Exchange/SQL Backup

[gymmbo]

I did some searching and I am unable to get a clear answer for a best practice. I have two SQL servers and an EX2010 server that are both virtualized. I am currently running the agent on the VMs but it seams redundant since I can backup the virtual disk but if I don't run the agent the t-logs eat up disk space. What is the best practice to backup VMs this sensitive while maintaining quick restore times? If you know of an article I am more than happy to do the reading.

Thanks,

[sksujeet]

The best way to backup the VMS under your ESX is to have the vmware agent.

If you are using BE 2010 and want to take the database backup then take the GRT backup of sql and exchange with the remote agent installed on both the vms and sql and exchangel license installed in BE 2010.

But if you are just concerned about the vms that has the database then the cheaper and best option is not to buy the vmware agent and instead buy the sql,exchange license on BE and install the raws on the vms and do the regular backup as a physical backup.

[gymmbo]

Thanks for the reply sazz. I we are actually using Hyper-V but that doesn't make a difference here. I am currently using the sql and exchange license and I am backing these DBs the traditional way. I also have the Hyper-V agent and I am doing backups of my VMs but it seems redundant. My concern is that if I stop using the local agent how can I manage the growing log files that will not truncate until a traditional full backup is performed? I understand GRT but not clear on the overall process of the backup and the components needed to manage this.

[sksujeet]

Which version of BE you are using:

In 12.5 you have to do a tradition way of backup with raws installed on vms to flush the logs.

In 2010 you can flush the logs by taking the GRT backup of your virtual machine using Hyper v and agent should be installed on the virtual machine.

So in 2010 you can simply take the hyper v backup of your exchange but should have raws installed on it and GRT selected. If you don't do then it will not create the meta data and will not flush the logs.

[Colin_Weaver]

SQL Backups in have a limitation for both a RAWS backup  and AVVI - in that a transaction log backup has to be specifically run to truncate the logs. Unfortunately the VMWare snapshot process is recorded by SQL as a Backup Operation which means that if you attempt to run a Log backup after an AVVI backup you will get an error which is because a full backup needs to be run.

 What this means in practice is  that to backup a SQL Server (that is not in Simple Recovery) inside of AVVI you must do RAWS Full and Log backups - and only do an AVVI backup of that server for DR purposes and make sure a Full via RAWS is the first job that follows the AVVI so that the log backups can run.

More info: http://www.symantec.com/docs/TECH37587

Exchange however should truncate the logs with AVVI so should be able to be backed up using AVVI.