Dell PowerProtect Data Manager Appliance 5.12.0.1 Microsoft SQL Server User Guide

Configure general backup settings

To configure Microsoft SQL Server backups with the Microsoft app agent for Application Direct SSMS plug-in, you must first specify general backup options on the Backup > General page.

1. Open the Microsoft app agent for Application Direct window to the Backup > General page.

   The General page appears as shown in the following figure.

   

2. Leave the SQL Server Host as-is. The instance is populated by default.
3. In the SQL Server Instance field, select the name of the Microsoft SQL Server instance that contains the databases that you want to back up.
4. In the Database Filter list, select one of the following options:
   • All Databases: Displays the regular databases and the Always On availability group databases of the selected Microsoft SQL Server instance in the database table, which is located below the Database Filter field.

     This option is selected by default.

     You can back up the Always On availability group databases as regular databases without considering the Always On availability group preferences.

   • Non AAG Databases: Displays only the regular databases of the selected Microsoft SQL Server instance in the database table.
   • A list of Always On availability groups if available: Selecting one of the Always On availability groups displays the corresponding databases in the database table.

     The Connections panel displays the name of the cluster that contains the Always On availability group and the backup preference that specifies the preferred replica to perform the backup. You can configure the replica preference of the Always On availability groups through the SSMS.

5. In the database table, select either all the databases by selecting the check box in the header row or only the individual databases that you want to back up.
6. In the Backup type list, select the type of the backup that you want to perform such as, Full, Transaction log, or Differential.
7. (Optional) To perform a copy-only backup, select Copy-only backup.

   Copy-only backups do not disturb the Microsoft SQL Server backup chain or affect backup-level promotion and log truncation. Copy-only backups are supported for level full or transaction log backups.

8. (Optional) To exclude databases from a Microsoft SQL Server instance-level backup, perform the following steps:
   1. Click the Excluded Databases button.
      The Exclude Databases window appears.
   2. Select each database that you want to exclude from the backup.
   3. Click OK.
      The databases that are selected for exclusion appear grayed out in the list of databases and the number of excluded databases is displayed.
9. In the Name field, type a name for the backup that you want to perform.

   After the backup completes, the save set names of the backed-up databases will be in the following format:

   <save_set_name>:<database>

   For example, you select the databases db1 and db2, specify test as the backup or save set name, and then perform the backup. After the backup completes, the save set names of the backed-up databases are test: db1 and test:db2.

   NOTE The number sign (#) character is not supported for save set names. If you use this character, backups fail.
10. In the Description field, type a description for the backup that you want to perform.
11. In the Expires after (days) field, select the number of days after which the backup must expire. The default value is 30.
12. Under Destination, to select the target Protection Storage server for the backup, perform the following steps:
    1. Click the PowerProtect Protection Storage System browse button.
       The PowerProtect DD System List & Lockbox Settings dialog box appears, as shown in the following figure.

       

    2. In the Lockbox Folder field, type the path to lockbox, and then click Refresh.
       The default path to the lockbox is C:\Program Files\DPSAPPS\common\lockbox.
       The PowerProtect Protection Storage Systems list is refreshed.
    3. In the PowerProtect Protection Storage Systems table, select the target Protection Storage server for the backup.
    4. (Optional) To add or remove Protection Storage servers from the PowerProtect Protection Storage Systems table, perform one of the following action sequences:
       • To add a server, perform the following steps:
         1. Click Add.

            The Add PowerProtect DD System details dialog box appears as shown in the following figure.

            

         2. In the PowerProtect Protection Storage System field, type the name of the server.
         3. In the Communication Protocol list, select either Ethernet or Fibre channel, the medium through which you want to back up the database to the server. Ethernet is selected by default.
         4. If you have selected Fibre channel from the Communication Protocol list, type the name of the Protection Storage server as the FC service name in the FC Service Name field.
         5. In the Username field, type the username of the DD Boost user.
         6. In the Password field, type the password of the DD Boost user.
         7. In the Storage Unit field, type the name of the target storage unit for the backup.

            DD Boost user credentials are verified before they are saved in the lockbox. Verification of the user credentials requires some time to complete.

       • To remove a Protection Storage server, select the server, and then click Remove.
       • To add a virtual server to either back up databases to Microsoft SQL Server clustered instances or restore databases from Microsoft SQL Server clustered instances, perform the following steps:
         • Select Edit LockBox Settings.
         • In the Enter Host Name field, type the FQDN of the virtual server.
         • Click OK.
       • To remove a virtual server, select the FQDN of the virtual server from the Select Host Name list, and then click Remove.

       The PersistedSettings.xml file in the lockbox folder contains the information about Protection Storage servers. Adding a server to a new lockbox creates the PersistedSettings.xml file. Adding a server to or removing a server from the lockbox updates the PersistedSettings.xml file.

13. To start the backup operation, click Run.