DPM agent versions

DPM 2010

DPM 2010 3.0.7696.0 DPM 2010 role-up 1 (KB2250444) 3.0.7706.00 DPM 2010 role-up 2 (KB2465832) 3.0.7707.0

DPM 2007

DPM 2007 SP0 - 2.0.5820.0 DPM 2007 SP1 - 2.0.8793.0 DPM 2007 SP1 (with KB 968579) 2.0.8836.0 DPM 2007 SP1 (with KB970867) 2.0.8840.0 DPM 2007 SP1 (with KB970867 Revision: 1.0) 2.0.8851.0 DPM 2007 SP1 (with KB979970 ) 2.0.8864

DPM/SQL Performance

DPM is largely depending on its SQL database. All settings, jobs and recovery information is hold in the DPM database.
When the DPM database has performance issues then this will also impact the performance of the DPM console.
One of the possible performance issue are fragmented Indexes in your database.

The Report Index Physical Statistics show the status of the fragmentation

 

Rebuild indexes
When the indexes are heavily fragmented then you need to rebuild them. You can do that by hand, but that’s a ‘hell of a job’.

Therefor I use the script below which will rebuild every index existed in database with fillfactor of 80.

DECLARE @TableName VARCHAR(255) DECLARE @sql NVARCHAR(500) DECLARE @fillfactor INT SET @fillfactor = 80 DECLARE TableCursor CURSOR FOR SELECT OBJECT_SCHEMA_NAME([object_id])+'.'+name AS TableName FROM sys.tables OPEN TableCursor FETCH NEXT FROM TableCursor INTO @TableName WHILE @@FETCH_STATUS = 0 BEGIN SET @sql = 'ALTER INDEX ALL ON ' + @TableName + ' REBUILD WITH (FILLFACTOR = ' + CONVERT(VARCHAR(3),@fillfactor) + ')' EXEC (@sql) FETCH NEXT FROM TableCursor INTO @TableName END CLOSE TableCursor DEALLOCATE TableCursor GO

(Source: \http://blog.sqlauthority.com/2009/01/30/sql-server-2008-2005-rebuild-every-index-of-all-tables-of-database-rebuild-index-with-fillfactor/)

BMR include or Exclude drives

The Bare Metal Recovery (BMR) option in DPM 2010 allows you to recover servers from an image file. BMR is actually an option build in to Windows 2008 (R2) which can be utilized by DPM 2010.

By default the BMR will protect the “critical system data” According to the Microsoft definition –> critical data =  System State and C drive and all other drivers that contain system data directories (Program files).

Check what is includes:

• logon to the protected server
• Open the Windows Server Backup Feature
• Select Action  - Backup ones

Select Different options

Select Custom

C
Click on Bare Metal Recover and check which other volumes are automatically selected.

Modify Drives included
Now you can choose to modify the BMR selection. This can be done by editing the file named Bmrbackup.cmd.

Self service Recovery for SQL Cluster

When enabling self service recovery for an Instance on a SQL Cluster you might run into the following error.

The specified SQL instance … is invalid or cannot be found (ID 32608). If a SQL instance exists with the specified name, use Get-Datasource –ProductionServer <ProductionServer> –Inquire cmdlet to refresh the information. Then retry the Operation.

Solution
SQL instances of a Cluster need to be added in a special way.
The convention is: FQDN of the Resource\SQLVirtualname\SQLInstance

Example
FQDN resource = (blackberry).c260.gp.wan
SQLVirtualname= C265
Instance name – BLACKBERRY

In the example above you need to specify the following SQL Server Instance: (Blackberry).c260.gp.wan\C265\BLACKBERRY

ID 7: Unable to connect to the Active Directory Domain Services

During the deployment or the attaching of agents you might run in to the error below.

Unable to connect to the Active Directory Domain Services database. Make sure that the DPM server is a member of a domain and that a domain controller is running. Also verify that there is network connectivity between the DPM server and the domain controller. ID: 7 Details: Unknown error (0x80005000) (0x80005000)

There is a knowledge database article for a issue like this:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/978900

Resolution for Error ID: 7 To resolve this error, change the Authenticated Users group so that it has read permissions for the organizational unit that the target server is a member of. To do this, follow these steps: On the domain controller, open the Active Directory Users and Computers MMC. Right-click the organizational unit that contains the target server, and then click Properties. On the Security tab, add the Authenticated Users group and give them READ permissions. Redeploy the DPM protection agent to the protected server

Alternative cause to this issue

The error code Unknown error (0x80005000) (0x80005000) points to another cause.

In this case the issue was caused by a slash in the OU Name the  The target machine to install the DPM agent on was in an OU named "DR/ test Servers."  DPM doesn't understand special characters in active directory, so the / was what tripped it up.  When you rename the OU, you should be y able to install the agent.