Configuring the software for SQL Server data protection in a VMware environment

To protect Microsoft SQL Server workloads that are running in a VMware ESXi virtual guest machine, install and configure Data Protection for VMware. Then, install and configure Data Protection for Microsoft SQL Server.

Before you begin

The configuration instructions in this topic are based on the following scenario, which might not match your environment. Adjust the configuration for your environment.
The following list summarizes the scenario for quick reference:
Machine name
SQL10
VSS requestor node name
SQL10_VSS
Data Protection for Microsoft SQL Server node name
sql10_SQL
Virtual machine
vm_sql10
Data mover node names
datamover10 and datamover20
Datacenter node name
datacenter10
VM file space
\VMFULL-vm_sql10

About this task

The following details describe the scenario that is used.
  • A single Microsoft SQL Server database on a virtual machine that is named vm_sql10 must be recovered.
  • Virtual machine vm_sql10 is protected by Data Protection for VMware by using the node name datacenter10. This node name in the Tivoli® Storage Manager server represents the vSphere datacenter). The data mover nodes are called datamover10 and datamover20.
  • The virtual machine guest is configured with the virtual machine display name of vm_sql10 and the Microsoft Windows machine name is SQL10.
  • Data Protection for Microsoft SQL Server is installed in the guest and is configured to the Tivoli Storage Manager server to use node name sql10_SQL.
  • The Tivoli Storage Manager client is configured as the VSS requestor node and is using the node name SQL10_VSS.

Procedure

  1. Follow the installation and configuration instructions that are provided with each software package.

    If you install Data Protection for Microsoft SQL Server before Data Protection for VMware, you cannot specify the VMware datacenter node in the Data Protection for Microsoft SQL Server configuration wizard because the field is disabled.

  2. Complete the tasks in this checklist:
    • Verify that Microsoft SQL Server databases and mailboxes are hosted on VMware virtual disks.
    • Verify that no data is hosted on raw device mapped (RDM) disks in physical compatibility mode, independent disks, or on disks that are attached directly to the guest through in-guest iSCSI.
    • Verify that policies are set to keep sufficient versions of Microsoft SQL Server logs and virtual machine backups.
    • Verify that SQL Server databases are on a single server and are not participating in any type of clustering, for example, failover clusters, AlwaysOn Availability Groups or AlwaysOn Failover Cluster instances.
  3. Outside of the virtual guest machine, in the datamover, configure Data Protection for VMware to protect Microsoft SQL Server databases
  4. Within the virtual guest machine, verify that Data Protection for VMware is configured to enable restore operations for individual Microsoft SQL Server databases.
  5. Within the virtual guest machine, configure Data Protection for Microsoft SQL Server to complete Microsoft SQL Server log backups and restore individual Microsoft SQL Server databases from a virtual machine backup.