Managing versions of backups

By using Data Protection for Microsoft SQL Server, you can manage expiration of backups. You can specify the number of snapshot backups to retain and the length of time to retain snapshots.

1. Define the retention parameters in the management class that is used for virtual machine (VM) backups.
   For example:

   Retain extra versions = 30
   Retain only versions = 30
   Versions data exists = nolimit
   Versions data deleted = nolimit

   Use the vmmc option in the data mover options file to specify the management class that is used for the VM backups.

   Scheduled VM backups are associated with Data Protection for Microsoft Hyper-V.

2. Define the retention parameters in the management class that is used for Microsoft SQL Server backups.
   For example:

   Retain extra versions = 0
   Retain only versions = 1
   Versions data exists = nolimit
   Versions data deleted = nolimit

   Specify the management class for the Microsoft SQL Server backups in the dsm.opt file that is used by the Data Protection for Microsoft SQL Server agent. See the following INCLUDE options:

   INCLUDE *:\...\*log management_class_name
   INCLUDE *:\...\log\..\* management_class_name

3. With Data Protection for Microsoft SQL Server running on the VM, issue the inactivate command to explicitly deactivate all active log backups for all databases on the Microsoft SQL Server.
   For example:

   tdpsqlc inactivate * log=* /OLDERTHAN=30

   Log backups that are created by Data Protection for Microsoft SQL Server must be explicitly deactivated because the full database backups are being completed by Data Protection for Microsoft Hyper-V. This configuration allows for a one-day grace period after the Microsoft SQL Server log backups are deactivated before the IBM Storage Protect server deletes them.

   Tip: You can retain log backups on the server only if the full database backup with which they are associated are retained. In the management class, set the RETONLY value for log backups to match the RETEXTRA parameter for full database backups.