posted!

P.S. Veeam Agent for Windows 2.0 Beta is live, so if you want to test SQL backup functionality - here is a link

[xpg934]

Now I try to backup files from the path:

D:\database.backup\mydb.bak

Working SQL Server databases are located at:

D:\database\*

But nothing changed. SQL Server log files again contains these lines:

Code: Select all

02/13/2017 03:34:31,Backup,Unknown,BACKUP failed to complete the command BACKUP LOG model. Check the backup application log for detailed messages.
02/13/2017 03:34:31,Backup,Unknown,Error: 3041 Severity: 16 State: 1.
02/13/2017 03:00:52,Backup,Unknown,Database backed up. Database: MyDatabase creation date(time): 2014/03/13(15:52:54) pages dumped: 17055027 first LSN: 1447010:3251:89 last LSN: 1447010:3288:1 number of dump devices: 1 device information: (FILE=1 TYPE=VIRTUAL_DEVICE: {'{7DFBCFB0-1369-4ED8-8469-1282AC723CF8}1'}). This is an informational message only. No user action is required.
02/13/2017 03:00:51,spid56,Unknown,I/O was resumed on database MyDatabase. No user action is required.
02/13/2017 03:00:51,spid56,Unknown,I/O is frozen on database MyDatabase. No user action is required. However if I/O is not resumed promptly you could cancel the backup.

Why? And again backup of files is failed
How I can disable SQL Server interaction in any case?

[Dima P.]

Alexey,

May I ask you to install the VAW 2.0 BETA (the link above should work)? Certain fixes were implemented in the latest version and your scenario should be supported. Kindly, check if new version works for your case and let us know.

[xpg934]

I've already installed 2.0 beta. But nothing changed

[xpg934]

Uups, sorry. On this server 1.5 version is still installed.
Now I've installed 2.0 beta. Tomorrow we'll see how it goes backup.

Maybe Agent has somewhere the debug log?

[Dima P.]

Alexey,

Sure. C:\ProgramData\Veeam\Endpoint\

Let us know how it goes.

[xpg934]

Dmitry, is better now. No errors in SQL Server log.
However, Veeam still do backup databases, for some reason.
How to turn off it?
Backup of databases is performed in a different time and not with Veeam.

Code: Select all

02/14/2017 03:01:09,Backup,Unknown,Database backed up. Database: MyDatabase creation date(time): 2014/03/13(15:52:54) pages dumped: 17069322 first LSN: 1447321:449:38 last LSN: 1447321:466:1 number of dump devices: 1 device information: (FILE=1 TYPE=VIRTUAL_DEVICE: {'{E37F68F2-06F0-4270-9EBB-F3A57A0E106D}1'}). This is an informational message only. No user action is required.
02/14/2017 03:01:07,spid54,Unknown,I/O was resumed on database MyDatabase. No user action is required.
02/14/2017 03:01:07,spid54,Unknown,I/O is frozen on database MyDatabase. No user action is required. However if I/O is not resumed promptly you could cancel the backup.

[Dima P.]

Alexey,

Do you have application aware processing enabled in VAW job settings?

[xpg934]

Dmitry,

No, this setting is not enabled:

Destination --------------------------------------
Shared folder: \\....\backups\
Keep restore points for the last 7 cycles
Compression level: Optimal (recommended)
Storage optimization: LAN target
Storage encryption: disabled


Backup cache -------------------------------------
Backup cache is disabled


Guest processing ---------------------------------
Application-aware processing: [disabled]

Guest file system indexing: [disabled]

Script processing: [disabled]


Schedule -----------------------------------------
Schedule: server
Daily at [3:00]
Retry failed job every 3 time(s)
Wait before each retry attempt for: 10 minute(s)
Create active full backups on Monday

[xpg934]

Dmitry,

Even if I configure VAW as in the screenshot (perform copy only) - nothing changes, there's always backup the sql server database when VAW starts sheduled backup of files.
Why VAW makes a backup of all active sql databases on the server?

[xpg934]

Is there any news on this problem?

[jmmarton]

With the screenshot you posted, we will indeed backup the database. With AAIP enabled we'll leverage VSS writers for any application which has VSS writers enabled. The "copy only" setting only impacts the transaction logs. With that setting we'll take a completely application-consistent backup but we won't truncate the transaction logs.

Joe

[xpg934]

This screenshot I gave an example to show that enable or disable "application-aware processing" does not affect the fact that VAW is backing up the sql database.
Ie, even if "application-aware processing" disabled - VAW still performs the backup. As if "application-aware processing" enabled.

