Restoring SQL Databases Backed Up Via VSS

[wocomike]

Hi All,

We're looking at using VEEAM as our only backup solution... If we need to restore individual files, we will use VEEAM, instead of another product we were using for file-level backups.

My question is about SQL and Exchange restores. I read that VEEAM uses VSS to ensure that Windows files are able to be restored without errors. Is this true for SQL and Exchange as well? Could I just restore the .mdf and .ldf files and attach them within SQL?

Thanks!

-Mike

[TrevorBell]

Hi mike,

using vss makes the files transactionally correct and I have used this method to restore certain databases and re attach so the answer is yes got SQL , my exchange is still physical but you can use a tool from quest to restore exchange very easily, just so a search on the forum you will see some good feedback and links

thanks trev

[Gostev]

Hello Mike, if you are using Veeam VSS integration - then yes, it is true for any Windows application which are Microsoft VSS compatible and provide VSS writer that implements application-specific quiescence procedures. Most Microsoft apps have it today (Microsoft has introduced the shadow copy technology almost 7 years ago). So DC, Exchange, SQL, SharePoint, IIS files are all backed up in the transactionally consistent form. This also any 3rd party apps featuring Microsoft VSS integration (so-called VSS writer), for instance Oracle 11g with their VSS integration module installed (also compatible with 10g starting certain patch level).

[donikatz]

Mike-- As others have said, that will work fine for SQL, but if you're planning to replace your Exchange file-level backup, you'll have to ask yourself the business need. If you have the need to restore individual objects (brick level), Veeam alone has no one-click solution, but it's very achievable.

Here is a good thread on the topic: Anyone have a tool to recover single email in Exchange?

At our company we currently use both Veeam and Symantec Backup Exec for Exchange, with Veeam for DR/BC and Symantec for more-granular restores. However, we're always reevaluating business needs.

[Gostev]

SQL is well covered in the responses above, and here is a good thread about full image Exchange backups with Veeam VSS: Exchange "backed up" flag?