Additional Operations - SQL Server iDataAgent

Table of contents

Audit Trail

Auxiliary Copy

License Administration

Online Help Links

Operating System and Application Upgrades

Operation Window

Schedule Policy

Storage Policy

Uninstalling Components

Audit Trail

The Audit Trail feature allows you to track the operations of users who have access to the CommCell. This capability is useful if a detrimental operation was performed in the CommCell and the source of that operation needs to be determined.

Audit Trail tracks operations according to four severity levels:

To set Audit Trail retention periods:

  1. From the Tools menu in the CommCell Console, click Control Panel, and then select Audit Trail.
  2. From the Audit Trail dialog box, select the desired retention time (in days) for each severity level.
  3. Click OK.

Auxiliary Copy

An auxiliary copy operation allows you to create secondary copies of data associated with data protection operations, independent of the original copy.

  1. Expand the Policies node, right-click storage policy for which you want to perform an auxiliary copy, click All Tasks, and then click Run Auxiliary Copy.
  2. If you are starting the auxiliary copy operation from the CommServe level, select the storage policy for which you wish to perform the auxiliary copy.
      If you are starting the auxiliary copy operation from the Storage Policy level, the Storage Policy field is already populated with the name of the Storage Policy you selected.
  3. If the source copy is configured with a shared library, select the Source MediaAgent for the auxiliary copy.
  4. Click OK to start the auxiliary copy operation. A progress bar displays the progress of the operation.

License Administration

Required Licenses

The Microsoft SQL Server iDataAgent requires the iDataAgent for Microsoft SQL Server license.

Converting Evaluation Licenses to Permanent Licenses

If you installed the software using an Evaluation License, you can upgrade to a Permanent License as follows:

  1. From the CommCell Browser, right-click the CommServe icon, click Control Panel, and then click License Administration.
  2. Select the Update License tab and then click Convert.
  3. Check the box that corresponds to the evaluation license you would like to upgrade and then click Convert.

The license information is updated in the License Administration window.

Using Capacity-Based Licensing

License Usage by Capacity is a licensing mechanism that allows you to obtain licenses based on the amount of data you back up. It provides the following features:

Both Core and Enterprise license types are available. Refer to License Usage by Capacity for comprehensive information on utilizing this method.

Releasing a License

If you no longer require a license on a computer, such as cases where the computer is being retired, you can release the license and use it later for another computer. Backup data from the retired computer can still be restored after the license is released provided the data is not aged.

  1. From the CommCell Browser, right-click the name of the client from which you want to release a license, click All Tasks, and then click Release License for Client.
  2. Click OK to continue releasing the license
  3. Click Yes to confirm you want to release the license or No to abort.

Online Help Links

Use the following links to view the online help for the corresponding tabs in the CommCell Console:

Operations

Entity

Online Help Links

Sub Links

Configuration

Agent

SQL Server Properties (General)

SQL Server Properties (Version)

SQL Server Properties (Security)

SQL Server Properties (Activity Control)

SQL Server Properties (Authentication)

 
  InstanceProperties of SQL Server: <instance name> (General)

Properties of SQL Server: <instance name> (Accounts)

Properties of SQL Server: <instance name> (Security)

 
  Subclient Subclient Properties of <Subclient Name> (General)

Subclient Properties of <Subclient Name>(Content)

Subclient Properties of <Subclient Name> Backup Rules) (Databases)

Subclient Properties of <Subclient Name> (Backup Rules) (File/File Groups)

Subclient Properties of <Subclient Name> (Pre/Post Process)

Subclient Properties of <Subclient Name> (Storage Device)

Subclient Properties of <Subclient Name> (Activity Control)

Subclient Properties of <Subclient Name> (Encryption)

Subclient Properties of <Subclient Name> (Security)

Subclient Properties of <Subclient Name> (SQL Settings)

Database Configuration

File / File Group Configuration

Backup

Backup Options

Backup Options for Subclient <Subclient Name>

Save As Script

Command Line XML Options

Schedule Details

  Advanced Backup Options Advanced Backup Options (Data)

Advanced Backup Options (Startup)

Advanced Backup Options (Job Retry)

Advanced Backup Options (Media)

Advanced Backup Options (Data Path)

Advanced Backup Options (VaultTracking)

Advanced Backup Options (Alert)

 

