Creating a full database backup using SnapManager

In the SnapManager main window, click the Backup and Verification tab.

Result

The Backup and Verification tab is activated. The Microsoft SQL Servers navigation tree in the left panel lists the SQL Server databases that are managed from the current SQL Server. Databases that reside on the same filer volume are shown with disk icons of the same color.

In the left panel, select the databases for which you want to perform a full backup.

When you select a database, SnapManager automatically selects all other databases that reside on the same filer volume. For information about deselecting any automatically selected databases, see the bullet "Which databases you want to back up" under Job-specific parameters.

When you select databases at the SQL Server instance level, SnapManager will report any offline databases as skipped in the backup report. For more information, see Information you need to specify for a full database backup.

In the Types panel, select the Full database backup option.

Result

The Options subpanel provides a choice of backup options that pertain to full database backup operations.

In the Backup Management Group option, select the management group for the backup you want to create: Standard, Daily, or Weekly.

For more information, see SnapManager Snapshot naming conventions and Using backup management groups in backup and verification.

If you want the database backup operation to be immediately followed by a transaction log backup, select the "Run transaction log backup after full database backup" option.

If you want to automatically delete older backups within the selected backup management group, do the following:

1. Select the Delete Oldest Backups In Excess Of option.
2. Select the number of full database backups you want to keep.

Selecting this option enables you to manage the number of Snapshot copies for a given backup management group. For more information, see Automatic deletion of the oldest backups in a management group.

If you choose to automatically delete older backups within a backup management group, you are also given the option to ensure that this is done without creating a break in the continuity of transaction logs between the previous backup and the present time. By limiting the automatic deletion of backups in this way, you retain the ability to use the older backups in an up-to-the-minute restore.

To use this option, select the "Retain up-to-the-minute restore ability for older backups in other management groups" option.

For more information, see Automatic deletion of the oldest backups in a management group.

If you want the full database backup to be followed by a database verification, select the "Verify Snapshot after backup (run DBCC)" option. Otherwise, be sure to verify the backup later, as described in Chapter 9, Performing database verification using SnapManager.

Note
Although it is possible to restore from an unverified backup, NetApp strongly recommends that you restore only from verified backups.

If you want to run a command after the backup finishes, select the Run Command After Operation option. This is usually done to archive backups.

Note
If you select this option, SnapManager will prompt you for the details when you are ready to start or schedule the backup operation.

If the databases reside on a SnapMirror source volume and you want the destination volume to be updated after this backup finishes, select the Update SnapMirror After Operation option.

Note
If you select the Update SnapMirror After Operation option and any of the selected database files or associated SnapInfo directories are hosted on LUNs that are not configured for SnapMirror replication, only the databases housed on mirrored LUNs will be updated on the SnapMirror destination volumes.

Backup now or schedule for later?

You can either run the backup now or schedule it for later. Click one of the following buttons:

• Backup Now
• Schedule

If the Run Command After Operation dialog box appears, specify the command and then Click OK to close the dialog box.

For details, see Using the Run Command After Operation dialog box.

To complete this procedure by scheduling the backup:

If the Schedule Job dialog box appears, complete this procedure by scheduling the backup.

For details, see Scheduling a backup job or a database verification job.

To complete this procedure by starting the backup:

If the Backup Status dialog box appears, do the following:

1. Read the items displayed in the Backup Task List. This list will be used to show the progress of the backup operation after you start it.
2. When you are ready to start the backup operation, click Start Now.

Result

The backup operation is performed, and each item in the Backup Task List is checked off as the task is finished.

• You can toggle the Backup Status dialog box between two different views--Backup Task List view and Backup Report view--by using the Switch button on either view.
• The Backup Report view displays detailed progress information as the backup progresses. You can also print this information by using the Print Report button.
• If the backup is successful, the Backup Task List view shows the check-off list with the tasks completed.
• If Notification is enabled, e-mail is sent and the event is posted to the Windows Application event log.

