Backing up the SQL server database used by vCenter using Image Level backup

[TheVMinator]

Suppose the SQL server used by vCenter Server is on a VM, and  I use an image level backup tool to backup the virtual machine that SQL server is running in.  Is it also necessary to backup SQL server database separately from the image level backup?  If my image level backup software can provide application level consistency, can I rely on that alone or do I need to backup the database from within the guest OS as a separate process?

[SG1234]

I would guess as long as you can restore from the image just fine - it is valid

[jdptechnc]

It depends.  From the perspective of needing to recover the entire VM, an image level back that is application consistent is fine.  Windows VSS will kick in and quiesce the database, and you will be good when it comes time to restore.

I think if you are also looking to protect yourself from database corruption, outside the scope of the vCenter services and OS, then letting SQL Server back up its own database on a schedule is a pretty good idea as well.  Restoring from a SQL backup is quicker and less intrusive then having to restore an entire image.  If you go this route (assuming you are using Simple recovery model, as VMWare recommends for the vCenter database), I would schedule the SQL level backup as a "Copy" backup rather than using Full/Incremental Backups.  Your image level backups are going to be likely going to be recorded in SQL's backup history, and if you're doing full/incremental image backups, and then do a full/imcremental backup directly from SQL, you're going to confuse your SQL backup history and maybe cause an issue.

[TheVMinator]

Great thanks for input.