The PowerProtect agent service is a REST API-based service, and the application agent installs this service on the application host. The agent service provides services and APIs for discovery, protection, restore, instant access, and other related operations. The Data Manager uses the agent service to provide integrated data protection for the application assets. The PowerProtect agent service provides important functionality for the application agent operations with the Data Manager. The PowerProtect agent service performs the following operations:
- Add-on detection: An add-on integrates the application agent into the agent service. The agent service automatically detects the add-ons on the system for each application asset type and notifies the PowerProtect Data Manager. While multiple add-ons can operate with different asset types, only one agent service runs on the application host. Specific asset types can co-exist on the same application host.
- Discovery: The agent service discovers both stand-alone and clustered database servers (application systems), databases and file systems (assets), and their backup copies on the application agent host. After the initial discovery, when the agent service discovers any new application systems, assets, or copies, the agent service notifies the Data Manager.
- Self-service configuration: The agent service can configure the application agent for self-service operations by using information that is provided by the Data Manager. When you add an asset to a protection policy for self-service or centralized protection, the Data Manager automatically pushes the protection configuration to the agents. The Data Manager also performs this action if you modify the protection policy, including changing the DD Boost credentials.
- Centralized backups: The agent service performs the centralized backups as requested by the Data Manager.
- Centralized restores: The agent service performs the centralized restores as requested by the Data Manager.