Windows Backup & Recovery Solution for SQL Server 2008 and Exchange Server 2007 on the IBM XIV Storage System

Transcription

1 Tivoli FlashCopy Manager 2.x for Windows Backup & Recovery Solution for SQL Server 2008 and Exchange Server 2007 on the IBM XIV Configuration and Best Practices Authors: Eric Johnson i, David Hartman ii Date: August 27, 2010 Document Version: 1.4 Page 1

2 Table of Contents Executive Summary... 3 Introduction... 4 VSS Solution Significance... 4 Tivoli FlashCopy Manager for Windows... 5 FlashCopy Manager Feature Highlights... 6 IBM XIV Model XIV Feature Highlights... 7 Installation and Configuration... 9 Key Assumptions... 9 Environment Description... 9 Solution Layout...10 Best Practices...10 XIV Storage Best Practices...11 Exchange 2007 Best Practices...11 SQL Best Practices...12 System Requirements...12 Installation and Configuration Summary...13 IBM XIV Host Attachment Package for Windows Installation...14 IBM XIV VSS Provider (xprov) Installation...17 Verifying the IBM XIV VSS Hardware Provider...23 Validating VSS Operations...24 DiskShadow Testing...24 IBM XIV Storage Management Tools Installation...25 Tivoli FlashCopy Manager 2.1 for Windows Installation...30 Configuring the FlashCopy Manager Data Protection Feature...30 VSS Backup and Restore...33 VSS Backup Types...33 VSS Backup Procedures...33 Restore Procedures...37 VSS Restore Methods...37 VSS Restore Considerations...38 VSS Restore Options...41 Mailbox Restore Feature...42 Mailbox Restore Procedures...43 How to Query Storage Usage Capacity...44 How to Delete Snapshots...46 Conclusion...49 Page 2

3 Executive Summary Microsoft Exchange Server and Microsoft SQL Server are typically business-critical applications. Brief periods of unexpected downtime can have a serious impact on productivity, and the ability to back up and restore data quickly and consistently is vital. Historically, the challenge of backing up data in a short timeframe and the inability to backup open files led to the development of snapshots. Snapshot technology enables a "snap" copy of data with minimal impact to production applications. Business applications are paused briefly to allow the disk system to create the snapped copy. These snapped volumes can then be used locally for quick recovery. They can also be mounted to another server, where they may be backed up to various storage devices. Early snapshot technology adopters faced challenging hardware and software compatibility issues. To resolve many of these issues, Microsoft developed the common framework known as VSS (Volume Shadow Copy Service). VSS core functionality is available in Windows Server 2003 and later versions. Likewise, all major Microsoft server products support these features. As a result, software and hardware vendors benefit from this common interface model for generating and managing snapshots. Upon further analysis, the VSS framework specifies how three distinct components interact: the VSS requestor, writer, and provider. The requestor is typically a backup software application. The writer is the application software such as Microsoft Exchange or SQL Server. Lastly, the provider is the specific hardware/software combination that generates the actual snapshot volume and is usually provided by storage hardware manufacturers. IBM Tivoli Storage FlashCopy Manager combined with the IBM XIV is a flexible and easy-to-manage backup and recovery solution for both Microsoft Exchange and SQL Server that enterprise environments demand, making snapshot backups painless. It is worth noting that FlashCopy Manager is based upon, and can be easily integrated with the familiar Tivoli Storage Manager (TSM) Server software. Page 3

4 Introduction Based on Microsoft s VSS framework, the Tivoli FlashCopy Manager for Windows on XIV storage solution exhibits near-instantaneous application-aware snapshot backups, with minimal performance impact for Microsoft SQL or Exchange Servers. As a result, businesses improve application availability and service levels through backup and restore capabilities that can significantly reduce downtime. IBM has a long history of designing high performance enterprise backup and recovery solutions. To achieve this, IBM partners with Microsoft and customers to design and test the best ISV solutions possible. Continuing in that tradition, IBM developed Tivoli FlashCopy Manager for Windows, which is designed to leverage the advanced functionality of IBM System Storage products such as the IBM XIV. These tightly integrated products provide a highly competitive solution for protecting and managing critical data. This whitepaper focuses on the testing, installation steps and best practices for Tivoli FlashCopy Manager using XIV storage. The following reference architecture is tested: The hardware equipment mirrors production-released models covered later in the Environment Description section. Tests use these released software versions: o Microsoft Windows Server 2008 SP2 o Microsoft SQL Server 2008 o Microsoft Exchange Server 2007 SP1 o IBM Tivoli FlashCopy Manager 2.1 for Windows VSS Solution Significance Microsoft SQL Server 2008 and Exchange Server 2007 are found in customer production environments across the globe. Companies rely on these business-critical applications. Customers running these applications desire to use disk storage devices that meet the business demands of backup and recovery, and address data protection and storage service implementation challenges. IBM meets these demands and challenges with innovative products that decrease deployment time, offer world-class data protection, and provide simplified storage management. The IBM XIV is designed from the ground up with ease of use and data protection in mind. For backup and recovery of data, Tivoli FlashCopy Manager for Windows is designed to be intuitive and fully integrated into the Windows operating system. Finally, Tivoli FlashCopy Manager is well-suited for managing backup/recovery/image management activities, and fully exploits the advantages of VSS-enabled disk-based backups for data protection. Page 4

