How do we handle SQL Server?

[lewislampkin]

Good afternoon.

I tried to take due diligence and search the site. I am unable to locate a guide for SQL-AIR. I did look at the User Guide, but it provides no specifics on SQL Server. I also looked at the FAQ, but it just barely glanced over the AIR topic. I even read a white paper, which to be honest, was useful, even if it did include corporate branding.

I guess I'm wondering how other admins handle their SQL server backups and restores.

I ask this question because we had a minor incident today, and I was able to contact the SQL DBA, to get the database restored.

Then, the question to me was Lewis, how come you cannot do this with Veeam? My answer was, I do not understand SQL Server, let me see what others are doing with Veeam, so then I came to the site and searched, but cannot find any examples, so I am kind of stuck of how to proceed to answer this query.

EDIT: If this question is best posed to tech support, let me know, I just realized it may be more appropriate as a technical support question ....

Thanks for your assistance.

[Gostev]

There are quite a few of options for full database restore with Veeam, but all of this is already covered in FAQ...

a) You could perform file level recovery from backup, extract MDF and LDF files of the required database, and give those to DBA. This was always available with Veeam Backup (since version 1).

b) You could use new v5 on-demand sandbox functionality (see FAQ) to bring up SQL in the isolated environment , and give it to DBA. He could then connect to that SQL running off backup with native management tools (Management Studio), retrieve data it needs, and put it into production SQL. He will know exactly what he needs to do - he is DBA! You will not have to do anything here.

Easiest way to set this up is to have DBA use Universal AIR wizard (this facilitates the whole process through workflow system, also explained FAQ). This takes care of creating sandbox and updating routing automatically.

c) You could have DBA use SQL AIR wizard beta, and restore whatever items he needs. This is specialized wizard specifically for SQL items recovery, its functionality is described in FAQ. Again, you will not have to do anything here - DBA will do what he needs to.

You do not really need to understand SQL to do everything I explained below... you should just go ahead and try. Of course, I am assuming you have Veeam Backup v5 fully deployed and setup (including SureBackup jobs). If not, you should start working on this first

Thanks!

P.S. What whitepaper are you talking about?

[lewislampkin]

P.S. What whitepaper are you talking about?

Sorry, I'm a bit crazy at times. It was the whitepaper about Air. It told about how VSS-Aware Backup, as well as VSS-Aware Restore is critical, to restore VSS-enabled applications from Microsoft, such as SQL/Exchange/Active Directory. It included a specific example of how you could run a test setup, and if the product was sound in VSS-Aware Restore, you could restore a domain controller successfully, versus a recovery of a domain controller in a manner that was not VSS-Aware, and having issues.

It's found at this link: http://www.veeam.com/go/vmware-vss-backup-wp

This is its title: How to correctly back up and recover Microsoft SQL, Exchange, Active Directory and SharePoint in a VMware environment.

I guess the question posed to me was how to do database restores WITHOUT involving a DBA. (At least, that is how I interpreted the request.) So, it appears I'll have to learn a bit more about SQL Server, and become a DBA myself.

Thanks.

[lewislampkin]

Of course, I am assuming you have Veeam Backup v5 fully deployed and setup (including SureBackup jobs). If not, you should start working on this first

Yes, I need to work on this first. I only set up regular backup jobs. I'll have to look again for the surebackup option in the console (that is the one that mounts the machine, and tests the backup, correct?)

[Gostev]

Ah, this one... really old whitepaper, I wrote it almost 3 years ago - I really need to update it now, since our technology went pretty far since then.

Yes, you will definitely need to become a little bit of DBA, at least from privileges standpoint you will definitely need account with DBA privileges if you want to be able to restore anything to production SQL. Frankly, I am actually really surprised that your SQL DBA wants you to do SQL restores for them... actually, "surprised" is pretty weak words to use here, let me put it the other way - it is the first time in my 10 years of dealing with real-world enterprise IT that I see SQL admin allowing someone from different team to touch his or her most precious SQL server... especially when you do not know SQL at all...

Yes, I need to work on this first. I only set up regular backup jobs. I'll have to look again for the surebackup option in the console (that is the one that mounts the machine, and tests the backup, correct?)

Absolutely correct, but the same jobs are also used for all other functionality as well (application items recovery, on-demand sandbox). So, as soon as you setup your SureBackup jobs and are able to run them and test your backups, you will immediately be able to do everything else without any additional steps required. In fact, you can even do application item recovery directly from running SureBackup job's session by right-clicking the required VM (which is the fastest way of doing a recovery if your SQL admins really want *you* to do it).

[lewislampkin]

Frankly, I am actually really surprised that your SQL DBA wants you to do SQL restores for them... actually, "surprised" is pretty weak words to use here, let me put it the other way - it is the first time in my 10 years of dealing with real-world enterprise IT that I see SQL admin allowing someone from different team to touch his or her most precious SQL server... especially when you do not know SQL at all...

if your SQL admins really want *you* to do it)

Hah, it's not the SQL Admin requesting this, it's my boss. I figured I would ask first, rather than just dismissing it as an unrealistic expectation (maybe it's my military background .... If I don't know, I'll find out how to do it, etc.) I mean, my first impulse on a database action is to consult the database guy (that's why we pay them, right?), but in this case, I was just answering a boss's inquiry as best I could.

We don't have DBA on-site, we only have contracted remote support. They monitor systems, respond to alerts, set up backups, perform restores, and do any administrative tasks that we require from time to time. So, not sure how realistic it is to try to get them to go through Veeam AIR interface for restore, if they're really only supporting restores through the methods they have set up.