Download Best Practices for protecting Microsoft SQL Server

CA RECOVERY MANAGEMENT R12.5 BEST PRACTICE
CA ARCserve® and CA XOsoft™ r12.5
Best Practices for protecting
Microsoft SQL Server
Overview
Benefits
The CA Advantage
The CA ARCserve Backup
Support and Engineering
teams provide the
following tips and
recommendations for you
to effectively use the CA
ARCserve Backup r12.5
Agent for Microsoft SQL
Server (SQL Agent).
The benefit of our
products is the key
solution to a building
block of expedient,
efficient data recovery
and business continuity
plans. From the basics of
building secure backups
to establishing and
executing disaster
recovery plans,
procedures and
processes, CA provides
you with advanced
technology integrated
into a superior solution.
CA ARCserve Backup and
XOsoft products provide
backup and restore and
protection against any kind
of data corruption to your
business applications,
servers, databases or file
systems in the case when
disaster strikes. For
example, in the event of a
hurricane, a blackout, or
far more likely, a virus
attack or software or user
error, your ability to
respond well to the crisis
can make the difference
between a bright future
and the end of your
business.
For more information
about the SQL Agent, see
the CA ARCserve Backup
for Windows r12.5 Agent
for Microsoft SQL Server
Guide.
Disaster recovery planning
(DRP) is not just about
insurance, it is about
maintaining your
competitive edge. CA’s
products are designed to
give you that edge.
CA ARCserve Backup for Microsoft SQL Server
System Requirements for the Agent for Microsoft SQL Server
The CA ARCserve Backup SQL Agent requires one of the following versions of Microsoft SQL
Server:

Microsoft SQL Server 7.0 with SP2, SP3 or SP4

Microsoft SQL Server 2000 with SP4

Microsoft SQL Server 2005 with SP1 or SP2

Microsoft SQL Server 2008
MICROSOFT SQL SERVER 2005 SUPPORT
The SQL Agent supports Microsoft SQL Server 2005 SP1 and SP2 on the following operating
systems:

Windows 2003 SP2 or Windows 2003 R2

Windows Server 2008
MICROSOFT SQL SERVER 7.0 SUPPORT
The SQL Agent supports Microsoft SQL Server 7.0 SP2, SP3 or SP4, on the following
operating system:

Microsoft Windows 2000 SP4
MICROSOFT SQL SERVER 2000 SUPPORT
The SQL Agent supports Microsoft SQL Server 2000, SP3, SP3a and SP4 on the following
operating systems:

Windows 2000 SP4

Windows 2003 SP2 or Windows 2003 R2
MICROSOFT SQL SERVER 2008 SUPPORT
The SQL Agent supports Microsoft SQL Server 2008 on the following operating systems:

Windows 2003 SP2 or Windows 2003 R2

Windows Server 2008
SUPPORT FOR 64-BIT SYSTEMS
The SQL Agent supports Microsoft SQL on the following 64-bit editions of Windows:

Microsoft SQL 2000 64-bit Edition for IA64 on Windows 2003

Microsoft SQL 2000 for x86 on Windows 2003 SP2 or Windows 2003 R2 x64

Microsoft SQL 2005 for IA64 and x64 on Windows 2003 SP2 or Windows 2003 R2

Microsoft SQL 2005 SP2 64-bit Edition on Windows Server 2008 x64

Microsoft SQL 2005 SP2 IA64 Edition on Windows Server 2008 IA64

Microsoft SQL 2008 x64 Edition on Windows 2003 SP2 or R2 x64
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
Microsoft SQL 2008 x64 Edition on Windows Server 2008 for x64

Microsoft SQL 2008 IA64 Edition on Windows 2003 SP2 or Windows 2003 R2 IA64
MICROSOFT SQL SERVER DESKTOP ENGINE (MSDE) 2000 SUPPORT
The SQL Agent supports MSDE 2000, SP3, SP3a and SP4 on the following operating
systems:

Windows 2000 SP4

Windows Server 2003
Installation Considerations for the SQL Agent
The following best practices will help in installing the SQL Agent:

If you are installing the Agent with Microsoft SQL Server 2000, the Agent for Microsoft
SQL Server requires Microsoft SQL Server 2000 with SP3, SP3a or SP4.

