SQL backup strategy

[C_Moisan]

Hi guys. I would like to know what is your backup strategy for SQL. Our DBAs are thinking about changing it and I might be tasked with making lots of changes in our schedules and it would involve a lot of work. Here's how we're setup right now. For EACH SQL server, I have several policies consisting of trunclogs + full of system DBs, weekly full backup and monthly full backup.

Can any of you give me an example of a strategy? Do you guys think it could be thightened up a bit by merging several policies into one? I thought about having one policy with several backup selections consisting of individual scripts on the servers but I don't know what would happen since there would also be several clients...

Also, if someone has a bright idea and knows how to change the schedule on several policies at once, that would be great :)

Thanks!

Chris

[Will_Restore]

We generally have separate full, differential and t-log polices for each client.  It's a bit to set up and maintain though it is much more flexible.

[BTLOMS]

Two ways:

1. Do regular SQL native backups. Dump it on to a shared drive. Netbackup does server backup and picks up these SQL backups too as regular file backups (most DBAs like this)

2. Use the Netbackup SQL client. Full backups every alternate day after 2 AM. Incrementals every day.

[C_Moisan]

Thanks for your answers but I'm still at square one with that. Option 1 just transfers the work to the DBAs and is much less reliable too. As for number 2, we have something similar already but for each separate server. That's the main problem. The DBAs would like all schedules to be the same, hence the need to put that all in one schedule with all the servers in it. I now understand that it might not be something possible...

[BTLOMS]

You have to seperate Full , Diff and t-log in different policies. I have not found a way to have all three scripts in one policy and have netbackup pick up the right one.

[C_Moisan]

That I don't mind, it's just that I have to have policy Trunclog_server1, Trunclog_server2, trunclog_server3 and so on. I can't put all the scripts and servers in just one huge policy.

[BTLOMS]

Perhaps Symantec can change the setup type for SQL policies , so that we can setup multiple script.BCH files in one policy. We could define the script in the Schedule Window rather than in the Backup Selections.

[BTLOMS]

We have one policy for trunc log, with 14 servers in it.

Same for Database.

[BTLOMS]

You dont need to create a policy for each server. You only need for each backup type.

[C_Moisan]

Here's an example of a script that is made for a specific instance:

OPERATION BACKUP
DATABASE $ALL
exclude "master"
exclude "msdb"
exclude "BI_SSP_Data"
exclude "BI_SSPSearch"
exclude "IUM_SSP_Data"
exclude "IUM_SSPSearch"
exclude "WSS_Sharepoint_Search"
SQLHOST "SDEVL04-SA008"
SQLINSTANCE "SA008"
NBSERVER "CHOPIN"
MAXTRANSFERSIZE 3
BLOCKSIZE 7
POLICY SQL_trunclog_Montreal
OBJECTTYPE TRXLOG
ENDOPER TRUE

As you can see, the host is specific as is the instance. The script is name SA008_trunclog.bch. If I was to have everything in one big policy, I'm not sure how it would work... Would NB be able to undersntand that this script would be run on SDEVL04-SA008 only?