Setting Up the DBA Planning Calendar (MS SQL Server)
As of SAP NetWeaver 7.0 the execution of the backup jobs has changed. In older SAP version, multiple logical steps were executed as one SQLServer Agent job step, for example, a backup of msdb database with a verification was submitted as one step. Now, the backup execution is submitted as one step and the verification execution as one step. This requires some configuration changes in the Microsoft SQL Server Agent service history log so that job logs are available for older jobs.
To increase the size of the job history log, do the following:
- Start SQL Management Studio
- Select SQL Agent and Right click to Select Properties
- Increase the value of Maximum Job History log size and Maximum Job History rows per job. These values depend on the number of one time jobs and recurring jobs you schedule in the DB13 transaction.
Since there are no actions planned in the DBA Planning Calendar, when you start your system for the first time, you must set up the DBA Planning Calendar.
For proper operation of your database, you need to perform certain tasks involving a minimum number of regular actions. The following actions are currently available in the DBA Planning Calendar for MS SQL Server:
| Task Area | Action Involved |
|---|---|
|
Full database backup |
Full backup of master database Full backup of msdb database Full backup of SAP database |
|
Differential database backup |
Differential backup of msdb database Differential backup of SAP database |
|
Transaction log backup |
Transaction log backup of SAP database |
|
Check database consistency |
Database consistency check of SAP database |
|
User database backup |
Full backup of user database Differential backup of user database Transaction log backup of user database |
|
Central Calendar Log Mirror |
Central Planning Calendar job to collect the job status |
Most of the actions that you can plan using the DBA Planning Calendar should be scheduled as a recurring action. You can set up your DBA Planning Calendar using the pattern setup function described below. Currently you can schedule Dbcc checkdb and Full database backup jobs only by pattern setup in SQL Server due to some restrictions in pattern setup.
You must check the DBA Planning Calendar daily to be sure that scheduled actions have been executed correctly.
You can start the DBA Planning Calendar by calling the DBA Cockpit and choosing Jobs → DBA Planning Calendar in the navigation frame of the DBA Cockpit.
On the initial screen, you can select a predefined action from the Action Pad. Whenever you add a new action, it is proposed to run once. You can schedule, change, and delete actions according to your requirements.
Pattern Setup
You can use the pattern setup function to schedule actions that are recommended to be run regularly.
On the initial screen of the DBA Planning Calendar, choose Pattern Setup. The Add Planning Patterns dialog box appears providing a list of actions that you can schedule with this function.
A set of recommended actions is already preselected by default. You may change this selection set, for example, if you want to check the format options instead of the Init option.
To proceed, choose Next. The system now displays one action after the other and provides the options to define the recurrence pattern and to change the parameters of an action. You can navigate between the selected actions by choosing Next or Previous.
Once you have made your choices for the selected actions, confirm your entries by choosing Save on the last screen.
- Some of the actions do have an impact on the performance and availability of your system. You should carefully check the proposed start times of the scheduled actions to guarantee good performance and availability of your system.
- Keep in mind that there are a number of database-related jobs that are not controlled by the system but which you must take into account when scheduling regular actions. The jobs involve for example, collection of database performance history data done every two hours starting at 00:00.
Authorization Checks
To make sure that database administration actions are secure, authorization checks must be made for certain operations as follows:
- SAP system
You need authorization for database administration and background job scheduling. This is provided by the profilesS_RZL_ADMIN andS_BTCH_ALL.
- Hardware
The number of tapes required depends on the backup strategy you decide to use. The tapes must already be in the specified tape drive or tape changer, so that the operator does not have to interrupt scheduled backup runs.
Different tape drives are needed if logs are to be archived with periodic database backups.
See also: