SQL backup methods

[infopiotr]

**** Moved to new discussion from https://www-secure.symantec.com/connect/forums/backing-and-restore-ms-sql-database ****

Colleagues,

I'd like to ask about your experiences with backing up SQL DBs especially if there is possibility to mix two backup methods: 1) based on VMware snapshotting (VMware policy type) and 2) backup of transaction logs over LAN (SQL policy type).

I notice that for restore I cannot combine two types of images, for VMware type I can only make full restore without applying transaction logs.

Is it possible to combine these two types of images for restore or not?

[Konstantinos · Accepted solution]

Hi infopiotr,

when you backup a SQL Server with a VMWare type policy the only supported restore option is: Recovered.

That means that you cannot restore any transaction logs after that restore operation.

Having said that, there is no possibility to combine this type of backup with the traditional MSSQL method.

An option is to backup the server as a VM with VMWARE type policy and then backup the database (full backup) with MSSQL policy type and after that the logs.

hope that helped.

[infopiotr]

Thanks for your confirmation. I wanted to avoid two things:

1. Restoring the full DB using client and MSSQL policy due to data flow over LAN.

2. Backing up the whole VM using VMware type policy which gives me also full backup of my DB - over SAN

So sumarizing backup for SQL (full and transaction logs) needs to be based on MSSQL policy and use LAN connection

[Konstantinos]

Happy to help.

Let me/us know if you need anything more than that.