5 Microsoft s Volume Shadow Copy Service (VSS) is the de facto standard for creating shadow copies on Windows servers. With IBM s help, what was once a lengthy process for creating backups has been shortened considerably. Ultimately, VSS solutions provide the ability to backup and restore applications quickly, and in a consistent manner, which is essential in any high availability or disaster recovery environment. Note: Further details about Microsoft s VSS technology can be found at the following locations: The IBM XIV provides superior data protection for server applications. Due to its groundbreaking design, this self-tuning, self-healing system easily accommodates mission critical backups and recovery demands. Tivoli FlashCopy Manager complements IBM XIV storage administrative tasks by handling the VSS-based backup and restore operations. Important: Please review the following data protection considerations: Additional data protection software may be required to protect local disks on host computers. It may be necessary to implement additional data protection procedures to comply with data retention policies in one s organization. Carefully review these policies with corporate officers regarding any state and federal requirements. When protecting data using snapshots, reserve adequate space for snapshots in each XIV storage pool. Pre-allocating sufficient space minimizes the potential for snapshot losses if the storage pool capacity is reached. Estimating an optimal storage pool size can be achieved via proper planning and testing. However, if the storage pool or snapshot capacity is later reached, the snapshot size can be easily and quickly resized in the XIV Storage Management User Interface (XIVGUI). Tivoli FlashCopy Manager for Windows Tivoli FlashCopy Manager for Windows provides an improved, easy-to-use Microsoft Management Console (MMC) interface. Past software components of Tivoli Data Protection for SQL and Exchange have now been fully integrated into Tivoli FlashCopy Manager for Windows. FlashCopy Manager v2.x has also added support for additional IBM storage systems. Tivoli FlashCopy Manager s simplicity makes it an appealing backup solution as well. FlashCopy Manager with its improved integration is easier and quicker to install than past versions of Tivoli Data Protection. The FlashCopy Manager installation requires only one package and can be typically installed in less than 15 minutes. Page 5

6 FlashCopy Manager Feature Highlights FlashCopy Manager s key features are listed below: TSM server is not required if using for VSS-based backups only. Easy to install and configure: o All core features now bundled to simplify installation. o Data protection for SQL and Exchange configuration done via a simple wizard. o Maintenance updates done via automated FCM updates. o MMC Installation requirements check and VSS diagnostics now standard. New, easy-to-use MMC interface. Access to most features from either the command line or graphical interface. Provides ability to manage storage capacity. Provides ability to monitor historical data protection trends. FCM Dashboard provides immediate gauge for monitoring data backup activity. Availablity for VSS incremental and differential copy support (MS-Exchange Only). Existing Tivoli Copy Services for Microsoft customers can upgrade to Tivoli FlashCopy Manager for Windows at no additional cost. Note: Further FCM feature details can be found at the following location: IBM XIV Model 2810 The XIV is designed to provide superior performance, solid protection, and ease of manageability targeting medium to large businesses. IBM XIV utilizes automated data distribution, unique, distributed caching, and other innovations to eliminate hotspots and deliver single-tier storage featuring high-end performance, reliability, availability, and scalability, with an exceptionally low Total Cost of Ownership (TCO). The XIV architecture can scale performance and capacity via sophisticated engineering algorithms and a modular, scalable component architecture. Thus no manual tuning is required enabling capacity growth without complexity. IBM XIV comes in easily scalable partial-to-full racks configured from 27 to 161TB of storage. Also, IBM XIV offers an innovative approach to software licensing every feature and function that is traditionally a chargeable item is included at no extra charge, including: Snapshots Thin provisioning Replication Management Cloning Performance monitoring, and more. The XIV architecture delivers continuous optimal performance and eliminates the need for complex, time-consuming tuning and sizing activities altogether. Page 6

7 Figure 1 below represents a fully configured XIV : XIV Feature Highlights Figure 1) XIV front and rear view (full rack) The IBM XIV s key features are listed below: Uses industry-standard, off-the-shelf Intel/Linux components. Provides data redundancy using IBM s XIV built-in proprietary RAID X. The XIV system s RAID-X technique spreads data in small (one megabyte) blocks across all of the system s drives. While this approach reduces useable capacity, it provides a higher level of redundancy than conventional systems, and enables data to be rebuilt more rapidly. Scalable architecture provides from 27TB to 161TB of useable capacity with consistent performance. Supplies each data module with two field replaceable, hot-swappable power supplies standard equipment in all data modules. Protects the system via three UPS devices which provide interim power in the event of interrupted or lost main power. Page 7

8 Supports synchronous and asynchronous Remote Mirroring between XIV Storage Systems (requires applicable firmware). Permits logical allocation of storage larger than the physical capacity through thin provisioning. Can create a maximum of 16,000 VSS-based snapshots. Utilizes SATA hard drives which provide a smaller physical footprint. Smaller footprints help reduce electrical power, cooling requirements, and floor space. Uses very intuitive and easy to use XIV Storage Management User Interface (XIVGUI); simple enough for even less-experienced storage administrators. Offers storage management efficiency and convenience by running scripts via XIV s easy-to-use command line interface, XIVCLI. Important: One of the benefits of thin provisioning is that virtualized storage permits logical storage allocation to be greater than the physical capacity available; however, close monitoring of the physical free space is vital to preventing issues. Storage writes to logical volumes not allocated with sufficient free space can result in the deletion of snapshots, cause storage operations to fail, or hinder performance. Setting ample storage free space along with threshold warning alerts combined with regular monitoring and proactive procedures can prevent overallocation problems from surfacing. Figure 2 below is a sample screenshot of the XIV Storage Management interface. You can also sample this flash video demo for a better representation of XIV s user-friendly interface. Figure 2) The highly intuitive XIV Storage Management interface Note: For more information on the XIV visit the IBM website at: Page 8

