Sharepoint Backup with different Proxy/Repository server for web and db servers

[sandsturm]

Hi all

Due to security reasons, we're using different Veeam Proxy/Repository Servers in our environment with one central Veeam Backup server. Each security zone has its own proxy/repository server (both roles on on the same machine). The same setup is used for our Sharepoint infrastructure, meaning that Sharepoint Webservers (FrontEnd) are in SecurityZone 1 and the sharepoint database is located in SecurityZone 2. For a planned backup with Veeam would that mean, that the web servers are backed up via proxy/reposerver 1 and the database via proxy/reposerver 2. Is that even a possible way to go? I think it's not possible to do in one backup job, because of the two different repositories and if I create two different jobs, I don't have a consistent backup due to different backup times or am I wrong? Any ideas?

thx
sandsturm

[Mike Resseler]

Hi Sandsturm,

I wouldn't worry too much around the consistent backup in case of SharePoint. SP is a distributed solution, and even if they would be in the same security zone/ same job, there would always be a difference in timing. What is most important around your SP solution is that you have the content and "admin" databases which are in securityzone2. The webservers can be protected and normally don't have data on it, but they do have certain customizations under the IIS directories. So the big question is: when can a restore go wrong.

A restore will go wrong when you restore a webserver that has changed customizations and a SQL DB that isn't aware of those. Or vice versa. When it comes to data, that is mostly not an issue. My advice for large SP farms is always to have a backup of the DB's and at least one webserver close to that same time. Also, when you make customizations to the frontend, don't do this around the backup timeframe or between the backup of the fronted and backend. If you keep this in mind, then the backup of frontend/ backend does not need to be in sync.

Hope it helps
Mike

[sandsturm]

Hi Mike

Thanks for you answer. That sounds great, customization changes on webservers can be scheduled and managed to be sure to have a consistent backup.

thx
sandsturm