Category: Backup

Migrating Veeam SQL Database to a new SQL Server

Veeam Backup and Replication Configuration Database Settings come with the Veeam.Backup.DBConfig.exe utility that allows you to manage connection settings for Veeam Backup & Replication and/or Veeam Backup Enterprise Manager configuration database.

Using this utility, you can:
1. Connect to a different database on the same or another Microsoft SQL Server instance. If you specify a database that does not exist yet, it will be created on the selected server.
2. Change the authentication method for the database connection. Possible methods are Microsoft Windows authentication and Microsoft SQL server authentication.

Steps in a nutshell:
Run or backup Veeam from the console, dismount the database from the MS SQL 2012,

install SQL 2016 mount the DB, use dbconfig and point Veeam to the new instance. Here are the steps needed to migrate your Veeam SQL Databank to a new server.

Prerequisite:
– Pull a backup or take a snapshot of the VM.
– Microsoft SQL Server 2016

Steps
1. Ensure automatic backup jobs and copy jobs are disabled (not mandatory but recommended)
2. Ensure the Veeam Backup Service is disabled.
3. Also, ensure the Veeam Broker Service is disabled

This step is needed in order to mitigate data loss. The screenshot below shows stopped services

4. Open the Configuration Backup Settings and perform a manual backup of the Database and ensure it is placed in a safe place.
Note:

  • Here, a new SQL Instance is setup (Db restored etc).
  • A service account is also created in AD to support windows Authentication when changing the connection to this new Db and also granting logon access to the Veeam services

5. Change the database configuration settings

To associate Veeam with the restored database, please use the DBConfig Utility “Veeam Backup and Replication Configuration Database Settings) to change to the new DB.

Please refer to this user guide page on using the DBConfig Utility: https://helpcenter.veeam.com/docs/backup/hyperv/using_dbconfig_utility.html?ver=95

This can be reached from the
A. Start menu
B. Veeam
C. Configuration Database Settings.
D. From Cortana

Note: This step depends on the operating system used. Follow your OS steps and locate “configuration Database Settings”

OR You can launch the Veeam.Backup.DBConfig.exe utility from the Start menu by clicking the Configuration Database Connection Settings.

OR Alternatively, you can use the Veeam.Backup.DBConfig.exe file located in the installation folder of Veeam Backup & Replication (by default, %PROGRAMFILES%VeeamBackup, and ReplicationBackup.)

6. Select “Veeam Backup and Replication” and click “Next”

Select Windows Authentication and enter the service account user created in AD and click on Next.

  • This will apply the settings and try to restart all previously stopped services.

Note: You can help out here by manually starting all services and if possible grant the Service account to log on right to the services. (Otherwise, the Veeam backup and Replication Configuration Database Connection settings will not be able to start the Services if this right is needed for it to work).

  • Also start the Veeam Cloud Connect Service (Note, even when this is not manually stopped, it will be automatically stopped and if logon rights have to be granted, do this manually and have it started).

SEP sesam Hybrid Backup and Disaster Recovery Solution

Here is a brief description of SEP sesam and steps I took to implement my first backup with this solution some months ago.

SEP sesam supports heterogeneous computing environment and provides “Present Task Type”.
Note: SEP sesam changed the naming from Backup Type —-> Task Type.

Backup data on save set is preserved according to the retention time defined. Data can be migrated, deduplicated and replicated in order to provide fast and reliable restore.

Note: Standard backup does not prepare for Disaster Recovery. This recovery requires special preparation and configuration with SEP sesam disaster recovery solutions.

  1. Bare Metal Recovery Linux
  2. Bare Metal Recovery Windows and
  3. SEP sesam self recovery

SEP sesam introduces a powerful scheduling called SEPuler. And this constantly checks for backup, restore and predefined tasks to be executed. When such a task is found, SEPuler initiates the execution of such tasks.

To aviod task cconflicts and efficiently manage tasks in execution queue, SEP sesam uses event priorities.

Backup Server
Setting up a backup environment

  1. Decide on the Server (VM) to backup
  2. Install the necessary SEP backup components on them (i.e., on the VM to be backup.
  3. Ensure you have the required permission on the system to be backup.

Note: The grouping of clients and storage devices is referred to as a Location. By default, this is set to local.

You can group similar OS’ (devices) by using locations or by using different geographical locaton) etc.

You can also have different locations in this faction below.

Here, new locations can be created to have your servers grouped together eg, Linux servers.

How to Configure Clients.

The image below is the faction in which new clients are created and added to SEP sesam.

Note: The database has to be configured previously.
After creating a data store, you will need to create a new media pool.

Client Side configuration: Setup and configure SEP client on each Server (VM) to be backup.

Here is the link to where this client can be downloaded. https://download.sep.de/
Here you can download for windows clients etc.

Note: When installing the agent, you will have to install or enter the SEP sesam server name. During this installation, some firewall ports will be opened automatically on the server.

Ensure you have a working DNS name resolution correctly setup for the client and backup server itself.

Here are some vital links as i could not cover the topic in details.