In today’s enterprise environments, ensuring high availability and disaster recovery for critical databases is paramount. In this guide, we shall discuss “how to Install SQL Server Always On & Configure Veeam Plug‑in for SQL”. Microsoft SQL Server’s Always On Availability Groups offer a robust solution for maintaining database uptime, providing automatic failover, and ensuring data redundancy across multiple nodes. Please, see Update Veeam Backup for Proxmox Plugin to support PVE 9.0, andhow to Uninstall Microsoft SQL Server 2025 from Windows.
However, the effectiveness of Always On relies heavily on correct configuration, ongoing monitoring, and rigorous validation. Misconfigurations or overlooked recovery procedures can lead to significant downtime and data loss, underscoring the need for a disciplined approach.
This document, “Anatomy of Veeam Plug-in for Microsoft SQL Server ‘Always On” provides a comprehensive guide to implementing and managing SQL Server Always On clusters with Veeam. Veeam’s integration enables reliable backups and streamlined restores of Always On databases, ensuring that critical systems remain recoverable in any scenario.
Properly configuring Always On, combined with scheduled backups and thorough restore testing, is not optional, it is essential. It guarantees that your databases are not only highly available but also consistently restorable, preserving business continuity and protecting against unforeseen failures.
Through this guide, readers will gain the knowledge required to deploy, maintain, and validate a resilient SQL Server Always On environment with Veeam, bridging high availability with disaster recovery in a seamless workflow.
Also, see how to Migrate Veeam One Database from SQL Server 2017 to 2025, how to Set up Veeam Backup for Microsoft Azure, and how to Install all Editions of Microsoft SQL Server 2025.
Veeam Plug-in for Microsoft SQL Server
How Veeam Plug-in for Microsoft SQL Server Works. Please, see this link for more information.
Parallel Database Processing
Supported Backup Repositories. Please, take a look at this link.
- Windows Server
- Linux Server
- CIFS (SMB) Share
- NFS File Share
- Dell Data Domain with Data Domain Boost (DDBoost)
- HPE StoreOnce
- Quantum DXi
- ExaGrid
Make sure the repository is configured as described in the ExaGrid section in the Veeam Backup & Replication User Guide.
- Hardened Repository
- Installing Veeam Plug-in for Microsoft SQL Server
Mount Iso Veeam and Install Veeam Plugin for SQL
D:\Plugins\Microsoft SQL\x64
Veeam Plugin for Microsoft SQL installation
Accept license agreement
Specify the data location and install
Installation in progress
Installation completed as shown below.
Access and Encryption Settings on Backup Repositories
To do this, follow the steps below
Create dedicated User
Permit the following group(s) as shown below.
Granting Permissions to Users
Run the command below to add the local administrator privilege
As you can see, the command completed successfully.
Create a new access control list (ACL) with Read and Write permissions using this set of commands:
$newACL = New-Object System.Security.AccessControl.FileSecurity #creates a dedicated ACL $newACL.SetAccessRuleProtection($true,$false) #disables inheritance and deletes all inherited permissions $newACL.AddAccessRule( (New-Object System.Security.AccessControl.FileSystemAccessRule("SQL-Plugin","Read","Allow"))) # allows read $newACL.AddAccessRule( (New-Object System.Security.AccessControl.FileSystemAccessRule("SQL-Plugin","Write","Allow")))# allows write
Assign ownership of the new ACL to the previously created user group by running the following command:
$newACL.SetOwner([System.Security.Principal.NTAccount]"SQL-Plugin") #sets owner for the ACL
Prima di lanciare questo comando è necessario configurare il Veeam Plug-in MS SQL per la creazione del file veeam_config.xml
set-acl -Path:%PROGRAMFILES%\Veeam\Plugins\Microsoft SQL\veeam_config.xml -AclObject:$newACL #apply ACL to the plug-in configuration fileset-acl -Path:"C:\Program Files\Veeam\Plugins\Microsoft SQL" -AclObject:$newACL #apply ACL to the plug-in configuration file
Configuring Veeam Plug-in for Microsoft SQL Server
In this section, we shall configuring Veeam Plug-in for Microsoft SQL Server to support for Always On Availability Groups
You can take a look at this link for more information. Here is a fantastic guide on “[AZURE] Security Service Edge (SSE) and Microsoft Entra ID“.
