Backup SQL using Veeam or SQL tools

[stewsie]

Hi

How are people generally backing up SQL? Using Veeam with application aware processing or using the native SQL backup facility?

During a recent best practice webinar I asked the question and was told that there was no real benefit in using Veeam over SQL tools. I can see that using Veeam adds more complexity and potential for failure should any of the accounts being used have a problem.

Thanks

[ejenner]

Our DBA mainly does the SQL backups, so I have set Veeam to do occasional SQL backups without truncating logs just as a backup to the backup.

What sort of account problem were you thinking of?

I'm not aware of how much the built-in SQL tools have advanced since I last used them... maybe they've come on a long way, maybe they're only as good as they used to be? But I think the advantage you're going to get from a Veeam backup over a 'tools' backup is granular restoration, roll-back to earlier point in time capability and of course once the backup is in Veeam you can benefit from the maintenance of the backup files and the ability to copy off to another location ect...i.e. better safety of your backed up data.

[stewsie]

I was just thinking that managing the accounts that have local access to the server and database could cause problems.

I already take a backup of the database VMs using Veeam just not using the AAIP so in the event of a restore the DBA just restore the database once the VM is online again. A two step process but without any possible complications

[foggy]

Hi Paul, it's completely up to you what SQL Server backup approach to select, just note that Veeam B&R automates SQL point-in-time restore allowing you to select even a specific transaction to restore the database up to and also allows the restore of a particular database schema objects and tables data.

[stewsie]

Thanks all for the input