Backing up MSSQL system dBs using Veeam 12.0 cannot be found

Hi, is this Veeam agent, VM backup or the MSSQL plugin?

I don’t use the plugin because it causes more work than what it’s worth.

Hi, so are you using the agent or VM based backup?

Backing up SQL using the Veeam Backup & Replication Console.

I will assume this is a virtual machine that you’re protecting by a hypervisor as you’ve not said anything about deploying the Veeam agent which is what I was asking. Unless you’ve explicitly excluded the database or drive that the database is on (or it’s on a volume that Veeam can’t access such as an RDM if it’s a virtual backup) it will be backed up. Where are you noticing it’s missing? Within the Veeam explorer or actually restoring the whole server?

If I recall correctly system databases don’t appear within Veeam explorer, I haven’t tested but I can’t see why you wouldn’t be able to use the add standalone database option to navigate it however… would have to test next time I’m on my lab.

Just found this which confirms my thoughts: https://forums.veeam.com/veeam-backup-replication-f2/where-are-master-model-msdb-in-sql-item-restore-t25970.html

True that if you restore the whole VM the files would be there, restoring a VM I guess is a way since there isn’t any other. That post is from Jan 29, 2015 4:42 pm and I did see it (not sure what version of Veeam that would be). 

I was hoping that Veeam would have added system dBs to be able to get backed up. The difference could be minutes vs hours to get what is needed.

Thanks

Hi, but the databases are backed up, they’re in the full VM backup, they’re accessible via file-level recovery, and I’d have to test but I don’t see any technical reason why you couldn’t add them to the Veeam explorer as a standalone database for restorations via that tool.

The Veeam explorer is just a GUI recovery tool for exploring the sql elements of the backup, nothing more.

Why not use SQL Server itself to backup up your databases to a drive or file server, then back up that drive.  This allows you to create jobs for User and System DBs separately.

The other option is VM backup - Microsoft SQL Server | Veeam Backup & Replication Best Practice Guide

We are using 

• Backup of selected databases on SQL Server using Veeam Plug-in for Microsoft SQL Server

Having all the system dBs done with SQL agent jobs going to a separate data store and then backing it up defeats the purpose of using Veeam to do SQL backups in that case (IMO). 

There isn’t a good solution to this and it doesn’t look like Veeam will have it squared away anytime soon. If by chance a system dB needs to be restored then the end user will have to be ok with wating.

Thanks for the info

Was only suggesting an alternative if the Veeam route was not working at least having SQL file backups you can recover.

Hi, this contradicts what you said earlier.

You can backup system DBs with the plugin as per the screenshot in this link:

https://helpcenter.veeam.com/docs/backup/plugins/backup_job_scope.html?ver=120