Hotfix installation restarting SQL Server?

[Wolfgang_Kutsch]

Good morning!

I still don't believe what I am seeing, so I would appreciate any comments from others (and hopefully from Symantec as well...):
Is it possible that Backup Exec (11d) restarts the SQL Server that holds its configuration database during each Hotfix-Setup?

I don't see the point in doing that at all, as restarting the SQL Server service normally doesn't help with DB access, but the much worse point is: My BE Database resides on a huge database cluster. Every time I have to install a hotfix all applications that rely on that cluster go down due to the restart.

Is this just coincidence or am I really right with that assumption?

Rick

[steve_burkett]

No you are completely correct. Some of the hotfixes will shutdown the Backup Exec services (which is ok) but also shutdown the SQL Server service as well. Why, I have no idea. This seems absolutely stupid to me, and would like to know what they are doing that requires killing the whole SQL server.

At the very least they should have a big warning before it starts installation that its going to shutdown your SQL Server services.

This has always been a problem with Backup Exec, it makes it difficult to do upgrades from version 10 to 10d and now to 11d during office hours.

[Wolfgang_Kutsch]

Nice to know that I am not the only one having a problem with that... I hope someone from Symantec gives us a statement to this...

[DanielBickford]

This behavior is an unfortunate requirement to ensure the consistency in the database when schema changes are made by a hotfix.
We have made improvements over the last two releases to make this situation better (we now only stop the BE instance, where we used to take down all instances).
We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.
If you would like to submit a formal request to have this behavior changed in the future, go to http://enhancement.symantec.com
Thank you for the feedback.
Daniel

[steve_burkett]

Thanks for the reply Daniel. Have made another enhancement request on this.

Just noticed this Support Doc on the Symantec site:

http://support.veritas.com/docs/287833
SQL services are stopped during the application of Backup Exec patches or upgrades.

Details:

When installing a Backup Exec patch or upgrade, it is normal for SQL services to stop running. This occurs because it is necessary to clear out all connections to the database, so that the database can be successfully detached and attached.

This behavior should be taken into consideration before installing a patch or upgrade, especially if the Backup Exec Database is installed into an existing SQL instance.

The product is working as designed.

Still seems ugly, and I don't know of any other products that we use that require detaching and attaching of DB's to hotfix them, and certainly none that require the whole SQL Service be shut down.

[Wolfgang_Kutsch]

Agreed, I also don't know any prodcut that does this. Hopefully this will change some time soon...

Rick

[Ortho_Lawton]

Yes, it's very annoying. I've never know another product that stops SQL to install a patch :(

Also have you noticed it's happy to stop SQL and the SQL Agent, but when it's finished it doesn't re-start the SQL agent service

[Jon_Ziminsky]

I found this out the hard way. Would be nice of them to at least put a warning somewhere besides deep in a dark corner.

Really sucks to have hundreds of users disconnected in the middle of the day. Maybe Symantec will pay me to track down all the data that was corrupted in my other databases, just to make sure theirs was not.

The longer i run 11d, the more i wish i would never have paid for the upgrade(term used losley) from 10d.

[steve_burkett]

Please take the time to make a enhancement request using the link Daniel gave in his post. If enough of us complain it might force them to review.

[DanielBickford]

Thank you Steve, That is mostly correct. The enhancement site is one of the sources of data that helps us decide where to take the product next and how to prioritize all of the needs and wants.
We recognize this behavior is not desirable, and we are investigating alternatives.
We always have to balance features, fixes, and enhancements, and your feedback helps us do that.
Thanks to everyone on this thread for the constructive feedback.
-Daniel