Windows Small Business Server 2003 Standard Edition does not include Microsoft SQL
Server 2000. However, you can install Microsoft SQL Server 2000 separately, but you
must install SP3, SP3a or SP4.
Notes:
–
Windows Small Business Server 2003 Premium Edition includes Microsoft SQL
Server 2000, SP3.
–
Windows Small Business Server 2008 Standard Edition does not include Microsoft
SQL Server 2008. However, you can install Microsoft SQL Server 2008 separately.
–
Windows Small Business Server 2008 Premium Edition includes Microsoft SQL
Server 2008.

In cluster environments, you may receive a Lost Connection error while installing the
SQL Agent. This occurs in primary and standalone installations when you select the
cluster SQL as the CA ARCserve Backup database. To avoid this error, copy the SQL
Agent package to each cluster node and run setup manually.

To protect SQL Server instances in a cluster-aware environment, you must manually
install the SQL Agent on all of the nodes in the cluster-aware environment.

When installing the SQL Agent for the CA ARCserve Backup database on other nodes in
a cluster-aware environment, you must run SQLAgentRmtInst.exe and DBAConfig.exe
after installation to input the correct cluster node name and password so that the Setup
process can create ODBC communication.

After you upgrade from ARCserve Backup r11.5 SP3 to CA ARCserve Backup r12.5 on a
64-bit operating system in a cluster-aware environment, you must run DBAConfig.exe
located in the CA ARCserve Backup Agent for Microsoft SQL installation directory to
configure the SQL Server instances that you want to protect.

When you select Windows Authentication for SQL Server, CA ARCserve Backup does not
require security information to back up the SQL Server.

Installing 32-bit components on a 64-bit machine generates two copies of the file
PortsConfig.cfg on the machine. The PortsConfig.cfg file for the 64-bit components is in
c:\Program Files\CA\SharedComponents\CA ARCserve Backup, and the PortsConfig.cfg
file for the 32-bit components is in c:\Program Files (x86)\CA\SharedComponents\CA
ARCserve Backup. If you make changes to one, you must make the same changes to
the other or the components may not be able to contact one another.

The Agent is always installed in the version native to your computer's hardware.
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
Some MSDE-based applications do not provide a System Administrator account. The
application vendor may provide a backup user with only Backup Operator rights. These
MSDE instances must be backed up using Named Pipes. If you are not certain whether
your MSDE instance has this restriction, contact your application vendor.
Note: If an MSDE Application vendor does not provide either a System Administrator
or backup operator account, you may need to use the Volume Shadow Copy Service
support in the CA ARCserve Backup Agent for Open Files.

For ODBC communication, CA recommends the default TCP/IP protocol. Named Pipes
makes ODBC fail.

