About mounting Microsoft SQL Server block-based backups

Ops Center Protector Microsoft SQL Application Guide

Version
7.9.x
Audience
anonymous
Part Number
MK-99PRT009-07
Protector can mount a block-based backup to an existing SQL Server instance. This will make the disks comprising the backup available on the machines hosting the target instance and optionally attach the databases so the user can access them.
Note: We strongly recommend to always use the mount duplicate option in the mount dialog. While mounting the original is possible, it will modify the original backup data, which may prevent further mounts and reverts.

Mounting to clustered Instances

When mounting to clustered instances, Protector will mount the block-based backup as traditional clustered disks and add them as a dependency for the selected target SQL Server instance. This ensures that the instance will still be able to failover, and the mounted databases remain online in case of a cluster failover.

Mounting to availability groups

It is impossible to mount directly to availability groups as this would imply replicating the mounted database as well. However, mounting to an instance hosting availability group replicas is possible.

Prerequisites

The following prerequisites must be met to mount a block-based Microsoft SQL Server database backup.
  • A block-based backup of a Microsoft SQL Server is available.
For the target instance:
  • A Microsoft SQL server node exists for the target SQL Server instance.
  • The target node must not be of type Availability Group. However, selecting nodes and instances hosting an Availability Group replica is okay.
  • Credentials for the SQL Server instance are available. Please refer to Microsoft SQL Server User Privileges for more details.
  • The target instance supports the internal database version of the databases in the backup.
  • All nodes of the target instance are up and running.
  • When mounting to a clustered instance, the instance must consist of a minimum of two nodes. Mounting to single-node clusters is not supported.
The following table lists the supported configuration combinations for mount:
Source

Mount Target

Standalone

Mount Target

Cluster

Mount Target

Source Node

Mount Target AG Node

Standalone yes yes yes No
Cluster with CSV yes yes yes No
Cluster with traditional clustered disks yes yes no No
Availability Group Node yes yes No

(It is possible to mount to the source instance, just not using the AG node)

No
Note: Mounted databases should not be used as a basis for further block-based backups. Including mounted databases in backups may cause problem during backup or when you try to unmount the database