The Backup Exec Sharepoint Agent and Remote Blob Storage (RBLOB or RBS)

Problem

Does Backup Exec support backing up Sharepoint content databases where Remote Blob Storage has been implemented?

Cause

With Sharepoint 2010 through 2019 it is possible to store user/file data external to the Sharepoint content database where it would typically be stored.  In these cases, the location within the content database where the file data would normally reside is replaced by pointers to externally stored file data. This can be accomplished in a couple of ways: 

The first is with SQL FILESTREAM.  This is an option implemented in SQL server where BLOB data like files and documents are stored in the file system instead of inside the database.   The Backup Exec Sharepoint agent backs up this database and filestream data fully and all data is restorable at the database level.  Granular Restore Technology restores of this data are not possible because the Sharepoint agent can only restore granular content that is stored within the content database.

The second is called Remote Blob Store or RBS.  While SQL FILESTREAM can be considered a form of Remote BLOB Storage, RBS as included here refers to third party providers that perform external storage of BLOB data to dedicated storage locations.  Backup and restore of Sharepoint databases configured in this way is not supported with Backup Exec.

Solution

Workaround: For RBS enabled content databases, the internal Sharepoint 2010 or 2013 backup and restore utility should be used along with the supported RBS provider.  See https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ee748649.aspx  for more information.