Configuring a Tivoli Storage FlashCopy Manager for SQL Server stand-alone configuration in a SQL Failover Cluster environment using shared disks or cluster shared volumes

You can configure Tivoli® Storage FlashCopy® Manager as a stand-alone configuration, and protect SQL Server workloads in a clustered environment that uses either shared disks or cluster shared volumes (CSV).

About this task

In the backup-archive client dsm.opt file, each system uses its node name as the local agent node for Tivoli Storage FlashCopy Manager. The same Data Protection for SQL node name, VirtualClusterNodeName, is applied to all of the systems in the cluster.

The VSSALTSTAGINGDIR path must point to an accessible directory on a shared disk, for example, X:\vss_staging, or to a cluster shared volume, for example, C:\ClusterStorage\Volume1\vss_staging. The VSSALTSTAGINGDIR option must be specified in the backup-archive client options file, baclient\dsm.opt, and in the Data Protection for SQL options file, tdpsql\dsm.opt, and the option argument must be the same. For example, X:\vss_staging is the absolute path to the VSS staging directory on a shared disk or a CSV that all cluster nodes can access.

Alternatively, you can navigate to the baclient directory and open either the dsm.opt or custom.opt file depending on whether the configuration wizard mode is in either default or custom mode. By default, the VSS Requestor dsm.opt file is located in the Tivoli Storage Manager backup-archive client installation directory, c:\Program Files\tivoli\tsm\baclient\dsm.opt. The location of the Data Protection for SQL options file is: c:\Program Files\tivoli\tsm\TDPSQL\dsm.opt.

Procedure

Install Tivoli Storage FlashCopy Manager for SQL on all cluster nodes, and in the same directory on all cluster nodes. The default installation directory is c:\Program Files\Tivoli\FlashCopyManager\.
From the Microsoft Management Console (MMC), run the stand-alone configuration wizard and follow these steps:
1. Specify the same Tivoli Storage Manager node name for the Data Protection for SQL Server configuration.
2. Specify the same folder location for the VSS alternative staging directory to point to an existing directory on a shared disk, or on a cluster shared volume, for example, X:\vss_staging.
You can use the remote management configuration feature for remote management of other cluster nodes.
After the configuration wizard finishes successfully, close the MMC.
Configure the client acceptor daemon. For more information, see Configuring cluster protection (Windows Server clients)
Repeat these steps on the other nodes in the cluster.
Verify that the configuration is valid by manually checking every cluster node as follows:
1. Open the MMC and select Dashboard > Configuration > Files.
2. Depending on whether the configuration wizard mode is in either default or custom mode, browse to either the dsm.opt or custom.opt file. Ensure that the settings in the file are as follows:
```
NODename localdsmagent
PASSWORDAccess generate
TCPServeraddress flashcopymanager
CLUSTERnode no
CLUSTERDISKSOnly no
VSSALTSTAGINGDIR X:\vss_staging
```
3. Select dsm.opt under the Data Protection for SQL section, and ensure that the settings are as follows:
```
NODename VirtualClusterNodeName
PASSWORDAccess generate
TCPServeraddress flashcopymanager
CLUSTERnode yes
VSSALTSTAGINGDIR X:\vss_staging
```