BE SQL database

[Francois_Petit_]

We are going to have 2 BE servers (1 CASO - 1 MMS)

One of the servers will be running backups with dedupe and replication to mms dedupe storage to another site.

The idea will be to have resilience in a way that if one of the sites go down, we can still backup / restore with the data that will be replicated.

I understand that we need to have SQL running (either Express or full blown, either on the backup server or a dedicated server) for the Backup Exec database.

How does that work in case of DR? or if we lose the SQL server? Do we need to rebuild a SQL server then restore db from backups? Do we need to mirror the SQL server?

I have read various articles on how to backup BE including this https://www-secure.symantec.com/connect/blogs/how-protect-backup-exec-itself but I am not sure they apply to CASO

Thanks.

[CraigV]

Hi,

You shouldn't have to worry about this with the MMS replicating information to the CASO. Check the TNs below:

http://www.symantec.com/business/support/index?page=content&id=TECH43297

http://www.symantec.com/business/support/index?page=content&id=HOWTO23028

http://www.symantec.com/business/support/index?page=content&id=HOWTO12282

http://www.symantec.com/business/support/index?page=content&id=HOWTO73661

Thanks!

[Francois_Petit_]

Thanks CraighV, Looking at the papers, I can't seem to find anything that relates to the BE SQL database, more specifically the server where I install MS SQL and tell BE which DB to use during setup and how to make this SQl server resilient.? Cheers.

[pkh]

If you are using the default SQL Express instance for your BEDB, all you need to do is to restore the Data directory under the BE installation directory directory and you can start up BE.

[VJware]

If you choose "custom install" during the Backup Exec installation process, you would get the option of choosing which SQL to use..

Check Figure 15 on this KB ~ http://www.symantec.com/business/support/index?page=content&id=TECH179227

Secondly, CASO-MMS does not replicate the Backup Exec database... If the CASO server goes down, either the CASO needs to be brought back up online or the MMS server needs to be made stand-alone for initiating restores.

[Francois_Petit_]

So, if I use full blown SQL... 1 - Do I install SQL on the MMS server or the CASO server? And why? 2 - If I lose the server (CASO or MMS) on which I installed SQL, what happens then? Because surely I don't have a SQL server anymore then. 3 - CASO goes down; MMS needs to be made stand-alone to do a restore - Is that to carry on backing up as well? My understanding with MMS CASO was that if either server goes down, it's BAU I am struggling to find info on how to recover CASO/MMS with MS SQL. There is some stuff out there explaining how to recover stand-alone server, sql express, how to backup bedb but in the case or CASO/MMS and SQL I am curious as to how resilient this whole thing is. I am not the type to wait for solutions to be dished out, I have spent hours trying to find documentation that would help me implement a working solution that is reliable, resilient and good and simple in a DR situation Our requirement is not exactly complex CASO, MMS, Optimized Dedupe, replication, MS SQL - Where I find Symantec Documentation lacking is when it comes to DR - Perhaps I haven't looked in the right place, it's all very well backing up, but seriously, I'd hate to implement a backup solution without a solid, concise, clear-cut and well documented DR solution and I would much rather put the pieces together now (if I can). Thanks guys.

[CraigV]

3 - ...if you centralise your Data/Catalogs on your CASO and it goes down, so does your MMS. The only way around this is to hack the CASO's details out of the registry and then point the MMS back to its own BEDB.

Once you point the MMS at itself again, it should be able to backup/restore.

Best bet might actually be to log a query with Symantec if you have support, and once you get an answer, post back here with the solution and close it off. To be honest, this is the first time I have seen a query like yours logged on Connect since I joined at the beginning of 2008, so it is quite unique...and it might be simply that nobody else here has an answer for you.

What I have done for you though is hit the support flag (bit of a hit and miss though), and hopefully someone from Symantec will pick up on this...

Thanks!

[Francois_Petit_]

Thanks CraighV. I am happy to use SQL express though. Perhaps I should? Maybe it is unusal to want to use full blown SQL? When should I use sql express? when should i use full sql? Again, i struggle finding this info. I don't want to use a centralised database. This is the whole point. I want to replicate the database for resilience. If i use sql express, will this be replicated to the MMS server as well, in which case I don't need to worry. If I use full blow SQL, do I need to install it on both the CASO and MMS server I am suprised nobody has ever contemplated a scenario where their SQL database server would go down in a CASO - MMS setup. Surely, this would be basic DR planning? With regards to logging a request with Symantec, we don't have support since we havent' purchased the product yet. By the way, I put in a request for a call back 10 days ago to make a query re licensing and I haven't yet heard back from them - I might try again but this in a way kind of worries me going forward as I am really hoping their support is up to scratch. Cheers.

[CraigV · Accepted solution]

SQL Express is free, where SQL requires licensing, and pretty expensive licensing hearing the buzz in the office around how MS have changed this now.

The SQL DB itself isn't replicated, check the TN below for what is:

http://www.symantec.com/business/support/index?page=content&id=HOWTO11931

Also, check the TN below for what the implications are for the various catalog locations:

http://www.symantec.com/business/support/index?page=content&id=HOWTO12297