Notes & articles

Installing SQL Backup server components on clusters

This article applies to SQL Backup Pro version 5 and 6.

You can install SQL Backup Pro on all SQL Server instances (nodes) in a cluster at the same time. If you have a SQL Backup Pro multi-server license, you can then activate SQL Backup on all of the nodes.

Note that if you are using SQL Backup with clustered SQL Servers, you are strongly recommended to save backup files on a shared drive within the cluster. This ensures that the backups are available in the event of failure of one of the clustered SQL Servers.

When you install SQL Backup on a cluster, the SQL Backup Agent Service application is clustered so that it can run backup and restore operations on whichever cluster node is active. In addition, the following SQL Backup registry keys are replicated:

• BackupSettingsGlobal\<instance name>
• BackupSettings\<instance name>

These registry keys contain details of saved SQL Server settings, templates, and other resources that are specific to SQL Backup. Note that SQL Backup scheduled backup jobs and log shipping jobs are replicated by the SQL Server instance.

Prerequisites

Before you install the SQL Backup server components for the first time, consider the following:

• On which clustered instance do you want to install the components?
• Do you want to use the Windows® authentication of the account, or a separate SQL Server authentication?
• Do you want to install the server components manually using the standalone program SQBServerSetup.exe, or using the SQL Backup graphical user interface?

  To install the server components manually, you must run SQBServerSetup.exe from one of the clustered machines on which the components will be installed. When you install manually, more information is provided if a problem occurs (particularly for post-installation checks).

  If you want to install the server components remotely, you must use the graphical user interface.

For the installation, you will need to know:

• the account name and password of the administrator for all cluster nodes
• the account name and password that the SQL Backup Agent Service application will run as; you are recommended to use a domain account rather than a local or built-in account

Upgrading from a previous release

If you are upgrading from a previous release of the SQL Backup server components to SQL Backup 6, prior to installation you must do the following:

• Ensure that no existing SQL Server Agent jobs involving SQL Backup tasks are running, and none will execute during the installation process.
• Ensure that no backup processes that use SQL Backup are running, and none will start during the installation process.
• Ensure that you have uninstalled SQL Backup version 4.x installed on any of the servers.

Installing manually using SQBSetup.exe

To install SQL Backup manually, copy SQBServerSetup.exe to the active node on the cluster, and run the program.

1. Welcome page

The following page is displayed:

You can cancel the installation at any time prior to the files being copied by clicking Cancel. The following dialog box will be displayed. Click Yes to cancel the installation; no files will be installed or upgraded.

2. Selecting instances

When you click Next on the Welcome page, a list of available instances is displayed. The list contains instances local to the computer from which you are running the setup program, and clustered instances for the SQL Server cluster that the computer is participating in.

The information in the lower pane indicates which architecture the SQL Server instance is using: 32-bit, 64-bit, or Itanium. For example, a SQL Server 2000 instance running on a 64-bit computer is listed as using 32-bit architecture because the SQL Server instance runs in 32-bit mode.

If you are upgrading the components to the same major version of SQL Backup (for example, from version 5.1 to 5.2), SQL Backup remembers the previous settings and takes you straight to the Ready to Install page of the wizard when you click Next (see 7. Installation location).

3. Cluster installation options

The Setup wizard detects that the SQL Server is part of a cluster, and provides the option to install SQL Backup on all the cluster nodes. If the check box is cleared, the server components are not installed as a clustered resource and you must configure the cluster manually. You are recommended to select the check box and let the installer configure the server components as a clustered resource for you.

You must then enter the account name and password for a user that is an administrator on all nodes on the cluster (a 'cluster' administrator)

The Setup wizard also provides the option to automatically fail over to another cluster node if the SQL Backup Agent Service cannot be started. You are recommended to clear this check box if you do not want all the resources in the group to failover.

Cluster nodes lists all computers that are participating in the clustered SQL Server instance. In this example, there are two nodes: SQLCLUSTER1 and SQLCLUSTER2.