Installing two or more versions of SQL Server concurrently on the same machine may
create multiple versions of the SQLVDI.DLL file, which causes conflicts resulting in
database backup job failures. To resolve any SQLVDI.DLL conflicts, ensure all instances
of SQL Server are at the latest Service Pack, security patch or Hotfix level. You may
also restart the failed SQL Server instance to reload a new SQLVDI.DLL file, or reboot
the machine.
Using CA ARCserve Backup Agent for SQL Server
BACKUP AND RESTORE CONCEPTS
Performing a backup or restore can slow the system down. For better performance, as well
as to minimize impact on applications using the database, run backups or restores when
the database is not being heavily updated.
The SQL Agent supports only “Restore by Tree” and “Restore by Session” for Microsoft SQL
Server databases.
ARCHITECTURE
Note: If you are using a clustered instance of Microsoft SQL Server to house your ARCserve
Database, you will need to use the stand-alone installer to install the Agent for ARCserve
Database on the nodes of the cluster where the instance is not active when CA ARCserve
Backup is installed.
However, if you are installing a clustered CA ARCserve Database Primary Server using the
Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Express Edition option for your ARCserve Database, this will not
be necessary. The agent will be automatically installed on each node along with CA
ARCserve Backup before the ARCserve Primary Server is configured for Clustered operation.
ONLINE BACKUP OF SAP R/3 DATABASES
You cannot perform offline backups of SAP R/3 databases in Microsoft SQL Server using the
Agent for Microsoft SQL Server.
Backup and Restore Parameters for the SQL Agent
To improve the performance or throughput of the SQL Agent during for a backup\restore
operation, use the Instance Setting tab to make changes for:
Number of Stripes
Determines the number of CPUs used to perform backups. Set this value to match the
number of CPUs in the database server for the fastest backup performance.
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Number of Buffers
The total number of VDI buffers (of maximum transfer size) used to back up and restore.
Note that this number cannot be less than the number of stripes.
Data Block Size (in bytes)
All data transfer sizes are multiples of this value. Values must be a power of 2 between 512
bytes and 64 KB inclusive.
Maximum transfer size
The maximum input or output request issued by Microsoft SQL Server to the device. This is
the data portion of the buffer. This parameter value must be a multiple of 64 KB. The range
is from 64 KB to 4 MB.
Maximum VDI Wait Time - Backup (ms)
The time, in milliseconds, a Virtual Device object waits for a response from Microsoft SQL
Server during a backup operation. This setting is also used by the agent when waiting for
parallel operations to synchronize or background operations to complete, including during
some parts of restore operations.
Maximum VDI Wait Time - Restore (ms)
The time, in milliseconds, a Virtual Device object waits for a response from Microsoft SQL
Server during a restore. Increase this time if the database to be restored contains very
large data files.
Named Pipes Configuration
Specify the Maximum Connection Wait Time (ms) time, in milliseconds; the SQL Agent
should wait to close a named pipe if a remote connection fails.
Restore Post-Processing Wait
Polling Period (seconds)
The amount of time to wait between checks of the database status.
Maximum Wait Timeout (minutes)
The total amount of time to wait before abandoning the waiting process. If this
timeout elapses and the job contains additional Transaction Log sessions to be
restored, then those additional sessions may fail to restore because SQL Server is
not yet ready.
Note: Start with the default settings and then select one parameter at a time for changes.
Refer to the Microsoft SQL Server documentation for complete information on configuring
SQL Server databases for optimal protection.
Files and FileGroups
With SQL Server 2005 and later, a Database Differential or Partial Differential backup is
dependent on any intervening Full backups, including Files-and-FileGroups Full and Partial
Full backups. The Automatic Selection feature cannot detect this condition. If you mix Filesand-FileGroups backups with Database Differential and Partial Differential backups in SQL
Server 2005, you may need to assemble the restore sequences manually.
You cannot perform Database or Partial restores from a Files-and-FileGroups backup. Only a
Files-and-FileGroups restore can be performed from a Files-and-FileGroups backup.
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FILESTREAM Data
Large FILESTREAM collections may take significant amounts of time to estimate, causing
property list generation to be slow.
System Databases
The three main system databases (master, msdb, and model) are exempt from the Global
or Rotation Job backup method. Selecting this option for these databases always results in
a Full backup.
Differential Backups
After you have modified the structure or configuration of the database (for example, by
adding more data or log files or changing the recovery model), you must perform a full
database backup before performing a differential or Transaction log backup.
Transaction Logs
Transaction logs are not backed up during full or differential database backups. You must
back them up by running separate Transaction log backups or using the Backup Transaction
Log After Database option. Transaction logs are only truncated as part of a Transaction Log
backup. If they are not backed up and truncated, they may grow until the disk is full. If this
happens, you must perform a Transaction Log backup With Truncation, and then shrink the
