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Vmware server with SQL - Restore inspiration

ApK
Byte
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Hi all.

 

I need help or inspiration.

 

Scenario is as follows:

  • I have a Windows Vmware server with SQL with the databases and system databases spread out on different disks/mountpoints.
  • I do a Vmware snapshot backup of the system drive (C:\) and filter out the data disks (all other drives)
  • I do a SQL backup via agent

 

I need to do a Disaster recovery test restore of the server, which means, restore the server so that it is working again.

 

I do the following to restore the server:

  • Restore the Vmware server (Only C:\ drive is available)
  • Adds new disks/mountpoints in vmware

Now I have a server with the restored SQL installation and the empty drives. Only problem is that the SQL server is deprecated. When trying to do a SQL system database restore from Commvault, I would get the message, that the SQL server is not running, which is correct, as it cannot start without the system databases.   

 

Then as I understands it I have two options:

 

And after one of the above solutions hopefully have worked I need to do the last thing before I can actually restore my databases:

 

Would this really be the easiest way to recover a Vmware SQL server, where I’m not doing a full vmware backup of all drives?

 

Do any of you do it differently or have any suggestions/inspirations to do it easier, better or faster?

 

Thanks

-Anders

 

Best answer by Jos Meijer

Hi @ApK 

What I would do is have the VM configured with following volume layout:

C (OS/Binaries)
D (SQL System DB's)
E (SQL User DB's)
F: (SQL logs)

Backup the VM with C and D.
Create a script on C or D which can re-create the folder structure needed for (E drive) SQL User SB's and (F drive) Logs.

In case of a recovery you have your basic SQL needs when restoring the VM.
Create new E and F, create SQL DB/LOG folder structure on the File System with earlier created script.
Restore the SQL User DB’s.

Other wise you could indeed perform with rebuild methods.

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3 replies

Jos Meijer
Commvault Certified Expert
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  • Jos MeijerCommvault Certified Expert
  • Commvault Certified Expert
  • 638 replies
  • Answer
  • August 31, 2022

Hi @ApK 

What I would do is have the VM configured with following volume layout:

C (OS/Binaries)
D (SQL System DB's)
E (SQL User DB's)
F: (SQL logs)

Backup the VM with C and D.
Create a script on C or D which can re-create the folder structure needed for (E drive) SQL User SB's and (F drive) Logs.

In case of a recovery you have your basic SQL needs when restoring the VM.
Create new E and F, create SQL DB/LOG folder structure on the File System with earlier created script.
Restore the SQL User DB’s.

Other wise you could indeed perform with rebuild methods.

ApK
Byte
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  • ApK
  • Author
  • Byte
  • 33 replies
  • September 1, 2022

Hi @Jos Meijer

Thanks for your suggestions, which are really good suggestions.

My only problem is that I have 600+ SQL servers running that I need to protect, and most of them are configured differently, so I hoped that there was a easier way to handle the restore of a Vmware SQL server :-)

A Vmware filter that would only filter out databases, would be a dream ;-)

 

Do you have any experience with application aware backup/restore, as I have not yet been looking into that option.

 

Thanks

-Anders

Mike Struening
Vaulter
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@ApK not sure if this applies directly to your use case, but you can exclude certain apps from App Aware backups:

https://documentation.commvault.com/2022e/expert/14271_excluding_applications_from_application_aware_backups.html

https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-struening

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