9 Installation and Configuration Following the correct installation sequence is important to successfully implement this solution in any environment. For new installations, review the Key Assumptions, Environment Description, and Solution Layout sections first, followed by the Best Practices and System Requirements sections. Then follow the remaining configuration and deployment guidelines. Key Assumptions This solution guide is intended for IT professionals with some familiarity and experience in the following areas: Microsoft Windows Server 2008 administration and configuration Microsoft Failover Clustering (If applicable) Microsoft SQL Server 2008 configuration and backup/restore concepts Microsoft Exchange Server 2007 configuration and backup/restore concepts IBM XIV administration General storage and SAN knowledge Note: Detailed descriptions of the setup and management of the aforementioned areas are outside the scope of this document. Environment Description Microsoft SQL and Exchange, Tivoli FlashCopy Manager for Windows, Microsoft VSS, and the IBM XIV components operate together to form a mutually beneficial backup and restore solution which helps IT administrators maintain high availability for business-critical applications. This is accomplished while keeping ease of management in mind and total cost of ownership low. The actual, tested reference architecture is listed below: Role: Active Directory/DNS host o Server Model: IBM xseries 335 o Operating System: Windows Server 2003 Role: Microsoft SQL Server 2008 (x64) host o Server Model: IBM BladeCenter HS21 XM o Operating System: Windows Server 2008 (x64) SP2 Role: Microsoft Exchange Server 2007 SP1 (x64) host o Server Model: IBM BladeCenter HS21 XM o Operating System: Windows Server 2008 (x64) SP2 Network Switch: o NetGear layer 2 switch : o IBM XIV MODEL 2810/A14 (Full standard rack) XIV System Software Version: a Page 9

10 Storage Software: Tivoli FCM v2.1 o XIV Host Attachment Package for Windows Version 1.0 o IBM XIV VSS Provider o IBM XIV Storage Management Tools version Solution Layout Internal Test Lab Private Subnet: x.x IBM HS21 XM OS: Windows Server 2008 Enterprise x64 (SP2) Role: Exchange 2007 SP1 Server IBM BladeCenter E Chassis IBM HS21 XM OS: Windows Server 2008 Enterprise x64 (SP2) Role: SQL 2008 Server IBM xseries 335 OS: Windows Server 2003 x86 (SP2) Role: Active Directory/DNS IBM XIV (Front View) = Ethernet network: 10/100 BaseT IBM XIV Patch Panel (Exposed from rear) = Fibre Channel Switch A 4 Gb (not shown) = Fibre Channel Switch B 4 Gb (not shown) Best Practices The following storage and host best practices cover Exchange and SQL as they relate to the IBM XIV. Page 10

11 XIV Storage Best Practices 1. The following information helps accurately size a volume. The minimum volume extent size is allocated in 17 GB chunks by default. To approximate the target volume size, divide the target size by the extent size of 17 GB. For example, if the target volume size is 650 GB, divide 650 / 17 = 38 extents (equals about 646 GB or 17 x 38). The final volume size will be reduced even further after partitioning and formatting. Factor in another 17 GB to compensate for the lost free space. The result is 646 GB + 17 GB = 663 GB of unformatted drive space. Format the newly created volume and check the free space to see if this meets the target requirements. Otherwise, increase or decrease the volume size to achieve a more accurate size. Note: "1GB=1000MB, 1MB=1000KB, 1KB=1000 bytes" 1 663GB translated is actually 663x1000x1000x1000/1024/1024/1024 = 617GB on a Windows host. 2. Increasing the Queue Depth setting for the Fibre Channel HBAs may improve performance. Note: Refer to the manufacturer s HBA documentation for detailed support. 3. Secure XIV Storage Management access by changing the default password. Control storage management using Role Based Access Control (RBAC). 4. Increase performance by adding more Fibre Channel HBAs to the hosts. Note: The XIV supports up to 24 paths. 5. Capture baseline performance by using Microsoft Performance Monitor, the XIVGUI s Statistics Monitor or the XIVCLI commands, statistics_get or usage_get. 6. To maintain low read latencies, review the existing workload prior to connecting additional hosts to the XIV. 7. View the IBM XIV Performance Testing Tips guide: 8. Read Chapter 6. Host Connectivity, and Chapter 13. Performance characteristics of the IBM XIV : Architecture, Implementation, and Usage Redbook: Exchange 2007 Best Practices 1. For Exchange 2007 best practices on storage design, please visit the following location: 2. Diskpart is no longer required to align Exchange I/O with storage track boundaries on Windows Server For details, see the following location: 3. For optimal performance, format the Exchange database volumes using a 64k Windows allocation unit size. The Exchange log volumes can be formatted using the default allocation unit size, as no significant gains are possible when modifying it. 1 For non-ibm hosts, please see the vendor s documentation. Page 11

12 4. Assuming all storage components are functioning, balanced, and configured correctly, most Exchange Server 2007 storage latency issues are caused by an insufficient number of disks for a given I/O load. The number of IOPS hitting a given drive can be measured using the Performance Monitor Logical Disk object, Disk Transfers/sec counter. The average disk latency should be less than 20ms, with the maximum value no higher than 100ms. Disk latency can be measured using the Performance Monitor Logical Disk object, Avg. Disk sec/read. Note that since the XIV uses all disks for I/O, this is rarely an issue when following proper design guidelines. 5. Place Exchange databases files for each storage group on their own logical volume. 6. Place Exchange logs for each storage group on their own logical volume. 7. Do not place non-exchange data on dedicated Exchange volumes. 8. When using hardware snapshot providers, do not share storage group LUNs with other storage groups or applications. 9. Exchange performance is generally enhanced on XIV by using a minimal-approach LUN policy. Instead of creating twenty-five 2TB LUNs for a host from the XIV Storage Manager, consider creating one 50TB LUN, and using Disk Manager to slice instead. Planning and monitoring the Exchange storage solution based on these guidelines will help ensure optimal client response times, allow room for growth, and avoid potential performance issues. SQL Best Practices 1. Because the IBM XIV applies real-time optimization of data, no additional tuning is required on the storage side. 2. Run the Microsoft SQL Integrity tools to validate the integrity of the databases prior to backing them up. Use both dbcc checkdb and dbcc checkcatalog. If necessary, view the Microsoft SQL documentation for usage details. 3. For additional guidance refer to Microsoft SQL Server Best Practices documentation. See System Requirements For a smooth deployment of this solution, install and configure the application hosts using the steps below. For details on configuring Microsoft Windows, SQL, and Exchange Server, refer to Microsoft s documentation. Install and configure Windows Server 2008 (x64) Install the latest Windows updates Install Microsoft SQL and Exchange Server Install the latest updates for the Microsoft server applications Install the latest Fibre channel HBA firmware and drivers Page 12

