The Data Protection client interacts closely with the backup-archive client
(DSMAGENT). The client completes all of the Virtual Shadow Copy Service (VSS) operations. You can test the connectivity between the Data Protection client and the Tivoli Storage Manager DSMAGENT. You can determine whether the source of the problem is the Microsoft VSS service or a problem within the Tivoli Storage Manager code.
About this task
v The vssadmin and diskshadow tools are applications that can run backups that use the Microsoft SQL Server VSS APIs.
vssadmin
A utility that is installed with your operating system, and can show current volume shadow copy backups and all installed shadow copy writers and providers in the command window.
diskshadow
The diskshadow tool is available with Windows Server 2008 and later versions.
With these tools, you can determine the following items:
– Verify VSS provider configurations
– Rule out any possible VSS problems before you run the Tivoli Storage Manager VSS functions
– That you might have a VSS configuration problem or a real hardware problem if an operation does not work with diskshadow or vssadmin
– That you might have a Tivoli Storage Manager problem if an operation works with diskshadow or vssadmin but not with the Tivoli Storage Manager v For VSS operations, you can re-create the problem with the Microsoft
diskshadow tool. If you are able to re-create the problem with the diskshadow tool, the source of the problem is likely to be within the VSS provider or the SQL Server.
Procedure
1. Test the connectivity between the Data Protection client and the Tivoli Storage Manager DSMAgent.
a. Select the SQL Server workload that you want to work with and click the Automatetab to open the Automate view.
b. To verify that your installation and configuration is correct, issue the TDPSQLC QUERY SQLcommand in the lower details pane and click Execute (or Enter). Alternatively, issue the TDPSQLC QUERY SQL command on the computer where the SQL Server is installed. The results are displayed in the pane.
The TDPSQLC QUERY SQL command returns information about the following items:
v SQL Server status v Circular logging v VSS components
The following example shows a sample of the output that is generated by the TDPSQLC QUERY SQL command:
C:\Program Files\Tivoli\tsm\TDPSql>tdpsqlc query sql
IBM Tivoli Storage Manager for Databases:
Data Protection for Microsoft SQL Server Version 7, Release 1, Level 1.0
(C) Copyright IBM Corporation 1997, 2014. All rights reserved.
Connecting to SQL Server, please wait...
SQL Server Information
---SQL Server Name ... RHINO
SQL Server Version ... 12.0.2000 (SQL Server 2014)
Volume Shadow Copy Service (VSS) Information
---Writer Name : SqlServerWriter Local DSMAgent Node : RHINO
Remote DSMAgent Node : Writer Status : Online Selectable Components : 6
The operation completed successfully. (rc = 0)
If the TDPSQLC QUERY SQL command does not return all of this information, you might have a proxy configuration problem. Contact the Tivoli Storage Manager server administrator to have the correct server GRANT PROXY commands issued to enable proxy authority for nodes. If all of the information returned to you seems correct, proceed to the next step.
2. To determine whether the problem is a Microsoft VSS service issue or a problem within the Tivoli Storage Manager code, use the vssadmin and diskshadow tools to re-create the error as follows:
a. Issue VSSADMIN and diskshadowcommands, as shown in the following table:
Table 21. VSSADMIN commands
Option Run this command:
To list the VSS writer: VSSADMIN LIST WRITERS To list the VSS providers: VSSADMIN LIST PROVIDERS To list the shadow copies that are
created by using the Microsoft Software Shadow Copy provider:
VSSADMIN LIST SHADOWS
To list the shadow copies that are created by using a VSS hardware provider starting with Windows Server 2008:
diskshadow diskshadow > list shadows all
b. Before you install Data Protection for SQL Server, test the core VSS function.
Complete the following diskshadow testing before you install any Tivoli Storage Manager components:
v Test non-persistent shadow copy creation and deletion by issuing the following diskshadow commands:
diskshadow>set verbose on diskshadow>begin backup
diskshadow>add volume f: (database volume) diskshadow>add volume g: (log volume) diskshadow>create
diskshadow>end backup diskshadow>list shadows all diskshadow>delete shadows all diskshadow>list shadows all
Volumes f: and g: represent the SQL Server database and log volumes.
