Microsoft Data Protection Manager (DPM) is a powerful server software application that provides disk-based data protection and recovery for file servers in an Active Directory domain. With DPM, SQL Server DBAs, system administrators, and users can have more granular control over their recovery time objective (RTO) and recovery point objective (RPO) for selected SQL Server databases.
DPM offers several benefits for SQL Server DBAs:
- Continuous Data Protection: DPM uses a combination of transaction log replication and block-level synchronization to ensure the ability to recover SQL Server databases.
- Lossless Restores: DPM can automatically reapply surviving logs from the production server to the last committed transaction, providing a complete and consistent recovery of SQL Server data.
- Superior Application Integration: DPM seamlessly integrates with Exchange Server, SharePoint, and SQL Server, providing reliable protection and rapid recovery for these applications.
- Rapid Recovery: Databases can be recovered back to the active SQL Server with no additional work for the SQL administrator, improving recovery time and reducing the number of people needed during a crisis recovery.
- Unified Protection Policies: DPM allows for the creation of unified protection policies across different data types, ensuring consistent and efficient backup processes.
To protect SQL Servers with DPM, there are a few important factors to consider:
- DPM server and all SQL Servers (2000 & 2005) should be members of the same domain or domains with cross trust.
- DPM uses Volume Shadow Copy Service (VSS) to maintain a centralized version of the database backup.
- DPM supports various storage options, including Direct Attach Storage (DAS), Storage Area Network (SAN), and iSCSI.
- SQL Server databases can be restored to the original server or to an alternate database, allowing both versions of the data to be accessed independently but concurrently.
It is also important to set up alerts for SQL Server jobs scheduled for individual databases to notify the SQL DBA if the DPM process fails. DPM performs consistency checks to ensure that the backup files on the DPM storage and on the local SQL Server are consistent.
Microsoft DPM has been tested successfully in labs with a single DPM server protecting 30 servers with 6 terabytes (TB) of data. However, the capacity of DPM can vary depending on server configuration, network bandwidth, and data profile.
Overall, Microsoft Data Protection Manager provides SQL Server DBAs with a reliable and efficient solution for data protection and recovery. By leveraging continuous data protection, lossless restores, and seamless integration with SQL Server, DPM helps ensure business continuity and minimize downtime in case of data loss or system failures.
For more information, you can refer to the following resources:
By implementing Microsoft Data Protection Manager for SQL Server, you can enhance your data protection strategy and ensure the availability and integrity of your critical SQL Server databases.