13 Disable IPv6 for Individual Mailbox Restore functionality (Applies only to Exchange hosts) o There is a known Microsoft issue with certain MAPI functions used on the Exchange server and IPv6. As a result, the Exchange MAPI and CDO components do not function correctly if IPv6 is enabled. To work around this issue, IPv6 must first be disabled on the network adapter in use by un-checking the IPv6 checkbox on the network adapter s properties. If it is not disabled, MAPI logon errors will be present when trying to use the Individual Mailbox Restore feature. o Additionally for stand-alone Exchange servers with all of the Exchange roles on one server (as opposed to a clustered or distributed environment), it is not enough to disable IPv6. It remains enabled for the server s internal loopback interfaces. To resolve this, make the following hosts file changes to the Exchange server: o Go to the C:\WindowsDir\System32\drivers\etc\ directory and make the following changes: Comment out the line ":::1 localhost" Add the following two lines: <current IPv4 address> server> <current IPv4 address> <hostname of the Exchange <FQDN of the Exchange server> Example: Exchange Exchange5.testorg.com Installation and Configuration Summary Before continuing, Windows Server 2008 and IBM XIV administration and configuration knowledge is required. The list of tasks below will help install and configure this solution. Make sure to perform the tasks in sequence prior to performing backup or recovery operations. IBM XIV Host Attachment Package for Windows Installation IBM XIV VSS Provider (xprov) Installation Verifying IBM XIV VSS Hardware Provider Validating VSS Operations IBM XIV Storage Management Tools Installation Tivoli FlashCopy Manager 2.1 for Windows Installation Configuring the FlashCopy Manager Data Protection Feature Page 13

14 To learn more about backing up and restoring applications using Tivoli FlashCopy Manager for Windows, refer to the VSS Backup and Restore section. To learn about querying storage usage capacity or deleting older snapshot volumes, jump to the How to Query Storage Usage Capacity or How to Delete Snapshots sections. IBM XIV Host Attachment Package for Windows Installation Before installing the IBM XIV Host Attachment Package on the hosts running Windows Server 2008, ensure the following requirements are met: Prerequisites: Microsoft Visual C Redistributable x64 Version MPIO for Windows Windows Server 2008 operating system (x64) Hotfix for Microsoft Windows (KB958912) Hotfix for Microsoft Windows (KB967752) Hotfix for Microsoft Windows (KB952790) Note: Windows Server 2008 SP2 already includes Microsoft hotfixes KB and KB Once the prerequisites are met, the IBM XIV Host Attachment Package for Windows installation steps should be implemented. 1. Download the IBM XIV Host Attachment Package for Windows Version 1.0 from the following FTP source: ftp://ftp.software.ibm.com/storage/xiv/host_attachment/1.0.4/windows/xiv_host_attach _windows amd64.msi 2. Log on to Windows using an account with local administrative privileges. 3. Copy the host attachment kit to all of the hosts. 4. Double click the downloaded file to extract its contents. The contents should contain three files. 5. To eliminate the Security Warning for each file, open the properties dialog box. To do so, right click the file and select Properties from the menu. 6. From the active dialog box, click on the General Tab. Click the Unblock button. 7. Click the Ok button. Repeat steps 5 and 6 for the additional files. 8. Double click the first component, XIV_xpyv The installation should be straightforward. Just use all of the defaults. Allow enough time for the installation to finish, typically only a few minutes. 9. Double click the second component, XIV_host_attachment_windows x64. Once again, the installation should be straightforward using the defaults. The following screenshots should help. Page 14

15 10. The XIV Host Attachment InstallShield Wizard is displayed. 11. Click Next to continue. The License Agreement screen is displayed. Click Cancel at any time to exit the installation. To move back to previous screens while using the wizard, click Back. 12. Read the license agreement. Select I accept the terms in the license agreement and click Next. Click Cancel to abort the installation if the terms in the license agreement are not acceptable. Page 15

16 13. Select the Complete setup type to accept the default installation folder or provide an alternate location using the Custom option. Once defined, click Next to begin the installation or click Cancel to abort. 14. The InstallShield confirms the wizard is ready to begin the installation. Click Install to continue, Back to go to the previous screen, or Cancel to abort the installation. Page 16

17 15. The following message appears if the installation is successful. Click Finish to complete the installation. 16. A XIV Host Attachment Installer Information prompt appears. Click Yes to restart. This completes the IBM XIV Host Attachment Package installation portion. IBM XIV VSS Provider (xprov) Installation For convenience, the actual steps used to install the IBM XIV VSS Provider (xprov) for Windows Server 2008 (x64) are provided below. Installation steps can also be found in the XIV VSS Provider xprov Release Notes. All of the prerequisites listed in the previous section, Instructions for Installing the IBM XIV Host Attachment Package for Windows, must be satisfied before proceeding with the installation. Page 17

18 Perform the following steps to install the IBM XIV VSS Provider (xprov) on the Windows Server 2008 x64 hosts. 1. Review the XIV VSS Provider xprov Release Notes from the following FTP source: ftp://ftp.software.ibm.com/storage/xiv/vssprovider/2.2.2/xprov_2_2_2_release_notes. pdf 2. Download the installation package from the following FTP source: ftp://ftp.software.ibm.com/storage/xiv/vssprovider/2.2.2/xprovsetup-x msi 3. Log on to Windows using an account with local administrative privileges. 4. Copy the xprovsetup-x msi to all of the hosts. 5. To eliminate the Security Warning for each file, open the properties dialog box. To do so, right click the file and select Properties from the menu. 6. From the active dialog box, click on the General Tab. Click the Unblock button. 7. Click the OK button. 8. Double click the file to start the installation. 9. The xprov Setup Wizard is displayed. 10. Click Next to continue. The License Agreement screen is displayed. Click Cancel at any time to exit the installation. To move back to previous screens while using the wizard, click Back. 11. Read the license agreement. Select I Agree in the dialog box and click Next. Click Cancel to abort the installation if the terms in the license agreement are not acceptable. Page 18

