VMware vSphere backup with GRT and SQL

[Bisti]

I`m trying to combine virtual machine GRT backup on VMware vSphere 5.5 with traditional agent backup of MS SQL Server (Windows 2008 R2). Every time VM backup brakes incremental chain of MS SQL agent backup. I know I am not the first one with this problem but I haven't managed to find a solution in other topics.

First thing i did, I disabled SQL VSS writer from VMware Tools (VMware KB 1031200). Then I removed VMware VSS driver and deselected SQL GRT option from VM backup job configuration. Still incremental agent backup brakes when VM snapshot backup kicks in.

While I was looking for a solution on the forums i stumbled upon Symantec VSS. I check and there is no Symantec VSS on my system (vssadmin list providers). Is this is how it supposed to be?

Anyone any ideas? Is it possible to combine this two kinds of backup?

[VJware]

It is possible to combine these 2 types of backups if one needs to truncate the transaction logs of SQL.

Here is an example of a schedule.

Sun - Full backup using the VMware agent

Mon - Full backup using the SQL agent

Tue to Fri - Incr backup using the SQL agent

The idea is the VMware agent should not interrupt the complete chain of the Full/Incr backups of the SQL agent.

[Bisti]

So there is no way to stop VM snapshot backup from truncating the logs? Why is it still truncating the SQL logs when I specifically disabled SQL VSS writer from VMware Tools? Or is it Backup Exec doing? Do I need to install Symantec VSS or not?

Thanks VJware for the idea but I cannot go with your solution as we are doing hourly incremental backups of SQL and all those 23 backups that are between Sun and Mon will fail. I know I could set up SQL full backup right after VMware but backup windows are too tight to do this.

[VJware · Accepted solution]

You could try editing the quiescing file per this KB - http://www.symantec.com/business/support/index?page=content&id=HOWTO74082

Although, I have not used it personally for SQL backups and I would not recommend setting the VMware agent backup between the SQL agent incremental (after editing the script as mentioned above) unless one has tested every types of restores to confirm there isn't any issue.

[Bisti]

But what if I don`t have Symantec VSS installed? Should I install it? Why haven’t the agent installation include this component?

[VJware]

Installing the RAWS inside the VM will install the Symantec VSS provider as well. And it is recommended to have the Symantec VSS Provider (BeVssProvider) especially when using File/Folder and/or Application GRT.

BeVssProvider shows up when running the vssadmin list providers ONLY during the backup. Check services.msc as well for a listing of Backup Exec VSS Provider.

[Bisti]

Thanks VJware, that explains a lot.

[Bisti]

One more thing - If i disable log truncation on Symantec VSS provider, will my normal, agent type backups truncate logs correctly? Isn`t it also using Symantec VSS?

[VJware]

These scripts are not called by the regular agent backups.

[Colin_Weaver]

Watch out for the enhancements in BE 2014 with regards to log backups inside VMs

[Bisti]

I sure will. Thanks for the tip.

I have just implemented what VJware suggested and all works fine now. One drawback is that backup size have increased a lot as I am unable do exclude databases from VM snapshot backup.