When you click Next, the account name and password is checked on all the cluster nodes. If any of the nodes cannot be correctly authenticated, an error message is displayed. In the example below, the authentication information was valid for SQLCLUSTER1 but not for SQLCLUSTER2.

4. SQL Backup Agent Service application credentials

For any new installation, the installer requires information about which account the SQL Backup Agent Service application will run as. The SQL Backup Agent performs SQL Backup backup and restore operations, maintains the SQL Backup activity history, and communicates information to the SQL Backup graphical user interface.

A Built-in account can be any account from those listed in the wizard. By default, this is Local System, but it can also be Local Service or Network Service.

For a clustered installation, you are recommended to use a domain account rather than a built-in account; select This account and enter the credentials. The Setup wizard checks that:

• The account name and password are correct.
• The account has sufficient permissions to run as a service, including the Log on as a service permission. If this permission has not been granted, the SQL Backup installer will attempt to grant the permission.

If the credentials are not valid, an error message is displayed:

5. SQL Server authentication mode

For any new installation, the SQL Backup Agent Service application needs to know whether to connect using the Windows authentication of the account it runs as, or to use a separate SQL Server authenticated account.

You can check the authentication details that you have entered by clicking Test. The Setup wizard tests that the account has sufficient SQL Server permissions (the SQL Backup Agent Service application requires sysadmin privileges). If it has sufficient permissions, the following message is displayed.

If any other message is displayed, the credentials you have entered are incorrect, or the account does not have sysadmin privileges.

6. Data store location

SQL Backup stores data about backup and restore operations in a SQL Server Compact database. This information includes error and warning messages and various statistics such as compression details.

Enter a location on a shared disk that is accessible by all nodes in the cluster.

7. Installation location

A summary is displayed, showing the location in which the server components will be installed. This is usually the default location in Program Files.

This is the last point at which you can cancel the installation. When you click Install, the Setup wizard will install or upgrade the SQL Backup server components.

8. Installation progress

The progress of the installation is displayed.

The installer performs the following tasks:

1. If the SQL Backup Agent Service application is currently running, it is taken offline. Any backup or restore operations that are in progress are stopped.
2. The server components are installed to the specified location on disk.
3. Registry settings for the SQL Backup Agent Service application are generated. These can be modified later using the SQL Backup graphical user interface.
4. The SQL Backup Agent Service application is created with the supplied credentials.
5. For the cluster:
   • The installer is copied to the same location on each of the computers in the cluster in turn. The SQL Backup server components are installed with the same settings as the current computer.
   • The service is registered with the Cluster Administrator, and the registry keys are added to the clustered resource so that they will be copied between computers in the cluster and are always available to SQL Backup.
6. Finally, the installer attempts to start the service.

If there are any problems during installation (such as the service failing to start), a warning message is displayed to inform you of the problem. For example:

9. Installation summary

When the installation has completed, the completion page is displayed.

The server components should now be correctly installed on the cluster.

If any warnings were displayed during the installation (in stage 8), you can resolve them now by following the instructions in the message.

Installing using the SQL Backup graphical user interface

This section describes how you install SQL Backup server components on the nodes in a cluster from within the SQL Backup graphical user interface.

1. Registering the clustered SQL Server instance

Register the clustered SQL Server instance using the alias for the clustered SQL Server instance in the Add SQL Server dialog box (accessed from the File menu). Click the Options tab and specify the alias for the clustered SQL Server instance.

The Add SQL Server dialog box provides the option to automatically launch the installation wizard for the server components. If you do not want to install the server components right away, clear the check box.

2. Cluster installation options

When the server has been registered, the Setup wizard is launched. If you chose not to install the server components, in the Registered SQL Servers pane, right-click on the SQL Server instance, and then click Install or Upgrade Server Components to launch the Setup wizard.

