PowerProtect Data Manager 19.15 Microsoft SQL Server User Guide

Configure optional instant access settings

When you configure Microsoft SQL Server database instant access restores with the Microsoft app agent for VM Direct SSMS plug-in, you can specify optional settings on the Instant Access > Options page.

1. From the left panel, click Options to specify optional instant access settings.

   The Options page appears as shown in the following figure.

   

2. Under Mount:

   • The Mount Folder field specifies the location where backup images are mounted.

     NOTE:

     The value in the Mount Folder field is the default mount location under the config directory of the Microsoft application agent installation path, for example, C:\Program Files\DPSAPPS\MSAPPAGENT\config\mount.

     Ensure that the Microsoft SQL Server administrative account for the target Microsoft SQL Server instance has access to this path. Then the account can access the database files once they are mounted.

   • In Mount Timeout, specify the number of days after which the mounted backup image must be dismounted. The default value is 7 days.

     NOTE:The maximum mount timeout setting is 7 days but can be extended up to 7 more days. After the mount starts, you can extend the mount timeout on the Instant Access > Active Mounts page by specifying the number of days in the Change mount timeout field and clicking Change. The specified number of days are added to the initial timeout value that was set during the mount. Dismount the mounted database provides more details. To preserve any changes that you make to the database during the instant access active time, you can vMotion the database.
3. To generate detailed logs, which you can use to troubleshoot the mount issues, select Select a debug level, and then specify a value of 1 through 9. The default value is 0 (zero).
4. To delete debug logs older than a certain number of days, select Delete debug logs after, and then specify the number of days with a number between 1 and 32767 days. The default value is 0 and does not delete any debug logs.
   NOTE:This option only deletes debug logs named in the default format and located in the logs folder at <installation_path>\MSAPPAGENT\logs.
   Regularly deleting debug logs prevents the log folder on the installation drive from becoming too large.
5. To limit the backup history of the databases on the General page to a set number of days, type or select a number in the Days of backup history field. The default value is 7 days.
   If no level full backups are found in the specified time range, you are prompted for confirmation to load the latest full backup.
6. Exclude client name resolution is selected by default, as required to use the client name that is provided as is without converting it to the fully qualified domain name (FQDN).

   Use this option when you restore to a virtual machine in a different domain that does not have name resolution for the source client.

   Clear the option to resolve the source FQDN during restore.

7. To specify the PowerProtect Data Manager server, under Mount Method, perform the following steps:
   1. Beside Appliance Host, click ...

      The PowerProtect Data Manager List & Lockbox Settings window appears.

      The details for the PowerProtect Data Manager server that protects the Microsoft SQL Server in a protection policy automatically appear.

   2. If you do not see the PowerProtect Data Manager server that you want to use for the mount operation, click Add, and then in the Add PowerProtect Data Manager details dialog box, perform one of the following actions:

      • To add a PowerProtect Data Manager with credential-based authentication, specify the server hostname and the login credentials.

        Contact the PowerProtect Data Manager administrator to retrieve the PowerProtect Data Manager server hostname and login details.

      • To add a PowerProtect Data Manager with certificate-based authentication, specify only the server hostname. Do not specify the username and password fields.

        To use certificate-based authentication, the PowerProtect Data Manager administrator must approve the target Microsoft application agent.

        The PowerProtect Data Manager administrator can approve the target Microsoft application agent on the PowerProtect Data ManagerInfrastructure > Application Agents page.

   3. Select the PowerProtect Data Manager server that mounts the backup, and then click OK.
8. To mount the database for instant access, click Mount.