19 12. Provide a path to store MachinePool.xml or accept the default location provided by the xprov Setup Wizard. Click Next to continue. Page 19

20 14. Accept the default destination folder or provide an alternate location using the Browse button. Once defined, click Next to begin the installation or click Cancel to exit the wizard and end the installation. 15. Leave the Launch Machine Pool Editor checkbox selected and click Next to continue. Page 20

21 16. The xprov Setup Wizard confirms the installation. Click Next to continue. 17. To complete the installation, wait for the Machine Pool Editor screen to appear. From the Machine Pool Editor menu bar, click File and select New System. Page 21

22 18. In the Add System Management dialog box, provide the XIV s Username, Password and IP/Host Name in the corresponding fields and click Add or Cancel to abort. 19. If the XIV validation is successful, a screen similar to the following will appear. Page 22

23 20. Start the IBM XIV xprov service from the Services MMC: Click Start Programs Administrative Tools Services. o o o Select the xprov service. Right click the xprov service and select Start. Verify the Status is set to Started and the Startup Type is set to Automatic. This completes the IBM XIV VSS Provider installation. Verifying the IBM XIV VSS Hardware Provider This task verifies the IBM XIV System Storage hardware provider software is correctly installed on the Windows server. Note: Beginning with the latest release of Tivoli FlashCopy Manager for Windows, the following verification task can now be achieved using the Tivoli FlashCopy Manager for Windows interface, but is still provided for thoroughness. Perform the following steps to verify the installation: 1. Open a command prompt and enter the following: Diskshadow <enter> Vssadmin list providers 2. Ensure the service, IBM XIV VSS HW Provider, is listed as a provider, then exit the command prompt by typing: Exit <enter> Exit <enter> Page 23

24 The IBM XIV VSS HW Provider is successfully installed on the Windows server if the verification task completes as noted above. Validating VSS Operations It s important to validate VSS hardware provider functionality by creating and deleting snapshots. This ensures the VSS provider can communicate properly with the VSS requestor. Based on preferences, this can be accomplished using the command line and FlashCopy Manger interfaces. For those who prefer the latter, proceed directly to the Instructions for Installing IBM XIV Storage Management section and use the VSS diagnostics wizard. The wizard becomes available by clicking Diagnostics in the results pane of the welcome page when launching the Tivoli FlashCopy Manager for Windows MMC. DiskShadow Testing All editions of Windows Server 2008 contain a new command line utility called DiskShadow.exe which allows for the creation, deletion, and restoration of shadow copies (snapshots). The tool is similar to vshadow (a free tool included with the Volume Shadow Copy/VSS SDK), but has an interface like diskpart. It is the first in-box VSS requester that can create hardware shadow copies. To test non-persistent shadow copy creation and deletion, perform the following: Run "DiskShadow" from a command prompt DiskShadow > add volume f: (Database volume) DiskShadow > add volume g: (Log volume) DiskShadow > create DiskShadow >list shadows all (This may take a few minutes) DiskShadow >delete shadows all Note: Volumes f: and g: represent the database and log volumes. Repeat this multiple times for all hosts. Verify that the Windows System Event Logs contain no errors. To test persistent shadow copy creation and deletion, perform the following: Run "DiskShadow" from a command prompt DiskShadow >set context persistent DiskShadow > add volume f: (Database volume) DiskShadow > add volume g: (Log volume) DiskShadow > create DiskShadow >list shadows all (This may take a few minutes) DiskShadow >delete shadows all Note: Volumes f: and g: represent the database and log volumes. Repeat this multiple times for all hosts. Verify the Windows System Event Logs contain no errors. Page 24

25 After all of these tests complete without errors, the IBM Tivoli Storage FlashCopy Manager can then be installed. IBM XIV Storage Management Tools Installation Perform the following steps to install the IBM XIV Storage Management Tools on the storage management host. 1. The IBM XIV Storage Management Tools version is available for download at the following location: ftp://ftp.software.ibm.com/storage/xiv/gui/xivgui_windows_2.4.1_build5.exe 2. Log on to Windows using an account with local administrative privileges. 3. Copy the XIVGUI_windows_2.4.1_build5.exe to the target host. 4. To eliminate the Security Warning, open the properties dialog box. To do so, right click the file and select Properties from the menu. 5. From the active dialog box, click on the General Tab. Click the Unblock button. 6. Click the OK button. 7. Double click the XIVGUI_windows_2.4.1_build5.exe. 8. The XIV Storage Management Setup Wizard appears. Click Next to continue. Page 25

26 9. Enter the Destination Location and click Next to continue. 10. Select which components to install and click Next to continue. Page 26

27 11. Select the Start Menu Folder and click Next to continue. 12. Select the desired options to create desktop shortcuts and click Next to continue. Page 27

28 13. Click Install to extract the files and configure the selections. 14. The following screenshot depicts the initial extraction portion of the installation. Page 28

29 15. The following screenshot depicts the final configuration portion of the installation. 16. Click Finish to complete the installation. Page 29