  Note
  A SnapManager backup operation encompassing multiple databases can fail if the SQL server is not configured with a sufficient number of worker threads to support this operation. For more information, see Concurrent backup of multiple databases.

In the SnapManager for SQL Server main window, click the SnapManager Backup Wizard icon.

Result

The SnapManager Backup Wizard starts and displays the Welcome screen.

Welcome

Click Next.

Result

The Databases to Back Up or Verify screen appears. The Microsoft SQL Servers navigation tree in the left panel lists the SQL Server databases that are managed from the current SQL Server. Databases that reside on the same filer volume are shown with disk icons of the same color.

Databases to Back Up or Verify

In the left panel, click to select the databases you want to back up.

When you select a database, SnapManager automatically selects all other databases that reside on the same storage system volume. For information about deselecting any automatically selected databases, see the bullet "Which databases you want to back up" under Job-specific parameters.

When you select databases at the SQL Server instance level, SnapManager will list any offline databases as skipped in the backup report. For more information, see Information you need to specify for a full database backup.

Click Next.

Result

The Back Up or Verify Databases and Transaction Logs screen appears.

Back Up or Verify Databases and Transaction Logs

Select the Back Up Databases and Transaction Logs option, and then click Next.

Result

The Backup Type screen appears.

Backup Type

Select the Full Database Backup option, and then click Next.

Result

The Backup Management Group screen appears.

Backup Management Group

Follow the instructions in the remainder of the Backup Wizard screens. The following screens enable you to specify the details of a full database backup:

• Backup Management Group
• Back Up Transaction Log After Full Database Backup
• Delete the Oldest Full Backups
• Retain Up-to-the-Minute Restore Ability for Older Backups

  Note
  This screen appears only if you selected the Delete the Oldest Backups option in the previous screen.

• Verify the Databases in this Backup

  Note
  To view or change the verification settings, click Verification Settings.

• View or Change Verification Settings

  Note
  This screen appears only if you chose to automatically verify the databases as soon as the backup is created.

• Advanced Backup Options
• Option to Perform SnapMirror Update After Operation

  Note
  This screen appears only if any SQL Server databases or SnapInfo directories reside on a SnapMirror source volume.

• Run a Command After the Operation

For a list of information you need to provide, see Information you need to specify for a full database backup.

When to Run this Operation

The When to Run this Operation screen prompts you to choose whether you want the operation to be performed now or scheduled for a later time.

If you want to...

Then...

Run the backup now

Go to Step 9.

Schedule the backup for later

Go to Step 12.

To run the backup now:

If you want to run the backup now, do the following:

1. Leave the Now option selected.
2. Click Next.

Result

The Completing the Backup Wizard screen appears and displays the backup settings you have selected.

After you verify that all the settings in the window are correct, go to the Completing the Backup Wizard dialog box and click Finish.

Result

The Backup Wizard closes and the Backup Status window appears and displays a Backup Task List that will be used to show the progress of the backup operation after you start it.

In the Backup Status window, click Start Now.

Result

The backup is performed and the Snapshot copy is written to the volume.

• The Backup Status dialog box appears and displays a Backup Task List that will be used to show the progress of the backup operation after you start it.
• SnapManager Backup completes each task and checks it off on the list shown in the Backup Task List view.
• You can switch back and forth between the task check-off list and the progress report using the Switch buttons on either view.
• If the backup is successful, the Task window shows the check-off list with the tasks completed.
• If Notification is enabled, e-mail is sent and the event is posted to the Windows Application event log.

  Note
  A SnapManager backup operation encompassing multiple databases can fail if the SQL server is not configured with a sufficient number of worker threads to support this operation. For more information, see Concurrent backup of multiple databases.

To schedule the backup for later:

If you want to schedule the backup for later, do the following:

1. Select the Later option.
2. In the Job Name box, enter a name for this job.
3. If you want this job name to overwrite a job of the same name (if it exists), select the Replace Job if Exists option.
4. Click Next.

