About SQL attachability
The SQL attachability feature lets the Rapid Recovery Core attach SQL master database files (.MDF files) and log database files (.LDF files) to a snapshot of a protected SQL Server. The snapshot is captured using a local instance of Microsoft SQL Server.
Issues relevant for Rapid Recovery users protecting SQL Server machines include which instance of SQL Server performs attachability, and the method of performing SQL attachability (on demand, or as part of nightly jobs).
The attachability check lets the Core verify the consistency of the SQL databases and ensures that all MDF and LDF files are available in the backup snapshot.
Attachability checks can be run on demand for specific recovery points, or as part of a nightly job.
To perform the SQL attachability check on demand, see Forcing a SQL Server attachability check. To perform SQL attachability once daily, at the time specified for your nightly job operations, enable the option Check attachability for SQL databases in nightly jobs. For more information about setting nightly jobs for the Core, see Configuring nightly jobs for the Core. For more information about setting nightly jobs for a specific machine (in this case, a protected SQL Server), see Customizing nightly jobs for a protected machine.
In previous versions, SQL attachability required a local instance of Microsoft SQL Server to be installed and configured on the Core machine. Rapid Recovery Core now lets you choose to perform the attachability check from a SQL Server instance on the Core, or from a SQL Server instance on a protected SQL Server machine. The instance you select must be a fully licensed version of SQL Server, procured from Microsoft or through a licensed reseller. Microsoft does not allow the use of passive SQL licenses.
Whichever SQL Server instance you specify is then used for all attachability checks. Attachability is synchronized between Core settings and nightly jobs. For example, if you specify using the Core instance of SQL Server for nightly jobs, on-demand attachability checks then also use the Core. Conversely, if you specify using a SQL Server instance on a specific protected machine, all on-demand and nightly attachability checks then use the local instance on the protected machine.
Select the SQL Server instance to use as part of global Core settings. For more information, see Managing Core SQL attachability settings.
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NOTE: Performing the attachability check from a protected SQL Server machine requires the Rapid Recovery Agent software to be installed on that server. Agentless protection is not supported for SQL attachability. |
Attachability in Rapid Recovery Core supports SQL Server 2008, 2008 R2, 2012, and 2014. The account used to perform the test must be granted the sysadmin role on the SQL Server instance.
The SQL Server on-disk storage format is the same in both 64-bit and 32-bit environments and attachability works across both versions. A database that is detached from a server instance that is running in one environment can be attached on a server instance that runs in another environment.
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NOTE: The version of SQL Server on the Core must be equal to or newer than the SQL Server version on all of the protected machines with SQL Server installed. |
Forcing a SQL Server attachability check
In order to force an attachability check, a SQL database must be present on a protected volume. If Rapid Recovery does not detect the presence of a database, the attachability check function does not appear in the Core Console.
Complete the steps in this procedure to force the system to perform an attachability check for a specific SQL server recovery point.
- In the left navigation area of the Rapid Recovery Core Console, select the protected SQL Server machine for which you want to force the attachability check, and then click the Recovery Points menu.
- Scroll down to the Recovery Points pane.
- Navigate through the recovery points to find the desired recovery point. Optionally, click the
arrow to the right of a recovery point in the list to expand the view.
In the expanded recovery point information, you can see volumes included in the recovery point. - In the Recovery Points pane, from the row representing the correct recovery point, click
, and from the drop-down menu, select Force Attachability Check.
- In the resulting dialog box, click to confirm that you want to force an attachability check.
The dialog box closes. The system performs the attachability check.
For instructions on how to view the status of the attachability check, see Viewing events using tasks, alerts, and journal pages.
Managing protected machines
This section describes how to view, configure and manage the protected machines in your Rapid Recovery environment.
Topics include:
About managing protected machines
You can manage protected machines from the Rapid Recovery Core Console, including the following tasks:
- You can view protected machines in the Rapid Recovery Core Console using options described in the topic Viewing protected machines.
- You can configure settings for a particular machine, which supersede Core default settings. Some configuration tasks include changing hypervisor host or VM settings, accessing system information, modifying transfer settings, customizing nightly jobs, or configuring notifications for events. For more information, see Configuring machine settings.
- You can remove a machine or cluster from protection, view license information for a protected machine, or diagnose problems by viewing the log file for a protected machine. For more information on these and other tasks, see Managing machines.
- You can view and manage data saved in the Core. For more information, see Managing snapshots and recovery points.