30 Note: The aforementioned screenshots display all of the default installation settings. This completes the IBM XIV Storage Management installation section. Tivoli FlashCopy Manager 2.1 for Windows Installation This task installs and configures FlashCopy Manager on the target host. Reminder: Before proceeding with the installation, customers should have a good understanding of the following concepts: The backup/restore requirements for the environment Enforcing Tivoli Local Policy and VSS Policy Binding Provisioning of LUNs and storage to meet those needs Perform the following steps: 1. Obtain the installation package via the Passport Advantage or by ordering a DVD from IBM. 2. Double click the installation package to extract the files to the preferred destination. 3. After launching the installation package, follow the interactive screens. Accept all default selections unless customizing the environment. If more detail is needed, consult the Tivoli Storage FlashCopy Manager for Windows 2.1 Installation and User's Guide from the following location: m_win_guide.pdf This completes the Tivoli Storage FlashCopy Manager for Windows section. Configuring the FlashCopy Manager Data Protection Feature 1. Launch the FlashCopy Manager Management MMC from the Windows Start Menu: o Start All Programs Tivoli FlashCopy Manager FlashCopy Manager Management Console Page 30

31 2. The next step is to configure the Data Protection feature. From the local configuration wizard, select the correct application checkbox for the host and click Next. Refer to the sample screen below: 3. Review the Requirements Check for failures. Click the Show Details button to reveal the results. If all of the checks pass, click Next to continue. Page 31

32 4. The Local Configuration Wizard configures FCM to manage snapshots. All configurations should pass such as the following example. Click Next to continue. 5. The option to run the VSS diagnostics wizard to validate the functionality of the VSS storage provider is presented in this final Wizard screenshot. Click Finish and follow the interactive steps. To skip this step, uncheck the Run VSS diagnostics when this wizard exits checkbox and click Finish. Page 32

33 This completes the Configuring Hosts for Tivoli FlashCopy Manager for Windows section. VSS Backup and Restore A brief overview of how to perform VSS backups and restores is described below. The topics provide information regarding some of the backup types and procedures. A separate Restores section describes VSS restore methods and considerations followed by a restore procedure for both VSS-based restores and Mailbox restores. Detailed information on each procedure is available from the Tivoli Storage FlashCopy Manager for Windows 2.1 Installation and User's Guide. VSS Backup Types FlashCopy Manager 2.1 for Microsoft Exchange Server 2007 supports 4 VSS backup types: full, incremental, differential and copy. With each backup type, there are options to specify the recovery preferences handled by Exchange after the restore. Depending on the backup type selection, Exchange performs tasks such as deleting committed log files, integrity checking the databases (ESEUTIL), log replay, and mounting the databases. Note: In Local Continuous Replication (LCR), Cluster Continuous Replication (CCR), and Standby Continuous Replication (SCR) environments, log truncation is delayed until the Exchange Server knows the changes have been sent to the replica location. FlashCopy Manager for Microsoft SQL Server supports only full VSS backup types. For further information about backup types, see the Tivoli Storage FlashCopy Manager for Windows 2.1 Installation and User's Guide. VSS Backup Procedures Follow these steps to perform VSS-based backups. Important: As a best practice, configure the scheduled backups to retain multiple point-in-time backups. For SQL Launch the FlashCopy Manager Management MMC from the Windows Start Menu: o Start All Programs Tivoli FlashCopy Manager FlashCopy Manager Management Console 2. If the Tivoli Storage FlashCopy Manager Local Configuration Wizard appears, click Cancel. 3. In the left pane of the MMC interface, expand Protect and Recover Data. Page 33

34 4. Right click on a SQL Server name, and select Launch Backup/Restore GUI. Note: For Microsoft clusters, start the GUI with the /sqlserver parameter from the IBM Tivoli Storage FlashCopy Manager command line. 5. From the Tree View, select one or more databases to back up. Optionally, select one or more databases to back up in the List View. 6. After selecting the desired database(s), click on the Backup button to begin the backup operation. A successful backup should look similar to the following: Page 34

35 For Exchange Launch the FlashCopy Manager Management MMC from the Windows Start Menu: o Start All Programs Tivoli FlashCopy Manager FlashCopy Manager Management Console 2. If the Tivoli Storage FlashCopy Manager Local Configuration Wizard appears, click Cancel. 3. In the left pane of the MMC interface, expand Protect and Recover Data. 4. Right click on an Exchange Server name, and select Launch Backup/Restore GUI. Page 35

36 5. From the Tree View, select one or more Exchange servers or storage groups to back up. Optionally, select one or more storage groups to back up in the List View. 6. In the right-side MMC pane, select the Backup Tab. 7. In the Backup Type drop-down field, specify the type of backup to perform. 8. Click the Backup button to launch the backup. 9. In an Exchange Server Local Continuous Replication (LCR) or Cluster Continuous Replication (CCR) environment, to back up the replica copy, select the From replica, if available option in the Backup window. Note: For CCR copies, run the backup while logged in to the secondary node of the cluster that currently contains the replica copy. Page 36

37 A successful backup should look similar to the following: Additional Notes: FlashCopy Manager provides full, incremental, differential and copy backup types. Volumes assigned to a host during a VSS Local backup will remain assigned to the host until the Local backup is deleted, either manually or via local management policies. The space usage for snapshots is calculated from the pool's snapshot space. Once the free snapshot space reaches 0, the array starts deleting snapshots to free space. The deletions are based on auto delete priorities (a property of the snapshot). Among snapshots that have the same priority, snapshots not mapped to hosts are deleted first. Among unmapped snapshots, the oldest snapshot is deleted first. This completes the Backup Procedures section. Restore Procedures VSS restore methods and considerations are explored below which include restore procedures and options for Exchange and SQL hosts. Proceed to the applicable Exchange or SQL sections. VSS Restore Methods Tivoli FlashCopy Manager for Windows provides 3 types of VSS restore options: VSS Fast Restore VSS Instant Restore Mailbox Restore from VSS backups available for Exchange only Page 37

