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I previously posted about upgrading to Server 2019 here:

My plan was to go ahead and upgrade to V12 then spin up a Server 2019 box, attach my vmdk’s and restore my config. My issue is that V12 does not support the version of SQL Server I’m on 2008. So, here is my question: What is the best upgrade path?

Option 1

  • In place upgrade of SQL Server to 2012
  • In place upgrade to V12
  • Spin up new Veeam Backup Server with V12 and on Server 2019 and SQL 2019
  • Migrate database
  • Attach vmdk’s with backups
  • Restore config

Option 2

  • Skip the in place backups and spin up new Backup Server on 2019 and SQL 2019
  • Migrate database
  • attach vmdk’s
  • restore config from Veeam 11 backup

Or if you have a better upgrade path please let me know.

 

My advice:

  • Skip the in place backups and spin up new Backup Server on 2019 and SQL 2019 
  • attach vmdk’s
  • restore config from Veeam 11 backup

The config backup should have all the data that you need for your server to run again

Keep in mind that if importing the database is required, the compatibility level should be set to 100

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/sql/t-sql/statements/alter-database-transact-sql-compatibility-level?view=sql-server-ver15#differences-between-compatibility-levels

My advice:

  • Skip the in place backups and spin up new Backup Server on 2019 and SQL 2019 
  • attach vmdk’s
  • restore config from Veeam 11 backup

The config backup should have all the data that you need for your server to run again

Keep in mind that if importing the database is required, the compatibility level should be set to 100

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/sql/t-sql/statements/alter-database-transact-sql-compatibility-level?view=sql-server-ver15#differences-between-compatibility-levels

Yeah I would agree with option #2 as it would be a quicker way to move to v12 in that you will be on v11 on the new server after config restore then able to upgrade to v12 without any other changes.

I’m in agreement with the others here - option 2. That way you have a clean install to work from.

My advice:

  • Skip the in place backups and spin up new Backup Server on 2019 and SQL 2019 
  • attach vmdk’s
  • restore config from Veeam 11 backup

The config backup should have all the data that you need for your server to run again

Keep in mind that if importing the database is required, the compatibility level should be set to 100

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/sql/t-sql/statements/alter-database-transact-sql-compatibility-level?view=sql-server-ver15#differences-between-compatibility-levels

Yeah I would agree with option #2 as it would be a quicker way to move to v12 in that you will be on v11 on the new server after config restore then able to upgrade to v12 without any other changes.

I’m not sure I understand your statement. I planned to install V12 on the new server first. Are you saying to install the same Veeam version on the new server then upgrade?

My advice:

  • Skip the in place backups and spin up new Backup Server on 2019 and SQL 2019 
  • attach vmdk’s
  • restore config from Veeam 11 backup

The config backup should have all the data that you need for your server to run again

Keep in mind that if importing the database is required, the compatibility level should be set to 100

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/sql/t-sql/statements/alter-database-transact-sql-compatibility-level?view=sql-server-ver15#differences-between-compatibility-levels

Yeah I would agree with option #2 as it would be a quicker way to move to v12 in that you will be on v11 on the new server after config restore then able to upgrade to v12 without any other changes.

I’m not sure I understand your statement. I planned to install V12 on the new server first. Are you saying to install the same Veeam version on the new server then upgrade?

Yes, install v11 as you cannot restore a config backup from v11 to v12 database.  Once you get v11 running then upgrade to v12.

My advice:

  • Skip the in place backups and spin up new Backup Server on 2019 and SQL 2019 
  • attach vmdk’s
  • restore config from Veeam 11 backup

The config backup should have all the data that you need for your server to run again

Keep in mind that if importing the database is required, the compatibility level should be set to 100

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/sql/t-sql/statements/alter-database-transact-sql-compatibility-level?view=sql-server-ver15#differences-between-compatibility-levels

Yeah I would agree with option #2 as it would be a quicker way to move to v12 in that you will be on v11 on the new server after config restore then able to upgrade to v12 without any other changes.

I’m not sure I understand your statement. I planned to install V12 on the new server first. Are you saying to install the same Veeam version on the new server then upgrade?

Yes, install v11 as you cannot restore a config backup from v11 to v12 database.  Once you get v11 running then upgrade to v12.

Ahhh, glad I asked.

I’m not sure I understand your statement. I planned to install V12 on the new server first. Are you saying to install the same Veeam version on the new server then upgrade?

Yes, install v11 as you cannot restore a config backup from v11 to v12 database.  Once you get v11 running then upgrade to v12.

 

I wasn’t aware you couldn’t restore a v11 config to v12 as an upgrade?  Wondering the reasoning as you can do this from 9.5 u4 (and I’m assuming also v10) to v11a.  That was how I migrated a client that was running 9.5 u3 or something like that...upgraded them to u4, then imported the config database into a new 11a deployment.

I’m not sure I understand your statement. I planned to install V12 on the new server first. Are you saying to install the same Veeam version on the new server then upgrade?

Yes, install v11 as you cannot restore a config backup from v11 to v12 database.  Once you get v11 running then upgrade to v12.

 

I wasn’t aware you couldn’t restore a v11 config to v12 as an upgrade?  Wondering the reasoning as you can do this from 9.5 u4 (and I’m assuming also v10) to v11a.  That was how I migrated a client that was running 9.5 u3 or something like that...upgraded them to u4, then imported the config database into a new 11a deployment.

You can 🙂 it’s documented which versions are supported in the link below, but it’s only specific versions.

 

https://helpcenter.veeam.com/docs/backup/vsphere/restore_vbr_before_you_begin.html?ver=120

 

This is purely to ensure the database upgrade process works as intended as this is normally done automatically on patching up to v12, so Veeam just calls the same upgrade process again on the database to ensure it’s got all relevant views/stored procedures/columns again etc.

I’m not sure I understand your statement. I planned to install V12 on the new server first. Are you saying to install the same Veeam version on the new server then upgrade?

Yes, install v11 as you cannot restore a config backup from v11 to v12 database.  Once you get v11 running then upgrade to v12.

 

I wasn’t aware you couldn’t restore a v11 config to v12 as an upgrade?  Wondering the reasoning as you can do this from 9.5 u4 (and I’m assuming also v10) to v11a.  That was how I migrated a client that was running 9.5 u3 or something like that...upgraded them to u4, then imported the config database into a new 11a deployment.

You can 🙂 it’s documented which versions are supported in the link below, but it’s only specific versions.

 

https://helpcenter.veeam.com/docs/backup/vsphere/restore_vbr_before_you_begin.html?ver=120

 

This is purely to ensure the database upgrade process works as intended as this is normally done automatically on patching up to v12, so Veeam just calls the same upgrade process again on the database to ensure it’s got all relevant views/stored procedures/columns again etc.

Thanks for this….I was surprised to hear it wasn’t there, so I’m glad it indeed is.  I was just being lazy/overloaded with other tasks.

  • Check the version of the backup server. On the backup server running Veeam Backup & Replication 12, you can restore configuration backups created with the following product versions: 11a (build 11.0.1.1261), 11 (build 11.0.0.837), and 10a (build 10.0.1.4854).

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