SIMs Database Fubared - Veeam/HyperV replicas

[Steve21]

Evening guys,

 

So today somehow people have managed to lose all FMS data before January Rather inconsiderate on a Friday evening!

 

Our main SIMs VM is currently the bust Database. We have a Veeam replica on our DR site that's got the best data on up to the point was deleted. Currently taken the SIMs server offline, and put up the Replica manually to check it's all good and it is.

 

Now my question is, Is there a way to tell Veeam to be aware of the fact I've manually started up a Replica, so I can do a proper automated fallback with all data intact? If not what's the best way of getting the good replica to overwrite the broken VM?

 

Unless I'm being blind (and I may be as haven't used Veeam at past places) there's no way to just ask it to overwrite the primary VM with the replica unless you've already initiated a failover? Which would in turn sync the live VM and break the Replica too... And obviously restoring a backup would lose all todays data totally as it's run overnight.

 

Thanks,

Steve

[Steve21]

Bumpy

 

Steve

[3s-gtech]

Is it possible to restore without involving the existing VM at all - i.e. restoring to a fresh VM? Would be leas risky if so.

[nwilkie]

So long as you are happy with the back up VM machine I would delete the broken VM on server a then set up replication from Server B to Server A once the replication is completed turn of server B and power on server A. Test the data if you are happy... Disable the replication from B-A then reset it to A-B...

[Steve21]

Is it possible to restore without involving the existing VM at all - i.e. restoring to a fresh VM? Would be leas risky if so.

 

We got the full backup from the night before, but obviously that means the entire days attendance/marks/finance etc going. The closest data to when it was all lost is the replica at midday thus that's the one that's turned on currently.

 

It's just making the replica the "Live" VM as such in the nicest way possible I guess. Seems like there's an obvious option within Veeam I'm missing but only seems to be able to failback from replica if it's turned on within Veeam.

 

Steve

[LukeC]

Iv not used veeam before but does this help...

Permanent Failover: Veeam Backup Guide for VMware

[Steve21]

Iv not used veeam before but does this help...

Permanent Failover: Veeam Backup Guide for VMware

 

Problem is you can't commit the failover because that needs it to have been failover in first place. Which would sync the broken VM with the replica before bringing the replica online This is why I'm lost

 

Thanks,

Steve

[Steve21]

So long as you are happy with the back up VM machine I would delete the broken VM on server a then set up replication from Server B to Server A once the replication is completed turn of server B and power on server A. Test the data if you are happy... Disable the replication from B-A then reset it to A-B...

 

Well the Bus Man is happy with the Replica copy as it's got all the data they want, I'm guessing though deleting the VM in that way would break all of Veeams backups etc as it's not the same copy.

 

I guess I could do that then just rerun backups to get a nice copy... That's an idea if there's isn't an option in Veeam I'm guessing

 

Thanks,

Steve

[Boredguy]

Thinking logically (and having not used Veeam), but have you not thought about taking a FMS database backup from the replica server, and assuming your Borked one can run in isolation, restore the database on it.

 

That would keep all your attendance data for the full day intact, and only loose the afternoons transactions (which your BM was happy with)

[3s-gtech]

That's a cracking idea. If you don't use it already, SQL Server's built in backup facility is pretty awesome - I used it to fix our broken FMS database a few months back. I stuck the backup file back into its original location (it's moved to a NAS during the backup process), then used SQL Server Management Studio to roll back to the backup. Quick, easy, and worked perfectly. Can't think of a downside to the above idea.

[Steve21]

Aye that does seem like a good option, as I'm guessing any new data put in since the replicas live will count in that backup too

 

Will have to have a play with that in morning I think!

 

Thanks guys,

Steve

[Boredguy]

See being a cheap skate school, we don't have fancy VM replicas so have to use the standard Capita backup methods

 

Just make sure that you search the forum for the sql command to make sure the FMS login details are backup and restored, otherwise worst case is resetting the users passwords in FMS (which if you only have a couple isn't that hard)

[matt40k]

Just be careful, FMS gets in a tiz if it's restored to a point after SIMS and you'll end up paying Capita £££ for a 1 liner bit of SQL to reset it. Make sure you take a SQL \ dbattach backup of them both at the same time and store it on your desktop.

 

Just make sure that you search the forum for the sql command to make sure the FMS login details are backup and restored, otherwise worst case is resetting the users passwords in FMS (which if you only have a couple isn't that hard)

 

Simple .exe - SIMS Transfer Logins - Home - Failing that, exec sims.db_p_transfer_login

 

Remember to run it for both SIMS and FMS.