Restore

Restore Options

SQL Restore Options (General)

SQL Restore Options (Job Initiation)

Save As Script

Command Line XML Options

Schedule Details

  Advanced Restore Options Advanced Restore Options (Advanced General)

Advanced Restore Options (Startup)

Advanced Restore Options (Pre/Post)

Advanced Restore Options (Copy Precedence)

Advanced Restore Options (Data Path)

Advanced Restore Options (Encryption)

Advanced Restore Options (Alert)

Advanced Restore Options (Options)

 

Operating System and Application Upgrades

Operating system upgrades are only supported when upgrading from one version of an OS to a different version of the same OS (e.g., Win2003 to Win2008). The two methods of upgrading are:

For Full OS Replacement, the client computer must be configured to have the CommServe, MediaAgent, and/or Client software re-installed to the same location, the same Fully Qualified Domain Name or short domain name, the same partitions, disk drive format (FAT, NTFS, et. al.), and IP configuration as previously.

  If it is necessary to remove Agent software to facilitate an operating system or application upgrade, do not delete the icon for the Agent from the CommCell Console, or all associated backed up data will be lost.

Use the following strategy to upgrade the operating system software:

Operation Window

By default, all operations in the CommCell can run for 24 hours. To prevent certain operations from running during certain periods of the day, you can define operation rules so that these operations are disabled during those times.

When operation rules are configured, operations that are started within the time window specified will go to a queued (as opposed to pending) state. Once the time window specified in the operation rule has elapsed, these queued or running operations will resume automatically.

  1. In the CommCell Browser, right-click the appropriate entity, click All Tasks, and then click Operation Window.
  2. Click Add.
  3. From the Operation Window dialog box:
  4. Click OK.

Schedule Policy

A schedule policy is a defined schedule or group of schedules for specific operations to be performed on associated objects within the CommCell. When the schedules from a policy are run, the specified operations, (e.g., auxiliary copy, backup, etc.,) will be performed on the associated CommCell objects.

  1. Expand the Policies node, right-click Schedule Policies and click Add.
  2. Type the Name of the schedule policy.
  3. Select the Type of schedule policy.
  4. Select the Agent Type.
  5. Type a description of the schedule policy.
  6. Click Add.
  7. Enter a Schedule Name in the Schedule Pattern tab.
  8. Click OK.
  9. On the Associations tab, select the objects to be associated with the schedule policy.
  10. Click OK.

Storage Policy

A Storage policy defines the data lifecycle management rules for protected data. Storage policies map data from its original location to a physical storage media and determine its retention period.

  1. Expand the Policies node, right-click Storage Policies, and select New Storage Policy.
  2. Click Next.
  3. Select Data Protection and Archiving to create a regular storage policy or CommServe Disaster Recovery Backup to backup the CommServe database and click Next.
  4. Click Next.
  5. Enter the name of storage policy and click Next.
  6. Enter the name of the primary copy and click Next.
  7. From the drop down box, select the default library for the primary copy and click Next.
  8. From the drop down box, select the MediaAgent and click Next.
  9. Enter number of data streams and set the retention period for the policy and click Next.
  10. Click Next.
  11. Click Browse, browse to your designated deduplication store location and click Next.
  12. Confirm your selections and click Finish.

Uninstalling Components

You can uninstall the components using one of the following method:

 

Method 1: Uninstall Components Using the CommCell Console

Method 2: Uninstall Components from Add or Remove Programs

Method 1: Uninstall Components Using the CommCell Console

  1. From the CommCell Browser, right-click the desired Client Computer and click All Tasks -> Add/Remove Programs and click Uninstall Software.
  2. Uninstall Software Options dialog will appear.
  3. In the Uninstall Software tab, select Uninstall All to uninstall all the software packages.
  4. In the Job Initiation tab, select Immediate to run the job immediately.

    You can track the progress of the job from the Job Controller or Event Viewer.

Method 2: Uninstall Components from Add or Remove Programs

  1. Click the Start button on the Windows task bar and then click Control Panel.
  2. Double-click Add/Remove Programs.

    For Windows Vista/Windows 2008, click Uninstall a Program in the Control Panel.

  3. Click Remove to uninstall the components in the following sequence:
    1. <Agent>
    2. File System iDataAgent
    3. Base Software

Advanced Topics

Provides comprehensive information about additional capabilities for the following features:

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