Now "application-aware processing" is disabled, but the log of the sql server still shows that VAW produces a backup of the database (VAW backup is scheduled at 3:00 every night):

Code: Select all

02/22/2017 03:00:48,Backup,Unknown,Database backed up. Database: MyDatabase creation date(time): 2014/03/13(15:52:54) pages dumped: 17194202 first LSN: 1450614:2434:48 last LSN: 1450614:2456:1 number of dump devices: 1 device information: (FILE=1 TYPE=VIRTUAL_DEVICE: {'{44AB0DD1-24ED-47CA-A7AB-CDC5064B3924}1'}). This is an informational message only. No user action is required.
02/22/2017 03:00:46,spid56,Unknown,I/O was resumed on database MyDatabase. No user action is required.
02/22/2017 03:00:46,spid56,Unknown,I/O is frozen on database MyDatabase. No user action is required. However if I/O is not resumed promptly you could cancel the backup.
02/22/2017 02:06:42,Backup,Unknown,Database backed up. Database: MyDatabase creation date(time): 2014/03/13(15:52:54) pages dumped: 17194430 first LSN: 1450614:2379:86 last LSN: 1450614:2421:1 number of dump devices: 1 device information: (FILE=1 TYPE=DISK: {'D:\database.backup\MyDatabase.bak'}). This is an informational message only. No user action is required.
02/22/2017 00:00:37,spid29s,Unknown,This instance of SQL Server has been using a process ID of 1400 since 13.02.2017 23:09:03 (local) 13.02.2017 20:09:03 (UTC). This is an informational message only; no user action is required.

02/21/2017 03:00:48,Backup,Unknown,Database backed up. Database: MyDatabase creation date(time): 2014/03/13(15:52:54) pages dumped: 17175850 first LSN: 1450226:508:48 last LSN: 1450226:530:1 number of dump devices: 1 device information: (FILE=1 TYPE=VIRTUAL_DEVICE: {'{281C2BE9-D019-4B64-AAEA-32E327168473}1'}). This is an informational message only. No user action is required.
02/21/2017 03:00:47,spid56,Unknown,I/O was resumed on database MyDatabase. No user action is required.
02/21/2017 03:00:47,spid56,Unknown,I/O is frozen on database MyDatabase. No user action is required. However if I/O is not resumed promptly you could cancel the backup.
02/21/2017 02:06:34,Backup,Unknown,Database backed up. Database: MyDatabase creation date(time): 2014/03/13(15:52:54) pages dumped: 17176126 first LSN: 1450226:372:290 last LSN: 1450226:495:1 number of dump devices: 1 device information: (FILE=1 TYPE=DISK: {'D:\database.backup\MyDatabase.bak'}). This is an informational message only. No user action is required.
02/21/2017 00:00:16,spid25s,Unknown,This instance of SQL Server has been using a process ID of 1400 since 13.02.2017 23:09:03 (local) 13.02.2017 20:09:03 (UTC). This is an informational message only; no user action is required.

02/20/2017 03:00:47,Backup,Unknown,Database backed up. Database: MyDatabase creation date(time): 2014/03/13(15:52:54) pages dumped: 17156285 first LSN: 1449790:5036:185 last LSN: 1449790:5114:1 number of dump devices: 1 device information: (FILE=1 TYPE=VIRTUAL_DEVICE: {'{F8E090B0-95D6-4CDF-98BF-16B77013CF61}1'}). This is an informational message only. No user action is required.
02/20/2017 03:00:45,spid55,Unknown,I/O was resumed on database MyDatabase. No user action is required.
02/20/2017 03:00:45,spid55,Unknown,I/O is frozen on database MyDatabase. No user action is required. However if I/O is not resumed promptly you could cancel the backup.
02/20/2017 02:06:37,Backup,Unknown,Database backed up. Database: MyDatabase creation date(time): 2014/03/13(15:52:54) pages dumped: 17156590 first LSN: 1449790:3485:195 last LSN: 1449790:4348:1 number of dump devices: 1 device information: (FILE=1 TYPE=DISK: {'D:\database.backup\MyDatabase.bak'}). This is an informational message only. No user action is required.
02/20/2017 00:00:47,spid30s,Unknown,This instance of SQL Server has been using a process ID of 1400 since 13.02.2017 23:09:03 (local) 13.02.2017 20:09:03 (UTC). This is an informational message only; no user action is required.

[Dima P.]

Hello Alexey,

You need to enable the application aware processing (so server edition is required) and add your database to exclusion list via special regkey:

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HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Veeam\Veeam Endpoint Backup

Multi-String value with the name ExcludeSqlDatabasesFromBackup
Add the instance/database name in any format like below. One entry per string.

IntanceName:DatabaseName;
InstanceName:;
:DatabaseName;

[xpg934]

Hello Dmitry,

Thanks, I'll try this today.

If it helps, maybe this setting should be configurable in UI?

[xpg934]

Hello Dmitry,

Nothing has changed. VAW still performs backup of the database at 3:00 to a virtual device, and it goes on for 2 seconds, judging by the SQL Server log. Regular backup of the database is much longer (base >130Gb). In the log of VAW can be seen that all of databases on this server added to the skipdb, but it still does some work with SQL Server (backup of main working database), which is not needed, it seems, because we need only file-level backup.

[Dima P.]

Thanks Alexey. Can I ask you to open a support case - would like to get our QA team involved, so need your VAW logs.