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Using ADBO for MSSQL in a MS Hyper-V VMs

Jeffrey_Ong
Level 3
Partner Accredited

Hi all,

I have a customer which has purchase ADBO license to perform offhost backup their Hyper-V VMs (I don't know which solution architect propose this!) which is unsupported by the ADBO agent. As far as i know ADBO offhost backup only supports backing up NTFS, SQL and MS Exchange agent. So now with offhost backup of Hyper-V VMs is out of the question, can the ADBO license be used to perform offhost backup of the MSSQL database which is within the Hyper-V VMs? FYI, the VMs are created in a Dell Equalogic storage array.

A brief explanation of the architecture:

1 Backup Exec Server with ADBO license, Hyper-V agent, MSSQL agent

2 Hyper-V host with HA cluster

1 Equalogic storage as a shared storage between Hyper-V host and Backup Exec server conected using iSCSI

Thanks in advance!

6 REPLIES 6

pkh
Moderator
Moderator
   VIP    Certified

No. Off-host backup cannot be used for SQL databases.  It can only be used for files.  Quoting from the Admin Guide

 

Supported resources include common file system objects, such as volumes, drives,
and folders. Do not include database resources or other unique resources in the
selection list.

Jeffrey_Ong
Level 3
Partner Accredited

Hi pkh,

I think that applies to synthetic backups not offhost backups. for offhost backups quote from admin guide as well:

Offhost backup supports the following:
■ Microsoft Volume Shadow Copy Service (VSS).
■ Veritas Storage Foundation for Windows (VSFW)

■ Backups for NTFS volumes that use the full, incremental, and differential backup methods.
■ SQL Agent backups for Microsoft SQL Server 2000 databases.
■ Exchange Agent backups for Microsoft Exchange Server 2003 (Service Pack 1)/ 2007 instances that run on Windows Server 2003. Support for the option to use Backup Exec Granular Recovery Technology for Exchange Agent backups is included

 

Regards,

Jeffrey

pkh
Moderator
Moderator
   VIP    Certified

Sorry.  I got the two mixed up.

You should be able to offhost backup of the SQL databases within the VM's.  Once you load the RAWS in the VM, they can be treated like physical machines.

You got to check the HCL to make sure that the Equalogic device is capable of doing offhost backups.

Jeffrey_Ong
Level 3
Partner Accredited

Hi,

Currently only both the hyper-v host and the Backup Exec server has a connection to the Equallogic storage. Do i need to have a connection on the MSSQL VM to the Equallogic storage although the VM is actually sitting in the Equallogic? I am confused how the snapshot will be taken and transfered to the Backup Exec server to perform offhost backups. If i read correctly from the link below, the VM and Backup Exec server should share the same disk??

http://www.symantec.com/business/support/index?page=content&id=TECH48516

The media server and the remote computer:

Must have the ability to access the disks that are shared between the media server and the remote computer.

pkh
Moderator
Moderator
   VIP    Certified

 the VM and Backup Exec server should share the same disk??

Yes.  This is correct.  You should treat the VM as a physical machine and leave the host out of the picture. However, since it is a VM and passthru is involved, it may still not work.

Heems
Level 2

I have the same exact set up.  Here is how i understand it - with ADBO you don't even need the the SQL Agent option (and perhaps many other options) from BackupExec.  The Host Integration Kit / Snapshot manager that EqualLogic provides is SQL/Exchange aware.  Here is the sequence of what happens:

1. Media server tells the backup exec remote windows agent running on VM to initiate a snaphot using hardware (EqualLogic) VSS.

2. The EqualLogic VSS creates a consistent snapshot of SQL server database(s).  You can see this in the event log of the server, where MSSQL will log that it's actually performing a backup (via I/O pause). At this point the snapshot volume on the Equallogic contains a consitent database file. I.e the mdf and ldf files can be transported anywhere and mounted in a SQL server.

3. The Media Server then connects (via iSCSI) directly to the EqualLogic snaphot volume, brings it online, mounts it (as a disk) and simply copies the files to target media. It then deletes the snaphot volume itself. Note that you don't even use advance open file since the snaphot volume/disk is not even used by any other machines.

For restore you simply grab the mdf/ldf files for your database and transport to your SQL server for mount/attach.

This same process works for Exchange as well.  In one fell swoop, you don't need to pay for OpenFile, SQL or Exchange options in Backup Exec....