38 Both Exchange and SQL: VSS Fast Restore: This restores VSS Backups from local shadow volumes using file level copy mechanisms. In general, restores conclude within minutes instead of hours. VSS Instant Restore: This restores by copying snapshots from Tivoli FlashCopy volumes back to the original source volumes with hardware-assisted volume-level copy mechanisms. The application returns to normal operation as soon as the volume-level copy starts and the log replay is complete. Exchange Only: Mailbox Restore from VSS backups: This provides granular recovery of any mailbox or item from any Tivoli FlashCopy for Windows VSS-based snapshot backup. Detailed information for each VSS backup and restore type are covered in the Tivoli FlashCopy Manager for Windows 2.1 Installation and User s guide. VSS Restore Considerations Be aware of the following considerations when performing VSS restores. Unless otherwise specified, "VSS restores" refers to all restore types that use VSS (VSS Restore, VSS Fast Restore, and VSS Instant Restore): If restoring a CCR database, the cluster database is mounted successfully. However, due to a Microsoft Exchange Server 2007 limitation, the database resources are not automatically brought online. Bring the database resources online using the Microsoft Cluster Administrator interface. See the following Microsoft Knowledge Base article for details regarding this limitation: When performing a VSS Instant Restore in a CCR environment, stop the Microsoft Exchange Replication Service on both the active node and the passive node before running the restore operation. Performing any type of Restore Into function will automatically disable VSS Instant Restore. If performing a VSS Restore of a storage group that has been relocated (system file path, log file path, or database file path), use the Restore Into function and specify the same storage group name as the one being restored. The restore will fail if the same storage group name is not specified. Important: An attempt to perform a VSS Restore into a Recovery Storage Group on Exchange Server 2003 will ignore the Recovery Storage Group and be placed directly into the production database. When performing VSS Instant Restores, make sure that any previous background copies (that involve the volumes being restored) are completed prior to initiating the VSS Instant Restore. A VSS Instant Restore overwrites the entire contents of the source volumes. However, overwriting the source volumes can be avoided by selecting the Disable VSS Instant Restore option. This option bypasses volume-level copy and uses file-level copy instead to restore the files from a VSS Backup that resides on local shadow volumes. Page 38

39 Unlike Legacy restores (which only dismount the database being restored), VSS restores dismount all databases in the storage group that are being restored. This is a Microsoft requirement. When a VSS restore from local shadow volumes is performed, the bytes transferred will display "0". That is because no data ("0") is restored from the Tivoli Storage Manager server. When performing a VSS Instant Restore, restore all databases within the specified storage group. A partial restore (/partial) cannot be performed while using VSS Instant Restore. Although Data Protection for Exchange allows this operation to begin, it will either fail or complete with undesirable consequences. If only one database from a VSS Backup that resides on local VSS shadow volumes is needed for restore, make sure to select the Disable VSS Instant Restore option in the Data Protection for Exchange GUI Restore Window. If VSS Instant Restore capability is needed for single databases, make sure to place these databases in their own storage group. Perform the following steps to restore from backup: For SQL In the left pane of the FlashCopy Manager for Microsoft SQL Server MMC, expand the SQL Server and select the database for restore. 2. In the right pane, click on the Restore Databases tab, as shown below. 3. From the List View, select the checkbox for the backup type to restore. 4. Click the Restore button. Provide ample time for the restore operation to complete before using the database. Page 39

40 A successful restore operation should look similar to the following: For more details on the available Restore options, consult the Tivoli Storage FlashCopy Manager for Windows 2.1 Installation and User's Guide. Page 40

41 For Exchange In the left pane of the FlashCopy Manager for Microsoft Exchange Server MMC, expand the Exchange Server and select the storage group for restore. 2. In the right pane, click on the Restore tab, as shown below. 3. From the List View, select the checkbox for the storage group and the corresponding mailbox databases to restore. 4. Click on the Restore button to begin the restore operation. 5. Optionally, a storage group can be restored into a Recovery Storage Group or alternate storage group by selecting the storage group from the List View. Open the Restore Into option. Right-click the target storage group from the List View and finally click Restore Into. Select the target Storage Group location from the menu, and click the OK button to start the restore. Note: The Restore Into feature is only available with Exchange Server 2007 or later. If an existing storage group does not display in the "Restore Into" dialog box, it may mean the correct databases for the storage group have not been created. Create the databases within a storage group before performing a "Restore Into" function. Select the storage group name to restore into from the drop-down list. If restoring into a relocated storage group, choose the storage group with the same name as the one being restored. VSS Restore Options Run Recovery: This option specifies whether to replay just the restored logs or to replay both the restored and current logs. When recovery is not run, the databases are not placed online following the restore procedure. Page 41

42 Select Replay Restored AND Current Logs to replay any transaction log entries appearing in the current active transaction log. This includes both current and restored logs. This is the default value. Note that this option is not supported for VSS Instant Restore. Select Replay Restored Logs ONLY to replay only transactions appearing in the restored transaction logs. Note: This will remove any transaction logs that have occurred AFTER the last backup. Important: After performing any type of restore, a new full backup is highly recommended. Mount Databases After Restore: Select this option to automatically mount databases within the storage group after the recovery completes. If restoring a CCR database, the cluster database is mounted successfully. However, due to a Microsoft Exchange Server 2007 limitation, the database resources are not brought online. Bring the database resources online using the Microsoft Cluster Administrator. See the following Microsoft Knowledge Base article for details regarding this limitation: Disable VSS Instant Restore: Select this option to bypass a volume-level copy and instead use a file-level copy to restore the files from a VSS Backup that resides on local shadow volumes. Bypassing a volume-level copy means the Exchange database files, log files, and the checkpoint file are the only files overwritten on the source volumes. This can result in a longer restore processing time. If this option is not selected, volume level snapshot restore is used for the VSS Backup if the backup exists on volumes that support it. The default value is to use volume level snapshot restore if supported. Mailbox Restore Feature The ability to restore individual mailbox and granular mailbox items is an added feature for Microsoft Exchange Server 2007 using Tivoli FlashCopy Manager for Windows. Tivoli FlashCopy Manager for Windows maintains mailbox location history. For backups taken with prior versions to Data Protection for Exchange 6.1, no mailbox location history is available. When restoring from these prior version backups, if the mailbox to be restored from has been moved or deleted since the time of the backup, the /mailboxoriglocation parameter is necessary. Note: Mailbox restore tracks and stores mailbox location history, which is used to automate mailbox restore operations. This causes a slight delay before each backup. Page 42

