Norman Secure Backup SQL Backup Training Guide Author: Arne Stieghorst Layout: Eva Langballe
Table of contents Understanding the SQL Backup options with Norman Secure Backup... 3 Creating an SQL Retention Rule... 5 Creating an SQL schedule... 8 SQL backup with VSS-Aware of Simple Recovery Mode databases... 10 SQL Backup with traditional SQL Backup of Full Recovery Model databases (Log File Backup and Truncation of Log Files)... 16 Copyright Norman Safeground 1990-2013 2/22
Understanding the SQL Backup options with Norman Secure Backup Norman Secure Backup provides the following types of direct SQL backup: Traditional SQL Backup SQL Backup via VSS-aware (for Full Recovery Model databases) (for Simple Recovery Model databases only) The Traditional SQL Backup is for Full Recovery Model databases, while the SQL Backup via VSSaware is for Simple Recovery Model databases only. This is why it is important to know your database s Recovery Model when performing an SQL Backup. You can run the following SQL query against an SQL instance. The query render a list of databases and their Recovery Model. For databases in Full Recovery Model, it is better to use a traditional SQL backup set. Example Script SELECT name AS [Database Name], recovery_model_desc AS [Recovery Model] FROM sys.databases GO Source: http://blog.sqlauthority.com/2009/07/16/sql-server-four-different-ways-to-findrecovery-model-for-database/ The benefit of using a VSS-Aware backup is that SQL and also MS Exchange are actively aware of VSS snapshots and will be in a crash-consistent state for snapshots. The backup will stream the data directly from the database file, thus no extra disk space is required for the database dumping. It also allows you to restore directly to the SQL. In most cases you should use VSS backup. Note that the VSS-Aware backup does NOT truncate the log files. VSS-aware SQL backup configurations can only perform backups when the Full or Full Plus Differential options are selected. When using a VSS-aware backup set (SQL) there is no way to control log truncation. The Full Dump: options Always and Plus Differential truncate the backup logs only when the protected database s configuration is Simple Recovery Model. They will not truncate the logs from a database which configuration is Full Recovery Model. When you back up a Full Recovery Model database using the Traditional SQL Server backup, the result differs depending on the database backup policy configuration for the backup set: 1. Full Dump: Always When this option is selected, a full backup of the database is performed if you enable Backup Transaction Log. The DS-Client will backup logs and the database (so that the two files are saved online/local save). The logs will be truncated after a successful backup. If you disable Backup Transaction Log only the database file will be backed up. The logs are not backed up or truncated. 2. Full Dump: Plus Differential When this option is selected, a full backup is performed during the first backup (as described in the previous step), and then the differential backup is performed. See below for options and results: If you enable Backup Transaction Log, the DS-Client will backup logs and the database (so that two files are saved online/local save). The logs will also be truncated after a successful backup. See Image 1. Copyright Norman Safeground 1990-2013 3/22
If you disable Backup Transaction Log, only the database file will be backed up. The logs are not backed up or truncated. 3. Full Dump: Plus Incremental When this option is selected, a logged backup of the database is performed after the first full backup. See Image 2. See below for options and results: If you enable Backup Transaction Log, the DS-Client actually ignores both during the initial full backup and subsequent incremental backups. Therefore, the logs will NOT be backed up or truncated under a full or incremental backup, but they will be truncated after each successful incremental backup. The behavior is a direct result from the way that the SQL Server handles Full Recovery Model databases. The DS-Client does nothing special, it just issues backup commands (backup database or log backup). If you disable Backup Transaction Log, it is only the database file that is backed up during the full backup, and the logs, that will not be backed up or truncated. Only logs will be backed up and truncated during the subsequent incremental backups. Image 1 (traditional SQL Backup set) Image 2 (traditional SQL Backup set) Copyright Norman Safeground 1990-2013 4/22
Creating an SQL Retention Rule Click 'Retention' and 'New Retention Rule' to create a new retention rule. Select 'Time-based on-line retention', keep the default settings, and click 'Next'. Click 'Add' to define the different time retentions. Copyright Norman Safeground 1990-2013 5/22
We recommend the following four-way alternate retentions. Copyright Norman Safeground 1990-2013 6/22
Your on-line retention should look like the retention on the following screenshot. Click 'Next'. For ease of identification, choose the same name as for the retention plan, for example Exchange Online Retention, and click 'Finish'. Copyright Norman Safeground 1990-2013 7/22
Creating an SQL schedule Select 'Schedule' and 'New Schedule' from the DS-User dialog menu bar. Choose a name for your backup schedule, for example 'Exchange backup daily'. Select how often the backup should run, for example 'Daily'. Select a start time and deselect 'Ending at', since the backup will stop automatically when it is uploaded. Example configuration In addition to the schedule it is required that you create an 'Enforce Retention' schedule. Click 'New' in the schedule dialog to create a second job. Copyright Norman Safeground 1990-2013 8/22
Configure the second schedule as displayed on the following Schedule screenshot. Click 'OK' to confirm the new schedule. 'Enforce retention' is required to apply the retention rules to your backups. Copyright Norman Safeground 1990-2013 9/22
SQL backup with VSS-Aware of Simple Recovery Mode databases Click the New backup set wizard icon: Select a new backup set (VSS-Aware Backup Set) and click 'Next'. Select Microsoft SQL Server and click 'Next'. Copyright Norman Safeground 1990-2013 10/22
Select an SQL server or the server path and click 'Next'. Enter the domain Administrator username, password and domain name, and click OK. In addition it is important that the selected user has system administrator rights on the SQL database. Copyright Norman Safeground 1990-2013 11/22
Select one or more SQL Instances and click 'Add'. When the sources that you want are added, click 'Next'. Select Backup Permissions and click 'Next'. Copyright Norman Safeground 1990-2013 12/22
We recommend that you make a complete dump of the database and select the option 'Always' instead of 'Plus Incremental'. Thus, keep the default settings and click 'Next'. Keep the default settings and click 'Next'. Copyright Norman Safeground 1990-2013 13/22
The customer and/or the partner will receive reports from the Daily Admin. Click 'Next'. Select the retention rule that you created earlier on and click 'Next'. Copyright Norman Safeground 1990-2013 14/22
Select the SQL Schedule you created and click 'Next'. Choose a name for the backup set and click 'Finish'. Copyright Norman Safeground 1990-2013 15/22
SQL Backup with traditional SQL Backup of Full Recovery Model databases (Log File Backup and Truncation of Log Files) Create a backup set, select Microsoft SQL Server and click Next. This is the traditional SQL backup. This type of backup set will truncate log files that the VSS-Aware backup does not truncate. Select a source from the network list or enter a server name. Click Next. Copyright Norman Safeground 1990-2013 16/22
Enter a domain administrator username, password and domain name, and click OK. It is required that the selected user has system administrator rights to the SQL database. Select DS-Client Pipe and click Next. Copyright Norman Safeground 1990-2013 17/22
Select all of the Full Recovery Model databases and click 'Next'. Press the 'SHIFT' key (on the keyboard) to select more databases. Copyright Norman Safeground 1990-2013 18/22
Select Backup Transaction Log and click Next. Keep the default settings and click Next. Copyright Norman Safeground 1990-2013 19/22
Keep the default settings and click Next. The customer and/or partner will receive reports from the Daily Admin. Click 'Next'. Copyright Norman Safeground 1990-2013 20/22
Select a retention rule or create a new one. Click Next. Select a schedule or create a new one. Click Next. Copyright Norman Safeground 1990-2013 21/22
Choose a name for the backup set and click Finish. Copyright Norman Safeground 1990-2013 22/22