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.

About this task

To set the retention for Microsoft SQL Server backups, complete the following steps. This procedure assumes that you want to retain backups for 30 days.

Procedure

Define the retention parameters in the management class that is used for virtual machine 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 option file to specify the management class that is used for the virtual machine backups.
Scheduled virtual machine backups are associated with the Data Protection for VMware client.
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
```
With Data Protection for Microsoft SQL Server running on the virtual machine, 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 VMware. This configuration allows for a one-day grace period after the Microsoft SQL Server log backups are deactivated before the Tivoli® Storage Manager server deletes them.
Tip: You can retain log backups on the Tivoli Storage Manager 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.