Backup Exec SQL Agent Incremental job fails

[GMF]

I experiencing an Incremental job fail for an SQL Server in Backup Exec 2014 after I added a backup job for the virtual machine (VMware) that run the sql server.

The incremental job fails for the following reason

Final error: 0xe0000363 - The Backup Exec SQL Agent was not used to create the last full, differential, or log backup of this database. You must use the SQL Agent to run a full backup before you can run a differential backup or transaction log backup.

In the job log results for the databases i find the following

V-79-57344-867 - The last Full backup of database dbname was not made by this application.  Run a new Full backup, then run this job again.

I made few research on the forum and i found out that running the SQL Server backup (with SQL Agent) combined with the VMware Virtual Machine backup (vcenter type) and GRT enabled may break the incremental job for the SQL Server backup.

I verified this situation querying the msdb database on the SQL Server and i found that when the VMware backup job runs, it will write a new entry on that table (NULL; datatime) that break the SQL Agent Incremental job.

Here is the query i used (reference https://support.symantec.com/en_US/article.TECH58674.html:(

select name, backup_start_date 
from msdb..backupset dbo.backupset
where database_name = 'db_example' 
order by backup_start_date desc

I tried disabling GRT on the Virtual Machine backup job but it seems not to make any effect, every time the vmware backup job runs, it makes a new record on the msdb..backupset table.

I believe my problem is the same reported by this user https://www-secure.symantec.com/connect/forums/vmware-vsphere-backup-grt-and-sql but the link suggested as possible solution (editing the quiescing file) is not more available.

How to fix this? Is there any solution to this problem?

Thank you.

[VJware]

Set the schedule in such a manner that the VMware backup (with GRT on or off) does not interrupt the Agent backup schedule. For an example

Mon - Full backup using Remote Agent

Tue - Log backup using Remote Agent

Wed - Log backup using Remote Agent

Thu - Log backup using Remote Agent

Fri - Log backup using Remote Agent

Sat - VM backup using VMware agent

Mon - Full backup using Remote Agent

Tue - Log backup using Remote Agent

As you can see, the VM backup runs after/before the complete chain of full , log backups by the remote agent.

A better alternative available in BE 2014 and BE 15 is use to this option "Run a SQL Log backup after backing up the virtual machine" which is available in the VMware settings of the backup job. This will ensure the VM is backed up as whole, SQL GRT is also used and logs are also backed up for truncation in a single backup job.

[GMF]

So if I enable GRT, enable "GRT for Microsoft SQL", enable "Run a SQL Log backup after backing up the virtual machine" in the virtual machine job, should not be need to schedule as you suggested and i will not get the fail during incremental of SQL Server backup job?

I would like to keep my normal schedulation, everyday backup incremental and friday complete whatever virtual or not.

[VJware · Accepted solution]

If you enable the above mentioned options as I suggested earlier, there is no need to run a separate backup using the Agent for SQL.

If you still wish to run the Agent for SQL then here are the only possible options:

1) Run backups only using the Agent for SQL i.e. Full and Incremental (Log). No VM agent backups.

2) If VM backup is needed, then set the schedule as I mentioned in the first comment. This is the only way for both backups to run without either one failing.

3) Run backups only using the VMware agent with the GRT option and log backup enabled. No other backups needed.
 

[GMF]

VJware, thanks for your help. I understand what you suggest as possible solution to run Agent and Virtual.

Yesterday i've enabled "Run a SQL Log backup after backing up the virtual machine" on the virtual machine backup and both incremental backup jobs, virtual and agent, ran without errors.

Is this safe like this or is it possible that the Agent will have a broken backup if i leave the settings like this??

So at the moment I have the followin schedule:

Fri - Full VMware Agent ( with GRT, "GRT for Microsoft SQL", "Run a SQL Log backup after backing up the virtual machine" enabled)

Fri - Full SQL Agent

Sat - Thu - Incremental VMware Agent ( with GRT, "GRT for Microsoft SQL", "Run a SQL Log backup after backing up the virtual machine" enabled)

Sat - Thu - Incremental SQL Agent

If you don't see any problem in this configuration i will leave it like this.

Thanks again.

[VJware]

WIth this config, the SQL DB and logs are being backed up twice and secondly, the log sequence number will get changed by either backup and thereby could affect the incremental backups.

[GMF]

Ok. I setted up the backup only via VMware agent with GRT enabled and it works fine.

Since the VMware + GRT backup doesn't offer full System State support i will create another job just to backup the System State with the Backup Exec Agent.

Thanks again

[Colin_Weaver]

If you have done a VMware backup you can recover the complete VM without needing the system state as whilst it is not separately selectable you can DR the system (back into a VM) using just a VMware backup (with or without GRT enabled)

As such no need to do a separate System State backup either.

[VJware]

A job via the VMware agent backs up the complete VM which includes the system state also.

[GMF]

Yes but i should be forced to recover the whole vm, while i prefer to have the ability to recover just some component of the System State (which i could backup more often than the whole vm).

I could for example backup/recover just the "File Server Resource Manager"  or "Internet Information Service" using the BE Agent. Those System state components are not available in the GRT backup.