The Setup wizard detects that the SQL Server instance is clustered, and provides the option to install SQL Backup on all the cluster nodes.

If the check box is cleared, the server components are not installed as a clustered resource and you must configure the cluster manually. You are recommended to select the check box and let the installer configure the server components as a clustered resource for you.

The cluster administrator credentials you enter must be valid on all nodes in the cluster, and the account must have sufficient permissions on all nodes. Note that the account credentials are not validated until the installation is attempted; therefore, it is important to ensure that you enter the details correctly.

The Setup wizard also provides the option to automatically fail over to another cluster node if the SQL Backup Agent Service cannot be started. You are recommended to clear this check box if you do not want all the resources in the group to failover.

3. SQL Backup Agent Service application credentials

For any new installation, the installer requires information about which account the SQL Backup Agent Service application will run as. The SQL Backup Agent performs SQL Backup backup and restore operations, maintains the SQL Backup activity history, and communicates information to the SQL Backup graphical user interface.

A Built-in account can be any account from those listed in the wizard. By default, this is Local System, but it can also be Local Service or Network Service.

For a clustered installation, you are recommended to use a domain account rather than a built-in account; select This account and enter the credentials.

4. SQL Server authentication mode

For any new installation, the SQL Backup Agent Service application needs to know whether to connect using the Windows authentication of the account it runs as, or to use a separate SQL Server authenticated account.

You can check the authentication details that you have entered by clicking Test. The Setup wizard tests that the account has sufficient SQL Server permissions (the SQL Backup Agent Service application requires sysadmin privileges). If it has sufficient permissions, the following message is displayed.

If any other message is displayed, the credentials you have entered are incorrect, or the account does not have sysadmin privileges.

Click Finish to start the installation.

5. Installation progress

The progress of the installation is displayed. You can click Hide to minimize the dialog box.

The installer performs the following tasks:

1. Copies the installer to the same location on each of the computers in the cluster in turn.

   The SQL Backup server components are installed with the same settings as the current computer.

2. Registers the service with the Cluster Administrator, and adds the registry keys to the clustered resource so that they will be copied between computers in the cluster and are always available to SQL Backup.
3. Checks that the SQL Backup server components have been installed correctly.
4. Deletes the SQBServerSetup.exe file from each cluster node.

If any of the tasks fail, a cross is displayed in the column to the left of the task, and the Status column displays Failed. To see more information about the failure, click the task.

You can attempt the installation again by clicking Retry. If the installation still does not complete successfully, you may wish to attempt a manual installation; instructions are available for Windows Server 2003, and Windows Server 2008.

When you have completed the installation, click Close.

Activating on clusters and multiple SQL Servers

To activate SQL Backup on a cluster, you must have a multi-server license key. You can review your serial numbers at http://www.red-gate.com/myserialnumbers

To activate the cluster, use the program ProductActivation.exe (rather than the SQL Backup graphical user interface) to launch the Product Activation wizard. This is installed in your SQL Backup folder, or you can start the program by selecting Multi-Server/Cluster Activation Wizard from the SQL Backup Tools > Utilities menu (SQL Backup 6).

When the Activation wizard detects that the local server is clustered, it offers you the option to activate all the nodes in the cluster.

Click All nodes on cluster if you want SQL Backup to run the activation on all the nodes automatically; the nodes detected by SQL Backup will be listed in the next page of the wizard. Click Multiple Servers if you want to specify the servers in the cluster manually, or if you are activating multiple servers that are not in a cluster; you must then type the name of each server on the next page of the wizard.

You must enter the credentials of a user with administration rights on all the servers that you are activating. Only the user name and password is taken into account.

If you choose to activate by email, for each server in the cluster you must copy the activation text provided and send it in a separate email to the activation server. You will receive a separate response for each server; paste each response into the appropriate tab in the wizard.

The final page of the wizard displays the final status of activation on all of the servers. If activation has failed on any servers, click Finish to close the Activation wizard, and repeat the activation for those servers.