PowerProtect Data Manager 19.11 Microsoft SQL Server User Guide

The following list describes the optional parameters that you can use with the ddbmsqlsv command:

-N <backup_set_name>

Specifies a name for the backup.

-b <backup_set_description>

Specifies a description for the backup.

-S <number_of_stripes>

Specifies to perform a striped backup using the number of stripes that you specify. If you specify a value greater than a maximum limit of 32, the value defaults to 32.

-a "SKIP_SIMPLE_DATABASE={TRUE | FALSE}"

Specifies whether to ignore backing up SIMPLE recovery model databases. Use this option if you select the SIMPLE recovery model databases for backup, and specify Transaction log as the backup type. The SIMPLE recovery model databases do not support transaction log backups.

The default value is FALSE.

-a "NSR_SKIP_NON_BACKUPABLE_STATE_DB={TRUE | FALSE}"

Specifies whether to check the status of the selected databases and ignore the databases that are unready or unavailable for the backup.

If the status of the databases is ONLINE, the databases are ready or available for backups.

If the status of the databases is OFFLINE, EMERGENCY (SINGLE_USER Mode), SUSPECT, RESTORING, RECOVERING, or RECOVERY_PENDING, the databases are not ready or available for backups.

The default value is TRUE.

-q

Displays ddbmsqlsv messages in the quiet mode, that is, the option displays summary information and error messages only.

-v

Displays ddbmsqlsv messages in the verbose mode, that is, the option provides detailed information about the progress of the backup operation.

-G

Specifies to perform a NO_LOG transaction log backup before backing up the database.

-R

Uses the NO_TRUNCATE option when backing up transaction logs.

-T

Performs a TRUNCATE_ONLY transaction log backup before backing up the database.

-k

Specifies to perform a checksum before backing up the data to the device.

-u

Specifies to perform a checksum before the backup but to proceed with the backup operation even in the case of errors.

-y +<integer>{d | w | m | y}

Specifies the period of time after which the backup must expire. For example:

-y +20d

NOTE A retention setting in PowerProtect Data Manager overrides a retention setting specified by the -y option.

You can specify any positive integer, followed by one of the following units of time:

• d for day
• w for week
• m for month
• y for year

The maximum possible retention date is 2/7/2106.

If you omit this option or specify 0, the default value of 30 days is used.

-h "<databases_to_omit>"

Specifies databases to omit from the backup. You can use this option to specify exact database names or use wildcard characters.

Two wildcard characters are supported:

• Question mark (?): Matches any single character
• Asterisk (*): Matches zero to unlimited characters

  When you use wildcard characters you must enclose the database name in square brackets, for example, [“DB?”].

  For example, consider the following scenarios:

• To exclude only DB_1 and DB_2 from the backup, add -h “DB_1” -h “DB_2” to the backup command.
• To exclude all databases named with the format of DB_x, such as DB_9 and DB_a, add -h [DB_?”] to the backup command.
• To exclude all databases with names ending in DB, add -h [“*DB”] to the backup command.

-O {BUFFERCOUNT | READ_WRITE_FILEGROUPS}

Specifies advanced backup options.

You can specify the following advanced backup options:

• BUFFERCOUNT=<number_of_IO_buffers>: Specifies the total number of IO buffers that can be used during a backup operation.
• READ_WRITE_FILEGROUPS: Specifies to back up only the read/write (active) filegroups within the database.

If you are specifying multiple options, separate each argument with a comma. The syntax is as follows:

-O "Option1, Option2, Option3" 

-D <debug_level_1_through_9>

Generates detailed logs that you can use to troubleshoot backup issues. The default value is 0 (zero).

-a "DELETE_DEBUG_LOG_DAYS=<days>"

Specifies to delete debug log files that are older than the specified number of days. The valid range is between 1 and 32767. By default, debug logs are not deleted. Regularly deleting debug logs prevents the log folder on the installation drive from becoming too large.

This parameter only deletes debug logs named in the default format and located in the logs folder at <installation_path>\MSAPPAGENT\logs.

-a "NSR_COPY_ONLY={TRUE | FALSE}"

Performs a copy-only backup from a Microsoft SQL Server. The copy-only backups do not disturb the Microsoft SQL Server backup chain and do not affect backup-level promotion and log truncation. The default value is FALSE.

This option applies only if you specify either full or incr as the backup type with the -l parameter.

Copy-only transaction log backups are generally required only to perform online restores.

-a "NSR_ENABLE_FC={TRUE | FALSE}"

Enables or disables backing up the databases to the DD server through Fibre Channel. The default value is FALSE.

-a "NSR_FC_HOSTNAME=<fibre_channel_server>

Specifies the hostname of the Fibre Channel. Use this option with the -a "NSR_ENABLE_FC=TRUE" parameter.

-a "NSR_INCLUDE_AAG_DATABASE=None”

Specifies to omit Always On availability group databases from an instance-level backup operation.

-a "NSR_DFA_SI_DD_LOCKBOX_PATH=<full_path_to_lockbox>"

Specifies the folder that contains the lockbox file, which contains encrypted information about the registered hosts and the corresponding usernames in pairs. Each pair is associated with a password that backups use.

If you do not specify a value, the path defaults to lockbox path in the default installation path, which is C:\Program Files\DPSAPPS\common\lockbox.

-a "SKIP_SYSTEM_DATABASE={TRUE | FALSE}"

Specifies whether to skip the system databases during instance-level transaction log backups. The default value is FALSE.

-a "BACKUP_PROMOTION={ALL | NONE | NONE_WITH_WARNINGS | SKIP_RECOVERY_MODEL | SKIP_RECOVERY_MODEL_WITH_WARNINGS}"

Specifies backup promotion options. The following values are valid:

• ALL (Default): Enables backup promotion to occur in any applicable scenario.
• NONE: Disables all backup promotion.
• NONE_WITH_WARNINGS: Disables backup promotion, but logs a warning when backup promotion would normally occur.
• SKIP_RECOVERY_MODEL: Disables database recovery model change detection. Backup promotion as a result of recovery model change will not occur, but backup promotion in other scenarios will still occur.
• SKIP_RECOVERY_MODEL_WITH_WARNINGS: Enables database recovery model change detection, but if a recover model change is discovered, logs a warning instead of promoting the backup. Backup promotion in other scenarios will still occur.

The setting specified with this option applies to every database in the Microsoft SQL Server instance when this setting is specified along with a Microsoft SQL Server instance-level backup path.

Similarly, the setting specified with this option applies only to specified databases when this setting is specified with a database level backup path.