Configuring Data Protection for SQL Server with IBM Spectrum Protect in a clustered environment

You can configure Data Protection for SQL Server to communicate with IBM Spectrum Protect, and protect SQL Server workloads in a clustered environment.

About this task

By default, the VSS Requestor dsm.opt file is in the IBM Spectrum Protect backup-archive client installation directory, c:\Program Files\tivoli\tsm\baclient\dsm.opt.

The location of application-specific dsm.opt files depends on the application that is being protected, for example:

Microsoft SQL Server: c:\Program Files\tivoli\tsm\TDPSQL

Procedure

Start MicrosoftManagement Console (MMC) by clicking Start > All Programs > IBM Spectrum Protect > Data Protection for Microsoft SQL Server > DP for SQL Management Console.
From the start page, click Configuration.
Alternatively, from the tree view, go to the Configuration node. Then, double-click Wizards.
In the results pane, double-click IBM Spectrum Protect Configuration to open the IBM Spectrum Protect Configuration Wizard.
In the configuration wizard, select the application that you want to protect, for example, the SQL Server.
On the Requirements Check page, locate the main panel. For the Cluster check, click Warnings.
In the Issue Resolution dialog, specify the path to the VSSALTSTAGINGDIR directory that all cluster nodes can access.
The VSSALTSTAGINGDIR path must point to an existing directory on a shared disk, for example, X:\vss_staging.
Restriction: Do not use a Cluster Shared Volume (CSVFS) for the VSSALTSTAGINGDIR directory path, IBM Spectrum Protect does not support CSVFS.
In the IBM Spectrum Protect Node Names page, specify the IBM Spectrum Protect node names, which exist on the same system, to use for the applications that you want to protect. Enter a node name in the AlwaysOn Node field. This node name is used to back up the availability databases in an AlwaysOn Availability Group. By default, the Windows Failover Cluster name is used.
Specify the clustersharedfolder option to specify the directory location in which to store encrypted password files. Specify a location that all nodes in the cluster nodes can access. If a failover occurs, the backup-archive client uses this option to determine where the password files are located.

Tip:
You can set the clustersharedfolder option value to be the same as that set for the VSSALTSTAGINGDIR directory path.
Click OK and complete the configuration wizard.
In a clustered environment, the Import VSS snapshots only when needed configuration option is selected by default.
After you complete the configuration wizard, verify the VSSALTSTAGINGDIR path in the backup-archive client options file, baclient\dsm.opt.
If the VSSALTSTAGINGDIR path is not correct, edit the file to specify the correct path.
For example:
```
# IBM Spectrum 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
```
```
# Data Protection for SQL dsm.opt file
NODename variable
PASSWORDAccess generate
TCPServeraddress variable.domain.com
TCPPort variable
HTTPport variable
CLUSTERnode yes
CLUSTERSHAREDFOLDER C:\ClusterStorage\Volume1\vss_staging
```
For an IBM Spectrum Protect server configuration, ensure that the VSSALTSTAGINGDIR directory path is specified only in the backup-archive client options file, baclient\dsm.opt.
For a stand-alone configuration, ensure that the VSSALTSTAGINGDIR directory path is specified in the backup-archive client options file, baclient\dsm.opt, and in the Data Protection for SQL Server options file, tdpsql\dsm.opt.
Repeat these steps on the other nodes in the cluster.