Repeat issuing thediskshadow commands four times and verify that the Windows System and Application Event Log file contains no errors.
v Test persistent shadow copy creation and deletion by issuing the following diskshadow commands:
diskshadow>set context persistent diskshadow>set verbose on
diskshadow>begin backup
diskshadow>add volume f: (database volume) diskshadow>add volume g: (log volume) diskshadow>create
diskshadow>end backup
diskshadow>list shadows all (this might take a few minutes) diskshadow>delete shadows all
diskshadow>list shadows all
Volumes f: and g: represent the SQL Server database and log volumes.
Repeat issuing the diskshadow commands four times and verify that the Windows System and Application Event Log file contains no errors.
v Test persistent transportable shadow copy creation and deletion by issuing the following diskshadow commands:
diskshadow>set context persistent diskshadow>set option transportable diskshadow>add volume f: (database volume) diskshadow>add volume g: (log volume)
diskshadow>set metadata c:\metadata\SQLmeta.cab (the path where you want the metadata stored) diskshadow>create
You must copy the sqlmeta.cab file from the source server to the offload server. After you copy the file, issue the following commands:
diskshadow>load metadata newpath/sqlmeta.cab diskshadow>import
diskshadow>list shadows all (this might take a few minutes) diskshadow>delete shadows all
Volumes f: and g: represent the SQL Server database and log volumes.
Repeat issuing the diskshadow commands four times and verify that the Windows System and Application Event Log file contains no errors.
3. Test nonpersistent shadow copy creation and deletion.
a. Issue the following diskshadow commands. In this example, the volumes k:
and l: represent the SQL Server database and log volumes.
diskshadow>set context volatile diskshadow>set verbose on diskshadow>begin backup
diskshadow>add volume k: (database volume) diskshadow>add volume l: (log volume) diskshadow>create
diskshadow>end backup
diskshadow>list shadows all (this might take a few minutes) diskshadow>exit
diskshadow
diskshadow>list shadows all (no shadow copies)
b. Verify that the Windows System and Application Event Log file contains no errors.
4. (VSS Hardware Provider environments only) Test nonpersistent transportable shadow copy creation and deletion.
a. Issue the following diskshadow commands. In this example, the volumes k:
and l: represent the SQL Server database and log volumes.
diskshadow>set context volatile diskshadow>set option transportable diskshadow>add volume k: (database volume) diskshadow>add volume l: (log volume)
diskshadow>set metadata c:\metadata\SQLmeta.cab (the path where you want the metadata stored) diskshadow>create
b. Repeat issuing the diskshadow commands four times and verify that the Windows System and Application Event Log file contains no errors.
c. Copy the sqlmeta.cab file from the source server to the offload server. Then, issue the following commands:
diskshadow>load metadata newpath/sqlmeta.cab diskshadow>import
diskshadow>list shadows all (this might take a few minutes) diskshadow>delete shadows all
If any of these tests fail repeatedly, you have a hardware configuration problem or a VSS problem. Consult your hardware documentation for known problems or search Microsoft Knowledge Database for information.
If all tests pass, continue to Step 5.
5. Re-create your specific problem by using diskshadow. If you can re-create your problem, only through a series of steps (for example: a backup fails only when you perform two consecutive local backups), try to perform the same tests by using diskshadow.
v Simulate SQL Server VSS backups to Local by running a diskshadow persistent snapshot.
v Simulate SQL Server VSS backups to the Tivoli Storage Manager by running a diskshadow nonpersistent snapshot.
v Simulate SQL Server VSS backups to Local and to the Tivoli Storage Manager by running a diskshadow persistent snapshot.
v Simulate offloaded SQL Server VSS backups to the Tivoli Storage Manager by running a diskshadow nonpersistent, transportable snapshot.
See the diskshadow documentation for the specific commands that are required to complete backups. If you can re-create the problem, you are most likely experiencing a general VSS issue. See the Microsoft Knowledge Database for information. If your operation passes successfully with diskshadow,you are most likely experiencing a Tivoli Storage Manager or Data Protection for SQL client problem.
6. For legacy backup operations, try to re-create the problem by using the Backup or Restore utility in the SQL Server administrator program. If the following error message is displayed, the SQL Server encountered an unexpected situation: ACO5350E An unknown SQL API error has occurred. Microsoft assistance might be needed if the problem continues.
Data Protection for SQL Server error messages occasionally contain an HRESULT code. For more information about the problem, use the HRESULT code to search Microsoft documentation and the Microsoft Knowledge Base.