veeam and sql limitation?

[backupquestions]

https://helpcenter.veeam.com/backup/80/ ... ition.html

Is this really true regarding if I want to restore a SQL database that is over 10gb in size in production, that I need to install full blown sql on Veeam server and use that? This article is out of date a bit but just wondering. This is a huge gotcha for me as I would have to buy another sql server license to use for this. We hardly have any SQL databases that are less than 10gb and this is not something ever mentioned by anyone I've talked to.

[veremin]

Correct, your staging SQL server must a full blown server, if you want to attach a db that exceeds 10 GB to it. More information can be found here. Thanks!

[backupquestions]

I found another thread where Gostev says you only need a staging server if you are using transaction level recovery.... If I just want to restore an entire SQL database am I still OK with express and not using any staging server? Or is that still an issue? Link to thread below. I don't do any point in time stuff, just entire database as of last restore point of VM as normal.

veeam-backup-replication-f2/staging-sql ... 51331.html

[veremin]

Correct, if you're planning to perform database restore without transaction-level recovery functionality, then staging server is not needed, so you can forget about this limitation.

However, your target SQL server (where the database is restored to) must be a full-blown SQL server, meaning you cannot restore a db that exceeds 10 GB to SQL Express obviously.

Thanks!

[backupquestions]

This is much better than as I don't currently use item level for SQL, but now I have some options such as using remote staging if needed etc.

Thanks!

[pshute]

We hit this limitation regularly. Instead of being able to restore just one table, we have to restore the database's files somewhere, and attach it to get to what we need.

[janezk]

Hi,

some guys from MS have told me, that if you have a VM with SQL just for the staging server - for the restore purposes, you don't have to have a full license, but you can go with developer ( that has full funcionality). I know this can sound a little bit strange, but the explanation was, that you don't use this server all the time, it's not for production purposes, it's just for data recovery, once in a while.

But as far as I researched, you can use any SQL server as a staging server, but it must not be a part of AOAG, and has to be the same or greater version and license to be able to restore the funcionalities that you have in production.

BR
Janez

[pshute]

Doesn't Veeam itself use an SQL database to store its catalogs, etc? Would the developer version be acceptable to use with that?

[janezk]

Hi,

Yes, Veeam uses SQl, by default it installs SQL express. But you can't use developer for Veeam databases as this is already production use, so you wouldn't be compliant with the license terms. You could use developer edition for Veeam in your test or lab environment ( as I got the expalantion from MS guys...)
If you already have a separate SQL just for Veeam components ( as is normal for larger installations), that can be easily used also for staging server.

BR Janez

[Joel_Miller]

The limitation of 10 GB is for SQL Server Express Edition. You cannot create or restore a database to SQL Server Express if it is larger than 10 GB.

As far as licensing goes, I would not listen to anything except something that comes from your vendor licensing or directly from Microsoft. I would not use forums as a way of deciding if something would be within the licensing constraints. I would go right to your vendor that sells you SQL Server (example: CDW) and ask their licensing department or Microsoft themselves. I can tell you all you want in this forum about how SQL Server licensing works, but at the end of the day, when you get audited, you cannot use my words in this forum to prove that you are in compliance.

I would tell them what you are trying to accomplish and ask if you are able to use the free Developer Edition in that case. As long as it is used for a Production Payload, you should be OK.

As you can see from this Microsoft page, not only is Express Edition limited to 10 GB database size, there are many other processor, memory, and other limitations. https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/sql/sq ... caleLimits

-Best of luck!

[janezk]

Hi,

just to be clear: my comments and advices are not official licensing information in any way, just sharing info the best that I can, to help someone else...
But experience from forums users (especially more focused serious forums like this one) can be very useful and can save a lot of time and pain, especially with finding the information around some very messed up licensing policies like the M...'s.
I think it is very wise to get a first hand experience info, so that you know what you can expect and that vendors don't sell you a very costly license, that you maybe even don't need in the end.

BR Janez

ps. thums up for Veeam's licensing...