Data Manager provides flexibility to protect the Microsoft SQL database using the methods below. Data Manager supports the following data paths for Microsoft SQL database protection:

• Centralized protection using Application Direct data path
• Self-service protection using Application Direct data path
• Centralized virtual machine application-aware using VM proxy data path

Centralized protection policy: When the admin creates a protection policy for Microsoft SQL database, the centralized protection option enables Data Manager to centrally manage the entire life cycle of data protection operations for Microsoft SQL database.

Self-service protection policy: When the admin creates a protection policy for Microsoft SQL database, the self-service protection option enables the data owner to perform the manual backup operation from the command line interface.

Data Manager prepares the environment to accommodate the manual backup operation, such as:

• Creating a user with password for data protection storage
• Creating a storage unit
• Enforcing the backup data retention

The following data protection attributes are specified when the self-service protection policy is created: Application Type, Purpose, Assets, Schedule, and SLA

Note: Only the retention period can be specified in the schedule attribute in the self-service protection policy.

Centralized virtual machine application-aware using VM proxy data path: If the Microsoft SQL Server is running in a ESXi virtual machine, the application-aware option enables Data Manager to interact with the Microsoft SQL Server virtual machine and install the Microsoft application agent for an application-consistent backup of Microsoft SQL database.

The Microsoft application agent is a component of the vProxy data protection solution that is bundled with the vProxy appliance. The vProxy automatically deploys the agent during a virtual machine application-aware backup and, if required, when restoring Microsoft SQL databases and SQL instance backups to running virtual machines.

After installation, the Microsoft application agent package appears in the Windows installer Add-Remove programs list.

The Microsoft application agent allows for advanced application data protection of workloads residing on a VMware ESXi server. This includes adding SQL virtual machines to an advanced application-consistent protection policy to perform the following operations:

• SQL Server FULL backup: Configure protection policy with the application-aware option to perform SQL Server backup to DD series appliance as part of a VMware image-level backup. The SQL Server FULL backup is performed during the in-guest quiesce by VMware Tools. After running the policy, the catalog and index information for the SQL server backup is stored on the DD series appliance. When the backup is performed as part of the VMware image-level backup, the SQL data files are backed up as part of the VMDKs during the vProxy image backup.
• Transaction log backup: When configuring protection policy with the application-aware option, set an interval for transaction log backup to enable transaction log backups for SQL instances running in the virtual machine and specify the frequency of backups. Backups are written directly to DD series appliance. Transaction log backup is only performed for databases in the proper state, otherwise databases are skipped.

Note: The application-aware backup option requires vSphere version 6.5 or 6.7 and VMware tools version 10.1 or later. Selecting the application-aware type of backup Microsoft SQL virtual machine also enables the recovery of Microsoft SQL databases by using the SSMS.

To add an application-aware protection policy, select the Virtual Machine type, and then select Application Aware and provide the Microsoft SQL Server login credentials as shown above.