Seems to be having a few problems trying to restore sql databses using arcserve 11.5.

I'm doing a DR restore so its just a fresh install of windows server 2003 so no databases are currently installed. Then doing the usually dr restore from backup. (c: d: systems state) Now question. As theirs no sql databases installed I take it I just want to restore the sql using the "files and filegroups" option as using the databse restore option it would try to connect to a sql databses that isnt there?

Cheers

Normally, a live database won't be backed up by a standard file level backup because the database will be locked by the database engine. The usual ways to backup a database are:

1) Buy the appropriate module for your backup software to do a live dump. It sounds like you may be doing this? In this case you would need to do a "database restore" back to the database server.

2) Perform a backup to disk with the database application itself and then do a file level backup with Arcserve. In this case you would be doing a file level restore, which you would then import back into your database.

Either way, you are going to have to reinstall your database engine.

DISCLAIMER: I have never used Arcserve, I'm just going on my general knowledge of how such things work. Good luck!

Oh, I have come across people who do backups by shutting down the database engine and then doing a file level backup. It works I suppose, but it's a horrible solution!

It works I suppose, but it's a horrible solution!

Agree.

Is their away of doing it with having to install the database engine?

Trying to restore backups of SQL that were taken either hot or cold, without using some kind of interface module, rarely works in my experience.

If your backup software doesn't link into Microsoft's backup API, you're on a hiding to nothing. (I can't remember what Arcserve's module is called -haven't used it for years, but that's the way that the half dozen or so other backup products that I use work.)

Phil

Forgopt to add. Arcesever has a sql backup agent.

My plan of attack would be fresh install of SQL Server (or whatever it is) - same version and patch level as before - and then restore the databases through the Arcserve SQL agent.

As above, backups can be done through backup software (with relevent scripts/database module installed - the database agents are where most backup vendors make their money!)

*or*

via a SQL maintanence plan, which is a scheduled task in the enterprise manager that will backup the db and transaction logs to a .bak file

From personal experience with Netbackup/backup-exec, restoring SQL through the agent is NOT easy and requires a little bit of scripting.. funnily enough im actually on a small-scale offsite DR trial this week and have been getting rather stressed trying to restore servers "in a timely manner" - the SQL boxes being a particular pain.

so in a nutshell, it depends if your original SQL db's are being backed up correctly at all, either via the agent, or maintainence plan, from the way your saying it, this may not be the case??

We backup our sql database using a maintenance plan, and also use arcserve with sql agent installed to perform a hot backup. The last DR test I did, I cheated a bit and used an old NT backup to restore the OS, SQL and the database files. NTBACKUP seems to be able to backup these files even though they are open, and then restored from the maintenance plan backup using enterprise manager.

Hello. I know nothing about these things, but this site is very good. You have to register, but it's free. Just beware that you'll get bombarded with email updates, though can easily unsubscribe.

Welcome to SQL Server Central

Regards

Mo

I love Offsite DR days now.

Not done much with SQL in the past so its all abit new. Current situation is we use the Arcserve sql agents to backup the SQL db while their live.

Problems I'm having at the moment is restoring the WSUS database. I can restore everything except the Master side of the db. Get an error in arcserve saying the sql server needs to be run in single user mode.

I'm an SQL newbie