Backup of Windows Server VMs with Pending Reboot

[redhorse]

Hello,

I want to ask you for your experience with Windows Server VMs which have a pending reboot state due to installed updates. Let me explain what I mean:

1. Installation of available Windows Server Updates without rebooting the Server (state: pending reboot)
2. VSS-Backup with Veeam
3. SureBackup

Does this make anytrouble with the backup or SureBackup? In the past we waited until the backup was finished before we started the windows updates but we'd like to change the process to save some time in the evening. So we'd like to install the updates during the working day and start the reboot after the backup in the evening.

[Mildur]

Hello RH

I wouldn't backup the server between the update pre installation and reboot. Could lead to unexpcted behaviour after in case of a restore. And the DR process will take longer, if updates needs to be installed after the restore. You should do the backup before the installation of the windows update files to have protected the state of the vm without any changes from windows update.

When testing a VM with pending windows updates in a surebackup job, you will have most likely timeouts at the boot time of the vm.
When the VM starts in the the virtual lab, windows will first install the pending windows updates, before veeam can do the heartbeat test. You could configure a higher max allowed boot time. But this will delay the entire surebackup job, if all vms need to install windows updates first before they can get tested.

[Andreas Neufert]

SureBackup is just performing restore like it would happen in a DR environment. We check then if IP and services like the VMware tools one come up.
If the Windows Update is not breaking anything your are fine. I would argue that this way is even better for you. Before you restart you do a backup and SureBackup checks then if the VM would come up after the reboot. If not you know that you would be in trouble and can stop the reboot of the systems and work on them.

[redhorse]

Thank you for your statements, that makes sense and I agree with your concerns regarding the SureBackup and unexpected behaviours.