Gathering files from SQL Server with VSS before calling IBM

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You can collect several log files and other data for Data Protection for SQL Server server diagnosis.

About this task

Microsoft™ Management Console (MMC) automatically collects information in a package file, which you can send to IBM® Support. To collect this information manually, refer to the following file list.

Procedure

  1. Gather as many of the following files as possible before you contact IBM Support.
    • The contents of the C:\adsm.sys\vss_staging directory and subdirectories. Or gather the appropriate directories if you are using the VSSALTSTAGINGDIR option.
    • The Data Protection for SQL Server configuration file. The default configuration file is tdpsql.cfg.
    • The Data Protection for SQL Server IBM Storage® Protect API options file. The default options file is dsm.opt.
    • The IBM Storage Protect registry hive export.
    • The SQL Server registry hive export.
    • The IBM Storage Protect Server activity log. The Data Protection client logs information to the server activity log. An IBM Storage Protect administrator can view this log for you if you do not have an IBM Storage Protect administrator user ID and password.
    • If the Data Protection client is configured for LAN-free data movement, also collect the options file for the IBM Storage Protect storage agent. The default name for this file is dsmsta.opt.
    • Any screen captures or command-line output of failures or problems.
  2. Gather the following IBM Storage Protect log files, which can indicate the date and time of a backup, the data that is backed up, and any error messages or completion codes that might help to determine your problem:
    • The Data Protection for SQL Server log file. The default location of this file is C:\Program Files\Tivoli\TSM\TDPSql\tdpsql.log
    • The IBM Storage Protect API Error log file. The default location of this file is C:\Program Files\Tivoli\TSM\TDPSql\dsierror.log
    • The DSMAGENT error log file. The default location of this file is C:\Program Files\Tivoli\TSM\baclient\dsmerror.log
    • The dsmcrash.dmp and DSMAGENT crash log file, if requested. The default location is C:\Program Files\Tivoli\TSM\baclient\dsmcrash.log.
  3. Gather the following VSS provider log files, if applicable:
    • System Provider - (Windows™ System and Application Event Log)
    • IBM System Storage® SAN Volume Controller, IBM Storwize® V7000, or IBM System Storage DS8000® series - %Program Files%\IBM\Hardware Provider for VSS\IBMVss.log
    • NetApp - %Program Files%\SnapDrive\*.log
    • XIV® - zip up all of the files in the C:\Windows\Temp\xProvDotNet directory
  4. Use the Data Protection for SQL Server console to list the events that originate by Data Protection for SQL Server. Select Dashboard - ServerName > Diagnostics > System Information and double-click the dpevents.ps1 script in the PowerShell section of the System Information page.