You can back up SQL server data by using Microsoft Volume Shadow Copy
Service (VSS).
Before you begin
You can also back up availability databases
in an AlwaysOn Availability Group on SQL Server 2012.
Tivoli® Storage FlashCopy® Manager uses
a single AlwaysOn node to back up availability databases in an AlwaysOn
Availability Group regardless of which availability replica is used
for the backup operation. Ensure that you configured Tivoli Storage FlashCopy Manager to
use an AlwaysOn node. You also must specify the AlwaysOn node in the AlwaysOn
Node field in the TSM Node Names page
of the Tivoli Storage
Manager Configuration
Wizard. If you change the AlwaysOn node name field
in the AlwaysOn Node properties page for your
SQL workload, you must run the Tivoli Storage
Manager Configuration
Wizard to complete the reconfiguration of the name. If you do not
want to use the Tivoli Storage
Manager Configuration
Wizard to register the node on the Tivoli Storage
Manager server,
you can use the Tivoli Storage
Manager register
node command.
Procedure
To back up standard SQL databases or availability databases
by using the VSS method:
- Start the Management Console (MMC) GUI.
- When configured for use with a Tivoli Storage
Manager server,
if you plan to use offloaded backups, make sure a Remote
DSMAGENT Node name is specified. An offloaded backup uses
another system (specified with the Remote DSMAGENT Node
name parameter) to move SQL data to Tivoli Storage
Manager server storage.
Offloaded backups can reduce the load on network, I/O, and processor
resources during backup processing.
To verify or specify
a remote Remote DSMAGENT Node name, select
the SQL Server instance in the tree view, and
click Properties in the Actions pane.
Then, select the VSS Backup property page. If
the Remote DSMAGENT Node name is blank, enter
a node name.
- On the Protect tab of the SQL instance,
specify the type of SQL data to back up:
- Click View: Databases for a list of
discovered SQL databases that are available for backup.
- For SQL Server 2012: The Standard Databases / Availability
Databases button toggles between the standard database
view and the availability database view. The label on the button reflects
the type of databases that are displayed in the view. To display a
list of availability databases, click Standard Databases.
Information about the availability databases in an availability group
is displayed, including the replica role, synchronization state, and
space and log usage.
Use the Protect tab to browse and
select the databases to back up. Fine-tune the list of available databases
in the results pane by entering a keyword in the Search field.
- Verify the backup options. If the backup options are not
currently displayed, click Show Backup Options.
- If you want to use offloaded backups, select True in
the Offload field. This field applies only
to VSS backups.
- In the Actions pane, click Backup
Method and select VSS.
- In the Actions pane,
click the Backup Destination and select where
to store the backup:
- Local
- Click this item to store the database backups to local shadow
volumes only.
- TSM
- Click this item to store the database backups on Tivoli Storage
Manager server storage
only. Does not apply to the stand-alone configuration.
- Both
- Click this item to store the database backups to both Tivoli Storage
Manager server storage
and local shadow volumes. Both does not apply to the stand-alone configuration,
or the TSM configuration
when no Tivoli Storage FlashCopy Manager license is found.
- Optional: Choose a mode for the current task:
- Run Interactively: Click this item
to run the current task interactively. This selection is the default.
- Run Scheduled: Click this item to convert
the current action into a scheduled task. When you select this item,
the schedule wizard starts up, complete with the command that is required
to complete the task.
- Create the backup by clicking Full Backup in
the Actions pane. You can also right-click a
database, and select the backup action that you want from the menu.
If you want to create a copy-only full
backup, click Copy-Only Full Backup in the Actions pane.
A copy-only full backup is independent of the sequence of SQL Server
backups. A copy-only full backup is not used as a base for a differential
backup. The copy-only full backup does not disturb the sequence for
a differential backup. The differential backup would not be associated
to the copy-full backup, but would be associated to the prior full
backup that was run. This type of backup can be used for special purpose
backups that do not affect backup and restore procedures. It can be
used for longer term retention than conventional backups.