Issues with SQL DB'S using OSSV and SNAPVAULT

[skycityhofas01]

I have 20 remote windows servers all with SQL 2000 in a WAN scenario with our Head office in the middle that they all connect back to. Each server backups the SQL DB’s (9GB) to a single file each night.

Traditionally we run a tape backup using symantec Backup Exec v12, on each server every morning to copy the db - along with critical windows files to tape.

We have now purchased  a FAS 2020 and run at our Central Headoffice location for all critical data and central SQL Applications.

I have had lots of trouble administrating all of the remote sites backup tapes, so im trialing Snapvault, with Primary OSSV and secondary keys, - All to connect back to our Fas 2020 with 2 TB of space at our central head office with WAN Access to each site. Running this each night... when traffic over the wan is low.

What I want is to backup each server’s DB over our WAN, to our central Fas 2020, each night, using incremental backup. I only want to backup whats changed from the previous day.

At the client end I have used LREP to take a base copy of the SQL database on to a portable drive, brought this back to our HO, central location, I’m using LWRITER to copy this base version to a new Vol on the Fas2020.

Then running a manual snapvault update, which should just check that the db’s are the same, backing up the difference from the previous night before, (id estimated around 10Mb) and this should be up to date ready for the following morning’s scheduled update. As per the LREP Tools Document.

What im finding is that when I do the initial first snapvault update, it tries to copy the whole 9gb over our wan again, but I only want whats changed from the previous day.

I thought that snapvault would see a SQL backup file (xxx.bak), compare  whats changed – and only update this… But it doesn’t seem like the case. I know theres other applications - Like backup express, but i dont want to purchase another product.

Any thoughts or ideas would be grateful

[joshual]

Matthew,

A couple of questions:

     What version of LREP are you using?

     What document are you reading?  (This is a good one: http://now.netapp.com/NOW/knowledge/docs/ossv/rel25/pdfs/lrep.pdf)

     Did you use the -p flag to specify the protocol as snapvault_start or snapvault_restore?

     What command are you using to run the manual update?

At the remote office you should use:
lrep_reader -(whatever like -c) -p snapvault_start -q /vol/sec_vol/sec_qtree (this can be found on the link above)

Then do the lrep_writer on the data center (HO) side

then on the FAS at (HO) do a snapvault start -S (directory at remote) /vol/sec_vol/sec_qtree

If lrep_writer needs to be run on a machine on which the Open Systems SnapVault software is installed, stop the Open Systems SnapVault service before using this tool.

[skycityhofas01]

What version of LREP are you using? - V 2.0

     What document are you reading?  (This is a good one: http://now.netapp.com/NOW/knowledge/docs/ossv/rel25/pdfs/lrep.pdf) Yes - same.

     Did you use the -p flag to specify the protocol as snapvault_start or snapvault_restore? No

     What command are you using to run the manual update? Snapvault update /vol/backup_bw/

filer> snapvault start -S 192.168.20.68:E:\test /vol/backup_bw/vista_backup   (192.168.20.68 is the Headoffice Client PC)

filer> snapvault modify -S 192.168.20.10:D\vista_backup /vol/backup_bw/vista_backup   (192.168.20.10 is the filer)

filer> snapvault update /vol/backup_bw/vista_backup

At the remote office you should use:
lrep_reader -(whatever like -c) -p snapvault_start -q /vol/sec_vol/sec_qtree (this can be found on the link above)

At the remote site - i used the command.

C:\Program Files\netapp\snapvault\bin>lrep_reader -p snapvault_start -f 192.168.20.10 -q /vol/backup_bw/vista_backup -o e:\vista_backup@0 19
2.168.40.1:d:\vista_backup

So what your saying is that straight OSSV - WITHOUT any 3rd party software - can do an incremential backup of a SQL DB backup file, back to a central location.

[jmerrill]

Matthew,

Sorry for the delayed reply here.  When you create SQL backup files, are you overwritting the existing file, or creating a new one?

Thanks!

Jeremy Merrill

Technical Marketing Engineer - NetApp

Data Protection Solutions

[__SKYCITYHOFAS01_19579]

HI there

Thanks for the reply.

Im overwriting the same SQL backup file on a daily basis. - via SQL Agent, Daily backup job.

The files is around 10GB, but ossv is transfering around 1gb a day, which is too much for our network to handle.

Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated as ive just about written this off as not feasible.

Cheers

Matt.