For more information, see Scheduling a backup job or a database verification job.

Result

The Select the Scheduling Service screen appears.

In the Select the Scheduling Service screen, do the following:

1. Select either SQL Server Agent or Windows Scheduled Tasks.

   For more information, see Scheduling a backup job or a database verification job.

2. Click Next.

Result

The Completing the Backup Wizard screen appears and displays the backup settings you have selected.

After you verify that all the settings in the window are correct, go to the Completing the Backup Wizard dialog box and click Finish.

Result

The selected scheduler displays a dialog box.

• If you chose to schedule the backup job using the SQL Server Agent, the Properties dialog box appears.
• If you chose to schedule the backup job using Scheduled Tasks, the Schedule Job dialog box appears.

To schedule the job and close the Backup Wizard, do the following:

1. Specify the details of the job.
2. Click OK.

Start the Configuration Wizard, then step through the following screens without specifying any configuration changes:

• Database Verification Server and Account Authentication
• Where to Move Databases

Number of Databases that Can be Backed Up Concurrently

If you want to decrease the maximum number of databases that can be backed up concurrently for each SQL Server instance (as described in Workaround 1), decrease the value in the "Maximum databases..." box in the Number of Databases that Can be Backed Up Concurrently screen.

For more detailed information, see Using the Number of Databases that Can Be Backed Up Concurrently screen.

If you want to increase the maximum number of SQL Server worker threads (as described in Workaround 2), select the Modify SQL Server "Maximum Worker Threads Parameter" option in the Number of Databases that Can be Backed Up Concurrently screen.

For more detailed information, see Using the Number of Databases that Can Be Backed Up Concurrently screen.

Click Next.

The next screen that appears depends on whether you selected the Modify SQL Server "Maximum Worker Threads" Parameter option.

If...

Then...

You did not select the Modify SQL Server "Maximum Worker Threads" Parameter option

The SnapInfo Directory Type screen appears. Go to Step 7.

You selected the Modify SQL Server "Maximum Worker Threads" Parameter option

The Modify SQL Server Maximum Worker Threads Parameter screen appears. Go to Step 5.

Modify SQL Server Maximum Worker Threads Parameter

Use the Modify SQL Server Maximum Worker Threads Parameter screen to specify whether you want to modify the maximum number of worker threads for any SQL Server instance. You have the following options:

• Leave the current maximum number of worker threads unchanged for all SQL Server instances
• Apply all of the recommended new values displayed in the New Max Worker Threads column
• Edit one or more of the recommended new values before applying the changes

For more detailed information, see Using the Modify SQL Server Maximum Worker Threads Parameter screen.

Note
If you choose to change the maximum number of worker threads for any SQL Server instances, those instances will be restarted when you click Finish in the Completing the Configuration Wizard screen.

After you have finished viewing and optionally changing this SQL Server parameter, click Next.

Result

The SnapInfo Directory Type screen appears.

Complete the Configuration Wizard

Step through the remaining screens of the Configuration Wizard without specifying any further configuration changes:

• SnapInfo Directory Type
• Either of the following sequence of screens, as applicable:
  • Specify a Single SnapInfo Directory
  • Where to Put the Default SnapInfo Directory for Each SQL Server Instance

    Where to Put the Default SnapInfo Directory for LUNs Shared by Multiple Databases

    Where to Put the SnapInfo Directory for Each Database

• Database Migration Options
• Add Microsoft iSCSI Service Dependency
• Configure Automatic Event Notification

In the Completing the Configuration Wizard screen, verify the changes you specified and then click Finish.

In the Configurator Status dialog box, click Start Now to close the dialog box and begin the Configuration Wizard tasks you specified.

When a message box appears and notifies you that the configuration changes completed successfully, click OK to close the message box.

Click Close to close the Configurator Status dialog box.