43 Mailbox Restore Procedures Mailbox Restore is included in all backups performed with Tivoli FlashCopy Manager for Windows. Perform the following steps for an Individual Mailbox or item level restore: 1. Start the Tivoli FlashCopy Manager for Windows Exchange Server GUI. Important: When running Mailbox Restore, make sure to log on with an account that belongs to the Exchange Organization Administrators Group and has an active Exchange mailbox. During the Mailbox Restore process, this account logs into the mailboxes being restored via the Exchange MAPI and CDO components that were previously installed on the Exchange Server. 2. Click on File > Utilities > Mailbox Restore which brings up the Mailbox Restore dialog box, as shown below. Optionally click on the toolbar Mailbox Restore icon. 3. Select a Mailbox name, and click Add. To find Mailbox names in the list, enter the first few letters of the mailbox-display name in the Mailbox Name field to help locate a particular mailbox. Page 43

44 4. Restore from multiple mailboxes with the same mailbox restore operation by selecting each mailbox to be restored from the Mailbox Name list and click Add. 5. Use the optional Backup Date and Item-Level Mailbox Filters, to narrow down specific items and time frames. By default, it will restore the entire mailbox and use the most recent available backup if these options are not specified. 6. Select the Restore To options that apply. 7. Click Restore to begin the restore operation. Mailbox items are merged into the mailbox destination. If a mailbox item already exists in the mailbox destination, that item will not be restored. How to Query Storage Usage Capacity This section describes how to easily determine the storage space size to assist with license renewal. Perform the following steps: 1. Launch the FlashCopy Manager Management MMC from the Windows Start Menu: o Start All Programs Tivoli FlashCopy Manager FlashCopy Manager Management Console 2. If the Tivoli Storage FlashCopy Manager Local Configuration Wizard appears, click Cancel. 3. In the left pane of the MMC interface, expand Protect and Recover Data. Page 44

45 4. Right click on an Exchange Server name, and select Launch Backup/Restore GUI in the Actions pane. 5. Once the Backup/Restore window is active, click the Utilities pull-down menu and select the Managed Capacity menu item. A dialog box should present the current total managed capacity. Page 45

46 6. To view more details, click the Details button. This completes the How to Query Storage Utilization Capacity section. How to Delete Snapshots New to Tivoli FlashCopy Manager for Windows is the ability to delete outdated snapshots thus freeing storage space. The first example demonstrates deleting a VSS Snapshot on a SQL server. The second example demonstrates deleting a VSS Snapshot on an Exchange server. Note: Only a few examples are shared in this section. Further explanation of syntax and detailed usage can be found in the Tivoli Storage FlashCopy Manager for Windows 2.1 Installation and User's Guide. For SQL In this example, a VSS FULL backup type of the SQL database, XIVSTORE, is deleted. 1. Launch the FlashCopy Manager Management MMC from the Windows Start Menu: o Start All Programs Tivoli FlashCopy Manager FlashCopy Manager Management Console 2. If the Tivoli Storage FlashCopy Manager Local Configuration Wizard appears, click Cancel. 3. In the left pane of the MMC interface, expand Protect and Recover Data. Page 46

47 4. Select a SQL Server, and click Launch Command in the Actions pane to the right. 5. From the command prompt, type DELete BACKup XIVSTORE FULL. 6. As seen above, the XIVSTORE VSS FULL backup type is successfully deleted. Page 47

48 For Exchange In this example, a VSS COPY backup type of an Exchange storage group, First Storage Group, is deleted. 1. Launch the FlashCopy Manager Management MMC from the Windows Start Menu: o Start All Programs Tivoli FlashCopy Manager FlashCopy Manager Management Console 2. If the Tivoli Storage FlashCopy Manager Local Configuration Wizard appears, click Cancel. 3. In the left pane of the MMC interface, expand Protect and Recover Data. 4. Select an Exchange Server, and click Launch Command in the Actions pane to the right. Page 48

49 5. From the command prompt, type DELete BACKup First Storage Group COPY. 6. As seen above, the First Storage Group VSS Copy backup type is successfully deleted. This completes the How to Delete Snapshots section. Conclusion Tivoli FlashCopy Manager for Windows, Microsoft VSS framework, and the IBM XIV Storage System combine to make data protection easy to install, execute and manage in Microsoft SQL and Exchange environments. The installation and configuration which traditionally could take several hours to implement may now be deployed in a fraction of that time. Performing backups using FlashCopy Manager VSS-based snapshots is much more efficient and simple compared to using traditional backup and restore methods. IBM Tivoli Storage FlashCopy Manager provides easy-to-manage backup and recovery of Exchange 2007 and SQL 2008 for medium-to-large sized companies requiring near-line and offline backups. FlashCopy Manager offers faster volume-level hot backups and restores for Exchange and SQL Server when optimally coupled with the IBM XIV. And it s included copy services features. This frees the application servers from the overhead of extensive I/O normally associated with backup & recovery scenarios. IBM XIV s revolutionary self-tuning & healing capabilities and real-time optimization increases both application performance and availability. This, by itself, helps to streamline costs resulting in a lower TCO. If additional operational goals include increasing data availability and protection, this solution is more than capable of meeting those needs without a steep learning curve or lengthy deployment scenario. Using the FCM/XIV solution and following the best practices contained herein will help configure and optimize SQL and Exchange environments for optimal data protection. Page 49