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Hardware VSS with NMM
Currently, we have a SQL cluster running on HDS array with Commvault backup. The SQL cluster is virtual servers in VMware. When backup of SQL starts, it will use HDS replication manager to take a clone of the SQL luns on the array with SQL VSS quiescing at the same time. Then, those luns will be presented to another media server (proxy host) to back them up. That way, the production will not be affected. We also clone existing lun every 4 hours and 2 copies are kept all the time.
However, it will be migrated to Symmetrix 40k and the backup software will be NetWorker and DataDomain. Since it is SQL, it will be NMM in this case. Do I need to use AppSync for the VSS quiescing and cloning? Or will NMM handle both of them? I work with NMM before but never play with PowerSnap (now, call Snapshot manager?). It will either be deployed with NW 8.2.x or 9.x. We have not decided which version yet.
CarlosRojas
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February 2nd, 2016 04:00
Hi,
If you plan to use NMM to backup SQL by using VSS method, you will be using eventually the SQL writer, so all snapshot related information will be handled by the SQL writer.
NMM is the requester, and SQL the writer however, once the snapshot is created, is PowerSnap the one that will roll it over to the backup device. You can then configure the snapshot policies to take more than one per day and store it locally on the storage array, and in that case you would need to check the HW provider to see the possible options available.
So in answer to your question, NMM qill handle everything (will request and manage the snapshots created by SQL writer), SQL writer will carry out the quiescing of the DBs etc. Please check on Microsoft sites for more information about SQL VSS writer workflow:
https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa384589(v=vs.85).aspx
A Guide for SQL Server Backup Application Vendors
Please let me know if you need any further information.
Thank you,
Carlos
WLYeung
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February 4th, 2016 13:00
Thanks for the help Carlos. I just finish reading the doc and it looks like there are two options with NetWorker. One is with NMM and the other is snapshot management. With our current environment, management wants to use AppSync. I will read the AppSync doc and see how it works.