Configuring VSS operations in a clustered environment

You can configure Data Protection for SQL Server to protect VSS operations in a clustered SQL Server environment.

About this task

The following procedure applies if you are configuring Data Protection for SQL Server with IBM Storage® Protect in a clustered SQL Server environment. The VSSALTSTAGINGDIR path must point to an existing directory on a shared disk that all cluster nodes can access.

Procedure

For each node in your cluster environment, specify the VSSALTSTAGINGDIR directory path only in the VSS Requestor options file, \baclient\dsm.opt.
```
# IBM Storage Protect backup-archive dsm.opt file
NODename variable
PASSWORDAccess generate
TCPServeraddress variable.domain.com
TCPPort variable
CLUSTERnode no
CLUSTERDISKSOnly no
VSSALTSTAGINGDIR C:\ClusterStorage\Volume1\vss_staging
```
Specify the VSSALTSTAGINGDIR parameter only if the following is true of your cluster environment:
- IBM Storage Protect completes the VSS operations.
- VSS backups are stored on local shadow volumes.
- At least 200 megabytes of free disk space is available on the drive that the VSSALTSTAGINGDIR parameter specifies. This disk space contains the metadata files for Data Protection for SQL Server.
Restriction: Do not use a Cluster Shared Volume (CSVFS) for the VSSALTSTAGINGDIR directory path, IBM Storage Protect does not support CSVFS.
In each of the dsm.opt files that are used for local DSMAGENT and remote DSMAGENT components, ensure that the options for the CLUSTERnode and CLUSTERDISKOnly parameters are set to no.
```
CLUSTERNODE no
CLUSTERDISKSONLY no
```

In the Data Protection for SQL Server options file, tdpsql\dsm.opt, ensure that the option for the CLUSTERNode parameter is set to yes.

# Data Protection for SQL dsm.opt file
NODename variable
PASSWORDAccess generate
TCPServeraddress variable.domain.com
TCPPort variable
HTTPport variable
CLUSTERnode yes