Missing sql/exchange vmware disks from restore list

[aasviaselberg]

Hi.

I am using Backup exec 2010 R3.1

I am backing up several Win2k8 machines using vmware image backup option. They are setup in vSpherewith one SCSI (vmdk) as system drive, and another disk for data.

I do not get any error messages on any of the machines, but when i looked at the exchange server and SQLserver i notice the data disks (where the sql databases and exchange databases are stored), i notice the jobs are not backing up these disks, and i can not restore from them. They appear as VMDK files (correct) in the selection list, and i get no errors. It just seems like backup exec does not see the disks. In the job log for these jobs it looks like Backup exec does not even try to backup these disks.

Anyone have any suggestions?

[Sush---]

Are those Independent Disk or RAW disk??

Backup Exec does not backup or support backing Independent or RAWS disk as VStorage API can not take the snapshot of these disk.

Thanks,

-Sush...

[aasviaselberg]

They are normal logical SCSI disks attached through a Dell MD3200 SAN.

I do not have SQL or Exchange agent licence installed, will this cause backup exec to skip these drives completely?

[aasviaselberg]

Snapshots and disks works fine. These disks are configured the same as the disks that are working on other machines.

[sbora]

Do you have GRT option enabled in the backup job? Only if GRT is selected for backup, you can see the drives ( C drive, D drive etc..) in the restore selections under the server name.

[Sush---]

No. Not having SQL or Exchange backups will not cause any problem to backup the VMDK on which the data for SQL/Exchange is present.

How many VMDK files do you have for the Virtual machine and how many are you able to see in the restore?

Thanks,

-Sush...

[aasviaselberg]

I have now disabled GRT for these machines completely in the policy for the jobs. I see 2 VMDK files in the selection lists, for instance one 60GB file for OS and 300GB exchange, both get selected when i select to backup the entire VM.

Still, it does not backup the datadisk either on the SQL or Exchange machine. If you need any more info or screenshots, just ask :)

[sbora]

You need to have GRT enabled to see the disks in restore selections as drives. If you disable GRT you will only see the vmdk's in the restore selections.

Please upload the job log of the GRT backup of this virtual machine?

[aasviaselberg]

I attached the job log of the SQL server, also a screenshot from the selection list where you can see the drive it just skips

[aasviaselberg]

I noticed just now i can see that it does infact backup the VMDK file, when i browse the restore list under VMware virtualcenter and ESX servers. The drives still does not show up in the normal list though, and i would like to be able to restore files and folders from these drives.

[Sush---]

If you want to restore files and folders from those VMDK then you need to take the backups with File Folder GRT option enabled.

Also for restoring File and Folder GRT backup you willhave to look under the Server name (just like as if its a physical server) in the restore selection list and not under the VMWare Virtualcenter & ESX server tab as that will only show the VMDK files.

Thanks,

-Sush...

[sbora]

Job log you attached shows following:

Transport mode 'nbd' was used for the disk 'SQL1.vmdk'
Transport mode 'nbd' was used for the disk 'SQL1(1).vmdk'
Backup Exec has discovered and protected 'C:' on virtual machine '\\DGTSQL1.DGT.local'.
Backup Exec has discovered and protected 'Volume{3dad7fb6-438e-11e0-9b2b-806e6f6e6963}' on virtual machine '\\DGTSQL1.DGT.local'.

Which means it backed up both VMDK's and GRT for C drive also completed successfully. In the restore selections browse the "DGTSQL1" server and it will show you C drive which you can expand and select individual files and folders for restore.

Also this VM is running SQL instance and if you want to perform Application GRT of SQL instance then you need to add SQL agent license in backup exec.

[aasviaselberg]

I have checked the settings, and i have enabled all GRT options in the Policy for the jobs, see the screenshot. I can do a GRT restore from the C drive, but still, for only these 2 machines, the Exchange disk and SQL disks do not appear in the restore window. The other disks appears on all other servers in the domain.

[sbora]

Can you be more specific on what you mean by Exchange disk and SQL disk?

You mean Exchange/SQL database or the volume (like C drive,  D drive)?

For Exchange/SQL databases to appear in the restore selections you need to have Exchange/SQL agent added in Backup Exec. The backup job log of SQL  virtual machine backup you attached shows that you have not added SQL agent license in Backup Exec.

[aasviaselberg]

Sorry, yes i mean the volumes, D: (exchange server) and E: (sql server) volumes to be more specific.

I do not try to restore Exchange/SQL databases, but i want to make sure i can restore files from these drives that does not appear. I know i need the licence for GRT restores of SQL/Exchange.

Thanks for all the help so far guys.

[Colin_Weaver]

Are these missing volumes GPT or MBR?

[aasviaselberg]

The missing volumes are GPT.

[pkh · Accepted solution]

BE does not support GPT disks for GRT restores of applications.  See this document

http://www.symantec.com/docs/TECH173651

[aasviaselberg]

Ok. I have verified that the issue only appears on these GPT disks. The other servers are using MBR disks.

So i guess i will have to change to MBR to get them to show up in the restore list then. Thanks.

[Colin_Weaver]

or possibly do RAWS backups until Backup Exec 2012 is released and then upgrade. Note at this current time GPT support is intended to be part of BE 2012, but this might be subject to change.