Transaction Log files to reclaim disk space. In SQL 2005 and later, multiple log backups
with Truncation may be needed before log files can be significantly shrunk.
Databases which use the Simple Recovery Model do not permit or require Transaction Log
backups. Microsoft SQL Server manages the maintenance of the Transaction Logs for these
databases automatically.
Transaction Logs
By default, Microsoft SQL Server 2005 will not allow a restore to be attempted if a database
is online and is using the Full or Bulk-Logged Recovery Models. To restore these databases,
you must either take the database offline by performing a Transaction Log backup with the
Log Tail option so that no transactions are lost, or restore with the Overwrite Existing
Database and Files (“WITH REPLACE”) option. The only exception to this is an Online Torn
Page Repair restore.
Note: If a restore is attempted when you are accessing a database, Microsoft SQL Server
will not allow the restore operation.
If a restore job is cancelled, the database may be left in a loading state and will be
unusable until the restore sequence is completed. If the session that was being restored
when the job was cancelled is not the first session in the restore sequence, you may have
to start the restore sequence over from the beginning.
Disaster Recovery
The CA ARCserve Backup Disaster Recovery Option will include the Microsoft SQL Server
Disaster Recovery Elements sessions when performing a Disaster Recovery restore. If you
use the Disaster Recovery Option to restore the computer that houses the ARCserve
Database, you should restore the three system databases first after the Recover Database
operation is finished. For more information, see the CA ARCserve Backup r12.5
Administration Guide.
If you attempt to restore SQL Server Disaster Recovery Elements to their original location
while the database is online, the restore will fail because Microsoft SQL Server is using the
existing files. After restoring Disaster Recovery Elements, you should immediately restore
the master database, the msdb database if it is offline, and the model database, from the
regular online backups.
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Microsoft SQL Server Disaster Recovery Elements are specific to the instance that they were
backed up from. If you use them for a different instance, that instance may not start, or
may behave incorrectly after starting.
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Using CA XOsoft r12.5
How can I test verify the integrity of the replicated databases?
CA XOsoft has the Assured Recovery (AR) feature that allows Disaster Recovery testing on
the Replica during normal business hours. This feature can be activated at any time
without stopping the replication scenario.
How can I test verify the integrity of the replicated databases?
CA XOsoft has the Assured Recovery (AR) feature that allows Disaster Recovery testing on
the Replica during normal business hours. This feature can be activated at any time
without stopping the replication scenario.
Once the AR feature is activated, the replica database services are activated while the
production database server’s updates are queued to a spool directory in the Replica server.
The user can perform any integrity testing he\she may desire, including making changes to
the Replica DB (add\drop tables and databases, change table values, etc.)
When the user completes the testing, the AR feature is turned off, and real-time replication
continues normally.
Can I protect multiple SQL servers using only 1 Replica server?
CA XOsoft supports real-time Replication ONLY (no failover) for a many-to-one protection
scheme.
The databases that you will be protecting must be part of Named Instances, and those SQL
Instance names must be unique for your environment. For example, if Server A and Server
B both have a SQL Instance called “Test”, the “Test” Instances cannot be replicated to the
same Standby server.
Note: The System Administrator will need to create the Instances that will be protected on
the Replica before the Scenario is created.
Can CA XOsoft protect multiple SQL Instances within the same SQL Server?
Yes. However, the System administrator will need to create SQL Instances on the Replica
Server that have the same Instance Names as on the production SQL Server.
For example, if the Administrator wishes to protect SQL Instances named “Development”,
“Finance”, and “HR”, he\she will need to create SQL Instances with those same names on
the Replica.
Which Failover Method Should Be Selected for an SQL HA Scenario?
Whatever SQL Server Network Protocols (Network Libraries) are configured on the Master;
the same must be configured on the Replica. The network protocols that users and
applications utilize to connect to the SQL server will determine which failover method is
used.
If the Named Pipes protocol is being used, the Switch Hostname failover method must be
part of the HA scenario. All other SQL network protocols can use the DNS Redirection or
Move IP failover methods.
The SQL Network Protocols are initiated by the client and are configured so the Master
LISTENS on that protocol.
When or Why to consider using both DNS Redir + Switch Hostname
If the SQL server is using only the TCP SQL network protocol, then DNS Redirection is all
that is needed. If the SQL server is using Named Pipes, you would need to use Switch
Hostname.
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In many cases, you will find both TCP and Named Pipes in use. In that case, both DNS
redirection and switch hostname should be used in the same HA scenario.
Remember to reboot the Replica server after a Switch Hostname failover.
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Contact CA
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