Azure backup - SAP on Microsoft Windows & SQL Server

[former_member598597]

Hi
We're looking at migrating a SAP system to Azure, running on a IaaS VM - MS Windows and SQL Server.

I understand that the Azure Backup for IaaS on Windows is 'app aware' for SQL Server and therefore you can take an app consistent snapshot. But there's no documentation suggesting that it is 'app aware' for SAP - so can you use it?

I suppose you could argue that SAP is just flat file executable plus a DB so the snapshot may be suitable. Would be nice to see something in writing confirming this though. The only SAP documentation for Azure backups I can find is around HANA and not SQL Server (we have reasons not to move to HANA).

I did find an AzureCats article about using BLOBS storage and backups utilizing that but I think that solution is over engineered / complex for this relatively small (2.2TB) and low usage system.

How are people backing up their SQL Server based SAP systems in Azure?
Thanks

Ross

[hrollizo]

Hi Ross,

check this URLs and SAP note:

https://launchpad.support.sap.com/#/notes/2367194

2367194 - Use of Azure Premium SSD Storage for SAP DBMS Instance

Goto https://launchpad.support.sap.com/#/mynotes?tab=Search and use the component BC-OP-LNX-AZR Linux on Microsoft Azure

http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=397965
https://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/blog/azure-backup-for-sql-server-on-azure-vm-public-preview/
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/backup/backup-azure-sql-database

Regards

[former_member598597]

Thanks Diego. I'm not sure how the OSS note referenced relates to my backup query but the 1st Microsoft document you provided is useful. It lists 3 backup methods specifically for SAP on SQL Server:

a. SQL Server 2012 CU4 and higher can natively backup databases to a URL.
b. SQL Server releases prior to SQL 2012 CU4 can use a redirection functionality to backup to a VHD and basically move the write stream towards an Azure Storage location that has been configured.
c. Conventional SQL Server backup to disk command onto a VHD disk device.

Although it doesn't provide much details of these/the mechanism used; i.e. is this snapshot based? What sort of RTO/RPOs can be achieved? I'm still a little unclear on whether snapshots can be taken or not.

The other 2 links only talk about SQL Server and not specifically SAP.

Regards

Ross