The software detects if Microsoft SQL Server 2005 or newer is installed on the computer you are protecting. If so, the protection plan type SQL Databases is enabled if proper licensing is installed.


A SQL Databases protection plan specifies which SQL Server databases to protect and where to keep the protected data. At the launch of the protection plan, the software queries SQL for the required database and log file locations; there is no need to set up specific folders for protection. During the Add SQL Server Protection Plan wizard, you can specify whether the transaction logs on databases configured in the Full recovery model will be truncated at the end of a protection plan run. The truncation of logs will not shrink the size of a transaction log file, but instead clear space within the transaction log file for the creation of new log records.


To create a protection plan for SQL, select Create Protection Plan from either the Local Plans folder or from a remote computer located within the Remote Computers folder, then choose SQL Databases to begin the Add SQL Server Protection Plan wizard.


The wizard will display a list of all databases grouped by their instance names, as well as each database operational state and recovery model. Place a checkmark next to each database to protect. To have the software truncate the database transaction logs, thereby allowing SQL to continue logging without growing the transaction log file size, place a checkmark in the checkbox Truncate logs of Full Recovery Model databases. Note: The Truncate logs of Full Recovery Model databases switch is ignored on protected databases configured for the Simple recovery model. Click Next to continue to the Select a Destination screen.


Highlight the store where you want the protected data to reside, then click Next to continue to the Enter Plan Name screen.


Give your plan a descriptive name, then click Next to continue to the Scheduled Task screen where you can set up a schedule to automatically run the plan. You can also specify a different user account to run the plan. See Scheduling Protection Plans for more information. Click Next to go to the final screen where you can review the settings. Click the Back button to change settings, or click Finish to close the Add SQL Server Protection Plan wizard and create the plan. You will be prompted for the password of the account specified to run the plan.


See Run, Edit, Remove a Plan for information about using protection plans.


Note: This software uses Microsoft SQL VSS Writer to create a snapshot of SQL. Verify Microsoft SQL VSS Writer is present on the SQL server by running VSSADMIN LIST WRITERS at a command prompt on the server being protected. In addition, the SQL server you are protecting requires Microsoft CLR Types and Microsoft SQL Management Objects for SQL 2012. If not present, these components are installed automatically the first time a SQL protection plan runs.