PowerStore snapshots are a fast, space efficient way to create backup copies of SQL Server databases, but they are only crash consistent. Dell AppSync is the recommended method of creating snapshot copies of SQL Server databases. AppSync leverages the Microsoft Volume Shadow Copy Service (VSS) to create application consistent and fully aware snapshots of SQL Server databases.

AppSync provides even greater value in PowerStore metro node environments. In a metro node environment, the metro node appliance is registered with AppSync, and AppSync discovers the arrays behind it and performs the same snapshot orchestration operations through the metro node appliance. This saves several steps in the manual snapshot process of not only creating the snapshot but also presenting the volumes to metro node, and then presenting metro node virtual volumes to the host.

When using AppSync with or without metro node, SQL Server database protection and repurposing is the same simplified experience. All the details of storage snapshots and volume presentation are automated by AppSync.

Detailed information about PowerStore and AppSync can be found in the Dell PowerStore: AppSync paper.