Microsoft SQL Server stream handler
Microsoft SQL stream handler improves Microsoft SQL backup deduplication rate. You can apply the Microsoft SQL Server stream handler to all the Microsoft SQL Server versions and Azure SQL Server.
You can protect the Microsoft SQL database with NetBackup using the following methods:
MS-SQL-Server policy
Use MS-SQL-Server policy type to protect Microsoft SQL database. This policy type is the recommended way to protect the Microsoft SQL database.
In this case, the Microsoft SQL stream handler is enabled automatically. The policy has multiple options including a use of a user-provided batch file and intelligent policy.
Standard policy
Use a standard policy to protect Microsoft SQL dump files.
In this case, the user dumps Microsoft SQL Server to a file and creates a standard policy to back up the dumped file.
You must use cacontrol command to enable the Microsoft SQL stream handler manually.
Following are the cacontrol options that you can use to manage Microsoft SQL Server stream handler:
Table: The cacontrol command options
Option | Description |
|---|---|
cacontrol --sth get <Oracle|MSSQL> <client> <policy> | Get the specified marker entry status. |
cacontrol --sth delete <Oracle|MSSQL> <client> <policy> | Delete the specified marker entry. |
cacontrol --sth update <Oracle|MSSQL> <client> <policy> <enabled|disabled> | Update the specified marker entry status. |
cacontrol --sth getbypolicy <Oracle|MSSQL> <policy> | Get the specified marker entry status for a given policy. |
cacontrol --sth deletebypolicy <Oracle|MSSQL> <policy> | Delete the specified marker entry for a given policy. |
cacontrol --sth updatebypolicy <Oracle|MSSQL> <policy> enabled|disabled | Update the specified marker entry status for a given policy. |
To use the Microsoft SQL Server stream handler
- Enable or disable the stream handler for a policy.
cacontrol --sth updatebypolicy MSSQL <POLICY name> enabled/disabled
- Delete the stream handler settings for a policy (returns to the default behavior). Microsoft SQL stream handler is enabled by default.
cacontrol --sth deletebypolicy MSSQL <POLICY name>
- Query the settings for the stream handler for a policy.
cacontrol --sth getbypolicy MSSQL <POLICY name>
- Enable or disable the stream handler for a policy and a client.
cacontrol --sth update MSSQL <Client name> <POLICY name> enabled/disabled
- Delete the stream handler settings for a policy and a client (returns to the default behavior). Microsoft SQL stream handler is enabled by default.
cacontrol --sth delete MSSQL <Client name> <POLICY name>
- Query the settings for the stream handler for a policy and a client.
cacontrol --sth get MSSQL <Client name><POLICY name>
- Verify that the Microsoft SQL stream handler is enabled or disabled.
On the NetBackup web UI, under the Job Details tab, MSSQL Stream Handler enabled is displayed.
When Client Direct setting is enabled, the Microsoft SQL stream handler is not used even if the MS-SQL-Server policy type is used. The pdplugin does not know the policy type when it runs on the client side.
To enable the stream handler, use the cacontrol command to enable the Microsoft SQL stream handler for the policy or the client and policy.
Do not enable the NetBackup compression settings when the storage type is MSDP. This setting causes deduplication loss even if the Microsoft SQL stream handler is enabled or disabled.
The Microsoft SQL compression setting is provided by Microsoft SQL Server. It compresses the SQL data. When Microsoft SQL native compression is enabled, the deduplication rate may drop.
Microsoft SQL stream handler works well with the Microsoft SQL Server Transparent Data Encryption (TDE). Microsoft SQL TDE only encrypts the SQL data and the SQL page structure does not change. The deduplication is not lost when the Microsoft SQL Server TDE is enabled.