any problems with sqla being backed up by image backup systems?

[Former Member]

Hi.  We have a customer running SQLA 10 who wants to backup the entire SQLA 10 database server with either a VMware or Symantec image backup.  Does anyone see a problem with this type of backup being performed on a server, with dbsrv10 serving the database file?  In the case of VMware, the customer said that VMware pauses the entire server while the image is made.  We will be taking a separate file-by-file type backup of the backup files created from the SQLA10 engine.

Thanks,

Doug

[Former Member]

Thank you Paul and Reg,

The sqlany link is not working and the sap link needs a sales login.

Here are my main concerns/questions...

Might an image backup damage a SQLA database?

Does a file-by-file backup of live, being served, SQLA database files (db and log) have the potential to damage the SQLA database?

Has anyone heard of instances where backing up (or attempting to backup) a live SQLA database has resulted in damage to the database?

Should the backup of live SQLA database files be prohibited from being performed by any software, other than the SQLA engine, itself?

Thank you,

Doug

[regdomaratzki]

If you attempt to backup a running SQL Anywhere database file using any method other than our dbbackup utility, you are almost guaranteed to end up with a backed up copy of the database that is corrupt and unusable.

If whatever backup tool you are using to back up the live database in any way prevents write access to the database file or database log, there is a chance that the database engine will assert and shut down.  The engine should be able to recover the database when it starts up next time, but you will lose all uncommitted transactions that were active when the database shuts down.

Given that the backed up copy of a live SQL Anywhere database/log is likely to be useless anyway, I would not suggest letting any other third-party product attempt to back up a running SQL Anywhere database.

Reg

PS: Your access issues to the links are probably temporary.

[regdomaratzki]

Short Answer : Yes.

Long Answer : Follow Paul's link, and the links that Jeff Albion posted in the link that Paul posted.

Reg

[Former Member]

Hi Doug,

I asked something similar a while ago. http://scn.sap.com/thread/3697789 might help.

Paul