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How to Change Where SQL Transaction Log Backups Are Temporarily Stored on SQL Server

KB ID: 2642
Product: Veeam Backup & Replication | 11 | 12 | 12.1
Veeam Service Provider Console | 6.0 | 7.0 | 8.0
Veeam Agent for Microsoft Windows | 5.0 | 6.0 | 6.1
Published: 2018-04-27
Last Modified: 2023-10-02
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Purpose

This article documents how to change the location where SQL transaction log backups are temporarily stored on a SQL server before being transferred to the repository.

This article is relevant to the following parent-job types where SQL Transaction Log Backup can be used as a child-job:

Solution

Expand the section below that matches the parent backup job type configured to control the SQL Transaction Log Backup.
VM-Level Backup with Veeam Backup & Replication
Behavior

During the first run of the SQL Transaction Log Backup, it evaluates the available free space of all volumes on the SQL machine where it is operating. The disk with the most free space is selected as the location where transaction log backup files will be temporarily stored before being copied to the repository. Once the software determines the drive and path it will utilize, it records this information in the registry value named SqlTempLogPath.

Modification

To manually configure the location, modify the SqlTempLogPath registry value on the SQL server that is being backed up.

Key Location: HKLM\SOFTWARE\Veeam\Veeam Backup and Replication
Value Name: SqlTempLogPath
Value Type: String Value (REG_SZ)
Value Data: < Path to the desired location, without a trailing backslash. >
 

Invalid Path Handling

As long as the original path remains valid, the software will not alter the path recorded in the registry. However, if the path recorded in the SqlTempLogPath registry value becomes invalid, the software will automatically select a new path, opting for the drive with the most free space. If this occurs, the SqlTempLogPath registry value will be updated.

Machine-Level Backup using Veeam Agent for Microsoft Windows (Standalone or Managed)
Behavior

SQL Transaction Log backup jobs whose parent job is a backup job operated by Veeam Agent for Microsoft Windows will default to temporarily storing the transaction log backups in the folder 'C:\ProgramData\Veeam\Endpoint\SqlLogBackup\'
 

Modification

The location where database backups are temporarily stored on the server before being shipped to the repository can be changed by creating and configuring the following registry value on the SQL server that is being backed up.

Key Location: HKLM\SOFTWARE\Veeam\Veeam EndPoint Backup
Value Name: SqlTempLogPath
Value Type: String Value (REG_SZ)
Value Data: < Path to the desired location, without a trailing backslash. >

Agent
Invalid Path Handling

If the path specified in the SqlTempLogPath registry value is invalid or becomes invalid (e.g., drive removal), the transaction log backup interval will fail and display the following warning:

Error occurred while performing SQL Server transaction log backup Details: Cannot create folder [<path>]. Invalid folder path: [<path>].

The failed intervals will culminate in the error:

Transaction logs from some databases were not backed up for the last X intervals
Cluster-Aware Backup using Veeam Agent for Microsoft Windows managed by Veeam Backup & Replication
Behavior

For Cluster mode backups using Veeam Agent for Microsoft Windows managed by Veeam Backup & Replication, the temporary SQL log backup folder selection depends on whether the registry key 'HKLM\SOFTWARE\Veeam\Veeam Backup and Replication' exists.

  • [Most common] If the registry key does not exist, the folder 'C:\ProgramData\Veeam\Backup\SqlLogBackup' will be used to temporarily store the SQL transaction log backups.
  • If the registry key exists, and the registry value SqlTempLogPath either does not exist within the key or has an invalid path, the software will detect the drive with the most free space and store the log backups there. The path it decides on will be stored within the SqlTempLogPath registry value and used moving forward.
     
Modification

To manually configure the location, create or update the SqlTempLogPath registry value on the SQL server that is being backed up.
Note: This is configured per node of the cluster.

Key Location: HKLM\SOFTWARE\Veeam\Veeam Backup and Replication
Value Name: SqlTempLogPath
Value Type: String Value (REG_SZ)
Value Data: < Path to the desired location, without a trailing backslash. >
 

Invalid Path Handling

If the path specified in the SqlTempLogPath registry value becomes invalid, the software will automatically select a new path from the drive with the most available space, and update the SqlTempLogPath registry value accordingly.

Note: If the SqlTempLogPathis is configured to use a cluster disk that becomes unavailable due to changes in cluster resource ownership, such as during a failover or a node reboot, the path can become invalid, causing the software to select a new path from the available disks.

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