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Executing SQL backups

Just like file-level backups, SQL backups can either be executed immediately or scheduled at a desired frequency. Scheduled backups are more typical because you create a calendar-based schedule which specifies when SQL backups will occur. Scheduled backups form the foundation of continuous data protection.

The following backup procedures are available:

ClosedTo execute a 1-time SQL backup
1 Select a SQL icon in the Navigation pane and click Backup.
2 Select the 1-Time Backup tab.

This retrieves a list of databases available for backup. If nothing displays, click the reload arrows at the bottom to refresh the list. If there is still nothing in the list, verify that the Agent prerequisites for Microsoft SQL are met.

3 In the Databases to Protectarea, check boxes to select the databases to backup. Databases that are offline cannot be selected for backup.

Hover over the database name to see the database recovery model.

4 Choose the type of backup by selecting Full, Differential, or Transaction Log.

If a restore operation was performed since the last backup, or if a full backup has not been performed for the selected database(s), be sure to select the Full backup option. If either condition is true and the Differential or Transaction Log backup option is chosen, the system will not queue the request.

5 Select an available device in the Available Devices area. By default, backups are stored on the default device.
6 If desired, check the Verify Backup box to perform a data transfer integrity check for each backup.

For SQL, inline verifies are done during the backup. This method decreases the amount of time required for verification. When the backup completes, the agent compares its checksum with the system’s checksum. If they differ, the backup fails.

7 Click Backup at the bottom of the screen to initiate the backup process.

A separate backup is created for each database selected. Backups in the schedule execute simultaneously, up to the number of concurrent operations configured for the system.

8 To view the status of the active backup operations, select Settings > System Monitoring > Jobs.

For more information, see Monitoring running backup jobs.

To view the status of completed backup jobs, see Viewing backups.

ClosedTo create a SQL backup schedule
1 Select the SQL icon in the Navigation pane, and click Backup.
2 Select the Schedule Backup tab.

This retrieves a list of databases available for backup. If nothing displays, click the reload arrows at the bottom to refresh the list. If there is still nothing in the list, verify that the Agent prerequisites for Microsoft SQL are met.

3 Enter a unique Schedule Name.
4 If desired, enter a Schedule Description.
5 In the Databases to Protect area, check boxes to select the databases to backup in the schedule.

Databases that are offline cannot be selected for backup.

A database may exist in only one schedule at a time. Attempting to add a single database to multiple schedules results in failure to save the subsequent schedules.

Hover over the database name to see the database recovery model.

A separate backup is created for each database selected. Backups in the schedule execute simultaneously, up to the number of concurrent operations configured for the system.

6 If you would like to add new databases to this schedule automatically, check the Auto-include new databases box.

This option can be enabled in only one schedule for each SQL server that the system is protecting.

If selected, newly detected databases are added to the schedule automatically.

7 In the Schedule area, select a backup strategy from the list.
• Choose Full with Differentials, Full with Transaction Logs, or Custom.
• The schedule for the selected strategy displays below.

Important!  Select a backup strategy appropriate for the recovery models of your databases. It may be necessary to create more than one backup schedule to account for different databases having different recovery models. For more detailed information, see SQL Server recovery model considerations . If you are using the full recovery model, be sure to use a custom schedule with a weekly transaction log backup. See SQL backup strategies and recommendations for more information.

8 Do one of the following:

For a non-custom strategy, define the frequency at which backups of each type will run using the fields below each backup.

For a custom strategy, click the Calendar icon to define the frequency at which backups of each type will run. Do the following for each backup instance:

• Drag a backup icon onto the calendar. Drag onto today’s date or later.
• In the Add Backup window, define the backup type, start date, start time, recurrence, and description (optional), then click Confirm.
9 If desired, modify the minimum and maximum retention and legal hold settings. These settings apply to all selected databases. To set different values for each database, do not enter settings here. Instead, first finish creating your backup schedule, then go to Settings > Storage and Retention > Backup Retention. For additional information, see About retention control.

Modifying retention settings here also updates values displayed on the Backup Retention page. Once you modify this setting in the schedule, you cannot change it again from the schedule itself. Instead, make changes from the Backup Retention page as described in About retention control.

10 Click Advanced Settings and specify optional settings as desired.
• Check the Verify Backup option to perform a data transfer integrity check for each backup.
• Select the backup device to which backups will be written.
• Uncheck the Email Schedule Reportoption if you do not want to receive information about this schedule in the daily system and schedule summary reports. This is checked by default.
• Uncheck the Email Failure Report option to disable sending an email notification upon failure of any backup job on the schedule. This is checked by default.
• Click Confirm to save Advanced Settings.

Reports are delivered to email recipients specified in the report field in Settings > Clients, Networking, and Notifications > Email Recipients. The system and schedule summary reports are sent at 8 AM by default. To change the time of day the report is sent, see Configuring email for reporting.

11 Click Save to create the schedule.
ClosedTo view or modify a SQL backup schedule
1 Select a SQL icon in the Navigation pane and click Backup.
2 Select the Schedule Backup tab.
3 In the Schedule Name field, select the desired schedule from the drop-down menu.
4 Modify settings as desired and click Save.

For a description of each setting, see To create a SQL backup schedule.

When editing a schedule, only the items being protected are marked in the Databases to protect area. The objects displayed are dependent upon the SQL Server instances and databases that are installed and running. If an instance is not available, all databases included in the schedule are marked as unavailable.

ClosedTo delete a SQL backup schedule

Note:  You can also delete SQL schedules from the Enterprise Backup subsystem. See To delete an Enterprise backup schedule for details. You need to use this method if the SQL icon is no longer available in the Navigation pane.

1 Select a SQL icon in the Navigation pane and click Backup.
2 Select the Schedule Backup tab.
3 In the Schedule Name field, select the desired schedule from the drop-down menu.
4 Click Delete Schedule.
ClosedTo enable or disable a SQL backup schedule

Note:  You can also enable and disable SQL schedules from the Enterprise Backup subsystem. See To enable or disable an Enterprise backup schedule for details.

1 Select a SQL icon in the Navigation pane and click Backup.
2 Select the Schedule Backup tab.
3 In the Schedule Name field, select the desired schedule from the drop-down menu.
4 Do one of the following:
• To enable the schedule, check the Schedule Enabled box.
• To disable the schedule, uncheck the Schedule Enabled box.
5 Click Save.