Launch the %PROGRAMFILES%\Veeam\Plugins\Microsoft SQL\Veeam.Backup.MSSQLPlugin.UI.Configuration.exe file.
Enter the following information as it applies to you.
Select the backup repository
Set ACL
To do this, locate the Veeam_Config.xml file as shown below
It is now possible to set ACLs with the command
Specifying the Version of Microsoft ODBC Driver for SQL Server
Download and Install ODBC driver 18
Please, use this link to download ODBC driver 18 & install if you need it
Proceed with the installation as shown below.
Accept Terms and Condition
Select features and click Next
Click Install to proceed
Click Finish to complete the ODBC Driver installation.
Specifying the Version of Microsoft ODBC Driver for SQL Server
Add the following parameter to the <PluginParameters /> line in the Veeam configuration XML file:
C:\Program Files\Veeam\Plugins\Microsoft SQL\veeam_config.xml
Please, see How to migrate Active Directory Domain & Forest with Veeam Replica, Hardening Active Directory – GPO MSCT 1.0 CIS Benchmark – Poicy Analyser, and how to Add a Delete Lock on Azure Resources.
Support for Always On Availability Groups
Copy the executable to both Always On nodes. Install and configure Veeam Plug-in for Microsoft SQL Server on each node of the cluster that runs Always On Availability Groups
Follow the steps below to install the Veeam Plugin for Microsoft SQL Server
Accept license
Click on install as shown below.
The installation of the Veeam Plugin for Microsoft SQL has completed.
Configuring Veeam Plug-in for Microsoft SQL Server
Follow the steps to configure Veeam Plug-in for Microsoft SQL Server to support for Always On Availability Groups
Launch the %PROGRAMFILES%\Veeam\Plugins\Microsoft SQL\Veeam.Backup.MSSQLPlugin.UI.Configuration.exe file.
Select the repo as shown below
Configure backup settings in Veeam Plug-in on each node and save backup settings as SQL Agent jobs in Microsoft SQL Server Management Studio
Configuring Backup Settings
To do this, please follow the link for more information and the steps we have provided below.
Or lunch SQL Server Management Studio 19 from primary node Always On
In Microsoft SQL Server Management Studio on each node, configure the same schedule settings for SQL Agent jobs so that database backup will start at the same time on each node.
Create a SQL Agent job and do not forget to save as an SQL agent job
Create a Secondary Backup Job
Do the same on the secondary node as shown below.
Monitor Backup Process
Schedule job agent
Create backup jon for Logs
Configure schedules as shown below
Primary Node Log
Secondary node Log there is no backup log as it is skipped.
Managing Backup Job in Veeam Backup & Replication
Please, take a look at this link discussing the steps in Managing Backup Job in Veeam Backup & Replication.
Generating Backup Job Reports & Disabling Backup Job & Disabling Backup Job. If you wish to disable backup jobs. Please, see this link.
Deleting Backup
Press and hold the [CTRL] key, right-click the backup and select Remove from configuration &“Repair”
Repairing Backup
Please, take a look at this link for more information.
Performing Restore
Restore of Always On Availability Groups
To restore a database that operates as part of an Always On availability group, complete the following steps:
- Restore the database on the primary replica. During the restore process, Veeam Plug-in will remove the original database from the availability group and delete it from Microsoft SQL Server.
- Perform log backup for the restored database.
- Remove the original database from the secondary replica.
- Add the restored database to the availability group.
Select the below option
Click on OK
From the timestamp, you can see that the DB has been successfully restored.
Primary node check the DB was dropped from the Alwayson instance
Go to the secondary node and drop the DB
Run the below SQL Statement
Re-insert the rewritten DB via the Alwayson wizard
Click on “Connect”
Select “Automatic Seeding”.
Click Next on the validation window
Click on Finish on the summary window
On the result window, click on Close.
I hope you found this guide on how to Install SQL Server Always On & Configure Veeam Plug‑in for SQL very useful. Please, feel free to leave a comment below.
