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Using DpmBackup to Create Backup Shadow Copies

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Published : September 27, 2005

Use DpmBackup to prepare files for backup when using non-VSS-enabled backup software. DpmBackup is a command-line tool included with DPM that performs the following tasks:

  • Creates and mounts backup shadow copies of each replica volume on the DPM server.

  • Creates database backups of the DPM database (DPMDB.mdf) and the Report database (ReportServer.mdf).

DPM creates a mount point of the backup shadow copies of the replicas on the DPM server in the folder Program Files\Microsoft Data Protection Manager\DPM\Volumes\ShadowCopy\. The backup shadow copies of the replicas are organized by file server.

You can configure either your tape backup program or Windows Scheduler to run DpmBackup before the tape backup program runs. The amount of time that DpmBackup requires to create the backup shadow copies and database backups depends on factors such as disk and database activity, but as a guideline, you can expect the tool to take approximately two minutes per replica volume to complete the operation.

The DpmBackup.exe program is stored on the DPM server in the folder Program Files\Microsoft Data Protection Manager\DPM\bin. DpmBackup requires Administrator or Backup Operator rights on the DPM server.

The backup shadow copies created by DpmBackup are read-only copies of the replica volumes, and can be archived as you would archive a file system. Because the backup shadow copies of the replicas are mounted, you must configure your tape backup software to traverse mount points.

For information on troubleshooting DpmBackup, see the “Troubleshooting” chapter (https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=46369), later in this guide.

You must back up the database and transaction log files for both the DPM database and the Report database. The following procedures provide general instructions for archiving DPM databases and replicas when using backup software that does not support DPM or VSS. For instructions about using the backup software, see the documentation for the backup software.

To back up databases by using backup software that does not support either DPM or VSS

  1. Run the DpmBackup tool.

    You can run the tool manually, or configure your backup program to run it automatically.

  2. In the console tree of the backup program, browse to \Program Files\Microsoft Data Protection Manager\DPM\Volumes\ShadowCopy\Database Backups. The file name of the DPM database backup is DPMDB.bak. The default file name of the Report database backup is ReportServer.bak.

  3. Select the media to which you want to back up the databases.

  4. Start the backup.

To back up replicas by using backup software that does not support DPM or VSS

  1. Run the DpmBackup tool. You can run the tool manually, or configure your backup program to run it automatically.

  2. In the console tree of the backup program, browse to \Program Files\Microsoft Data Protection Manager\DPM\Volumes\ShadowCopy\. The backup shadow copies of the replicas are organized by file server.

  3. Select the shadow copies that you want to back up.

  4. Select the backup type.

  5. Select the media to which you want to back up the files.

  6. Start the backup.