Uninstall SQL 2005

After a successful upgrade from DPM 2007 to DPM 2010 you can safely remove the SQL 2005 instance. The steps are shown below. Steps are for a local instance of SQL.

 
1) Start Program and features. Find SQL 2005 and select uninstall

 
2) Select the MS$DPM2007$ instance, also select the Workstation Components and click next.

3) Check the confirmation window and click Finish.

 
4) On Windows 2008 R2 you could receive the message “the program has known compatibility issues” Click Run Program.

5) When you receive the error. The following applications should be closed before continuing the installation.

6) Stop all related SQL 2005 services
-SQL server (MS$DPM2007$)
-SQL server agent (MS$DPM2007$)
-SQL server Reporting service MS$DPM2007$)

7) Press retry and the de-installation will complete

Datacenter disasters

A bit off-topic but I'm currently reading Jason Buffington’s book Data Protection for Virtual Data Centers. One of the paragraph’s in the second chapter status What Could possibly go wrong? This section encourage you to think about what could possible go wrong in your environment.
This made me curious on stories available on the internet (which I like to share)

• Top 8 datacenter disasters in 2007
• Top 10 Data Center Disasters that could ruin your business
• Datacenter Horror stories
• How the Seattle data center fire caught companies unprepared

For fun

• Data center stories that will make you laugh or cry
  

  
Picture from continuitysolutionsgroup.com

Good datacenter disaster stories are actually hard to find. If you find one please add it the link to the comments

Windows 2008 (R2) system state fails due FSCVSSWriter

In a previous post we discussed the Windows 2008 (R2) system state backup failures because of a FSCVSSwriter issue.

Log Name:      Application Source:        FSCVSSWriter Date:          2-11-2009 17:36:17 Event ID:      11003 Task Category: (11) Level:         Error Keywords:      Classic User:          N/A Computer:      <server_name> Description: Microsoft Forefront Protection VSS Writer failed when preparing for backup. Writer instance: FSCVSSWriter Error code: 0x00000000

The workaround in this post was to disable the FSCVSSWriter. With this workaround you will lose the functionality of the Microsoft Forefront Protection VSS Writer.

There is now a Hotfix Rollup 1 for Microsoft Forefront Protection for Exchange available that includes a fix for this issue. http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2181692
----------------More details---------------

A system state backup fails while attempting to perform anything other than a full backup on a server running Forefront Protection for Exchange Problem A system state backup fails while attempting to perform anything other than a full backup on a server running Forefront Protection for Exchange.

The following will be generated within the Application Log:

Error FSCVSSWriter 11003 Microsoft Forefront Protection VSS Writer failed when preparing for backup. Writer instance: FSCVSSWriter Error code: 0x00000000 Warning VSS 8229 A VSS writer has rejected an event with error 0x800423f0, The shadow-copy set only contains only a subset of the volumes needed to correctly backup the selected components of the writer. Changes that the writer made to the writer components while handling the event will not be available to the requester. Check the event log for related events from the application hosting the VSS writer.

The hotfix role up is available on request here

APPLIES TO: Microsoft Forefront Protection 2010 for Exchange Server

DPM cannot set up an e-mail subscription

In some cases (after a upgrade from RC to RTM for instance) the email subscription to reports is not working. Even when the SMTP Server settings are properly configured (on the SMTP server TAB under options) with a valid e-mail address. 

Test messages work fine and you receive warning and error alert messages. Still you receive the error below.

-------------------------
DPM cannot set up an e-mail subscription for this report. The information may be missing or incorrect. Click Options in the Actions pane, then click the SMTP Server tab, and provide the correct SMTP server name and e-mail address. ID: 3010
---------------------------------

 

Solution
You should check if the SMTP server settings is correct set on the report server.

To configure report server e-mail using the Reporting Services Configuration tool

1. Verify that the Report Server Windows service has Send As permissions on the SMTP server.

2. Start the Reporting Services Configuration tool and connect to the report server instance.

3. On the Email Settings page, enter the name of the SMTP server. This value can be an IP address, a UNC name of a computer on your corporate intranet, or a fully qualified domain name.

4. In Sender Address, enter the name an account that has permission to send e-mail from the SMTP server.

5. Click Apply.

 

Exchange 2010 DAG with secondary DPM server

When protecting a Exchange 2010 DAG on the Primary DPM server, you will not be able to select the DAG databases on the Secondary DPM server. This is by design.

Workaround: DPM supports protecting multiple copies of a database (one with express full & Incremental and remaining with copy backup ). You can protect the database copy in onsite from the primary DPM server and the database copy in offsite from the secondary DPM server in offsite.