SharePoint Client backups

[jacksors]

I'm beginning to setup NBU to backup SharePoint databases.

It looks like what it backs up mostly is database content. So for the clients in the policy, should you only put in the database servers? Or should you put in both the database server and web front ends? or only the web front ends?

If anyone has experiencing with defining which clients to backup up and could provide some guidance, I would appreciate it.

[Abesama]

The NetBackup 6.5 for Sharepoint manual pdf, on page 33, says

The NetBackup client software must be installed on each front-end Web server
and SQL database host, Index database host and the server with the backward
compatible Document Library Store. The client software does not need to be
installed on the Search or Job servers.

So to me it sounds like you have to backup both frontend and backend, yes.

Abe

[ISyed]

NetBackup Configuration for Sharepoint 2007


1. On each node of your SharePoint farm (including SQL), verify that you have Netbackup installed. If any other versions are installed, a version mismatch error will occur.
2. The netbackup client service on each node of the farm (including sql) must be updated to run under a domain account. The domain account needs to be the same for each node.
3. The domain account needs the following application level rights:
-SharePoint Farm Administrator
-SysAdmin role within SQL
4. The domain account needs the following local rights on all nodes (including sql):
-Local Administrator
-Replace a process level token (found under local security policy)
-Debug programs (found under local security policy)
5. Verify that .net 3.0 sp1 or higher is installed on all nodes.
6. Your backup policy should use this directive "Microsoft SharePoint Resources:\"
7.The only client in the policy should be the front end server from the farm.
8. In the "host properties" section of your admin/java console, you will need to select the host properties of each node in the farm. Go to the SharePoint section (if it says, 2003, don't worry, this applies to 2007 as well) in the host properties for each node.
You will need to enter the domain account and password that's being used for the netbackup client service


For Sharepoint 2007 document level backups, I would advise downloading the 6.5.3 SharePoint guide:

http://support.veritas.com/docs/317980

You will need to create a separate policy with the document level backup checked.
The doc level policy only supports full backups (no incrementals) and must be backed up to a disk storage unit.
The backup selection should be: Microsoft SharePoint Resources:\Windows SharePoint Services Web Application\

Cheers,

[Deepak_W]

@ISyed
Nice info, straight and clear...

@jacksors
it is a best practice to keep different policy for DB and file level.

you can group your standard clients to make logical segmentation.

for eg - you can keep some windows servers in same policy if they have same selection list (file level BKP only)

[jacksors]

Yeah, I read that document.

What confused me about it, is that in the backup selection list, you don't specify files/drives you specify database content to be backed up. So if I specified to backup the configuration database and on my client tab choose to list my SQL server and my two web front ends (non-index servers), would it backup the configuration database 3 times?

Because the web front ends don't store any information, its all stored on the SQL server. So whats the best way to configure the clients in the policy. Only the SQL server? or all of the clients?

Thanks.

[Deepak_W]

Jacksors,
DB agent config is not that straight-forward as file level backup.

for eg. - if you want to take ORACLE DB backup first of all you will need to decide whether it will be hot backup or cold backup. second you will need to create backup script accordingly. third you hace to create policy specifying type as oracle and add the path of the hot/cold backup script path (on the client) in the selection list.

so what does NBU do with that script?? basically NBU triggers that script and it run on the client machine to take the db hot/cold backup accrodingly.

So in short you cannot configure DB policy as you were configuring for file level backup. THERE IS DIFFERENT PROCEDURE FOR THAT.

refer to the concerned admin guides for further details on configuring db agents.

below link will take you to the documentation of the NBU 6.5.3

http://seer.entsupport.symantec.com/docs/290282.htm

NOTE - THERE IS NOT ANY UPDATE FOR DB AGENTS IN 6.5.3. THAT MEANS YOU WILL HAVE TO USE 6.5.2 PATCH FOR DB AGENTS.

[Deepak_W]

as a best practice always configure DB policies per host. dont mix different hosts in single policy.