IntelliSnap - FAQ - SQL Server Agent

What are the advantages of using IntelliSnap backups for SQL Server Agent?

• Backup large databases (in terabytes and petabytes) within a few minutes.

• Consistent backups by quiescing the database for a few seconds.

• Multiple point-in- time snapshots enable you to recover the database to any specific point-in-time.

• Fast recovery using application aware revert operation.

• Take snapshots simultaneously on multiple databases using snap optimization.

• Open or mount the database snapshots on other clients without actual restore.

• Perform multistream restore operations from snapshots.

What provisioning policies can I use?

Provisioning Policies are optional to use. During the creation of the secondary snapshot copy, the following Provisioning Policies are automatically created and available for selection in the CommCell Console:

• SnapProtect_RAID-DP

• SnapProtect_Dedupe

• SnapProtect_Mirror_Destination

If you need to create your own provisioning policy, ensure it is defined with the following naming convention in the OCUM server:

SnapProtect_<provisioning_policy_name>

where "SnapProtect_" is the prefix required for the provisioning policy to be available in the IntelliSnap software.

What happens when a Vault or Mirror copy is created?

During an Auxiliary Copy job, a new dataset is created or an existing dataset is modified with new data members, as explained in the following flow of events:

1. When the IntelliSnap software assigns data to the service catalogue, a new baseline transfer may have started in the OnCommand Unified Manager (OCUM) server.

2. The Auxiliary Copy job details display its status as the baseline transfer is in progress.

3. Once the baseline transfer is completed, the IntelliSnap software adds the snaps to the backup list, and the backup starts with the OCUM.

4. If SnapMirror is the destination copy, then the IntelliSnap software sends a command to update the mirror.

   The OCUM job is monitored and marked as completed/failed depending on the OCUM job status.

How are snapshots copied during a backup copy operation?

The snapshots are copied to media in a sequential order. If you wish to perform an inline backup copy operation and a previously selected snapshot has not been copied to media, the current IntelliSnap backup job will complete without creating the backup copy and you will need to create an offline backup copy for the current backup.

What should I take into account when using retention by Number of Jobs?

Configure a storage policy or snapshot copy with job based retention for File System and File System like Agents, and not for Database Agents.

Review the following scenarios if you are using the retention by number of jobs configuration:

• During a browse operation, deleted files may be displayed for recovery. If the jobs containing these files are pruned by the retention criteria, the deleted files will be irrecoverable.

• You may need to manually delete jobs from deconfigured clients. These clients will continue to retain the old jobs since new jobs will not run again on them.

• When you associate a new storage policy to a subclient, it is important to perform a full backup operation in order to be retained by the new storage policy. The old storage policy will continue to retain the old jobs until you manually delete them.

What UTF setting should be used for Volume Language?

To successfully browse and restore files on a NetApp file server that contain Unicode characters, use the UTF-8 setting for volume language. Please consult with NetApp for implications of changing volume language.

How is the OnCommand Unified Manager Server affected when a snap copy is deleted?

If you delete a snapshot copy, the following components in the OnCommand Unified Manager server will be affected:

• The storage services associated to the snapshot copy will be deleted.

• Datasets associated with the deleted storage service will be deleted.

  Secondary volumes/datasets are not deleted as they are stored in case you need to perform a restore operation from a deleted dataset. Secondary datasets can be removed manually, if needed.

• Any relationship associated with a dataset will be deleted within a configurable period of time defined in the OnCommand Unified Manager server.

• Base snapshot copies remain available.

Is multi-instancing supported?

No. Multi Instancing is not supported for IntelliSnap backup.

Can I use Media Explorer to restore data?

No. You cannot use Media Explorer to restore data. However, you can use the Media Explorer to restore IntelliSnap backup data from the backup copy.

How does Commvault select target devices during clone or snap operations?

When you configure a storage device using Array Management in the CommCell Console, the Device Group text box defines the target device group where Commvault will move the source and target devices during IntelliSnap backup operations. This option does not specify the source device group (from where a device should be found during Snap/Clone operations).

The following table explains the default behavior for selecting a Snap or Clone target device:

Are there any considerations when restoring databases backed up by snap or VSS?

• For restore of databases backed up with VSS, databases can be moved to a new location on the server and can be renamed. However, data files cannot be renamed.

• To restore any system database that was previously backed up using snap or VSS, the SQL server services have to be stopped and restarted in single user mode.

• If the database is installed on the system drive, non-system databases will need to be manually brought back online after the restore.

While cloning, what happens if a database with the same name already exists on the server?

If cloning is being performed in-place and database selected for cloning is not renamed, then this database will be skipped from cloning to ensure production database is not overwritten.

However, if cloning is being performed to a different destination instance, and database with the same name exists, then the database on the destination instance will be detached and cloned database will be attached to the SQL server.

Are there any considerations for an SQL database backup?

• Transactional Log backups always use the traditional backup method.

• The SQL Writer does not support the following:

  • Log Backups

  • File and filegroup backup

  • Page Restore

Does Commvault support Global Managed Service Accounts (gMSA) with the SQL Server agent?

Yes. To use gMSA accounts with the SQL Server agent, you must install SQL Server 2014 or a more recent version.

For instructions, see Using Group Managed Service Accounts for the SQL Server Agent.

Can I perform a hardware revert from the snapshots for the SQL Server Agent?

Yes. Commvault recommends always to perform the hardware revert operation using the Use hardware revert capability if available option in the Advanced Restore Options (General) dialog box. When you revert directly from the list of snapshots, you are required to restart the SQL server application.

For more information on supported configurations for revert operation, see Revert for Storage Arrays.