IT47295: ARCHIVE JOB DURATION FOR PROTECTED MICROSOFT SQL DATABASES STEADILY INCREASING OVER TIME WITHOUT APPARENT CAUSE

APAR status

• Closed as program error.

Error description

• The IBM Storage Protect Plus archive job duration for protected
  Microsoft SQL databases can be seen to steadily increase over
  time.
  This happens because 'filegroup_'-prefixed folders are
  building up at a rate of one per backup run in the backup target
  
  vSnap volume.
  Such folders can contain a high number of small files.
  At archive time, the processing of these numerous files cause
  the processing to last longer.
  Typically, an initial archive processing duration of 1 hour can
  end up lasting days if many of these 'filegroup_*' folders are
  present on the vSnap volume that is being archived.
  
  IBM Storage Protect Plus Versions Affected:
  IBM Storage Protect Plus 10.1.x
  
  Additional Keywords: SPP, SPPLUS, TS015894397
  

Local fix

• For highly impacted archive jobs, consider to associate the
  affected Microsoft SQL databases to a new SLA.
  This will trigger a new full base backup sent to a new empty
  vSnap backup volume without the extraneous filegroup_* folders.
  

Problem summary

• ****************************************************************
  * USERS AFFECTED:                                              *
  * IBM Storage Protect Plus level 10.1.0 till 10.1.16.4         *
  ****************************************************************
  * PROBLEM DESCRIPTION:                                         *
  * See Error Description                                        *
  ****************************************************************
  * RECOMMENDATION:                                              *
  ****************************************************************
  

Problem conclusion

• Till IBM Storage Protect Plus version 10.1.16.4, obsolete data
  from SQL folder base backup was not cleaned up in each backup.
  As a result, these folder backup data would pile up and cause
  performance issues. In the next IBM Storage Protect Plus
  version, obsolete filegroup folders from previous backups are
  consistently cleaned up in the subsequent backup job.
  

Temporary fix

Comments

APAR Information

• APAR is sysrouted FROM one or more of the following:

• APAR is sysrouted TO one or more of the following:

Fix information

• Fixed component name

  SP PLUS

• Fixed component ID

  5737SPLUS

Applicable component levels