Consider upgrading previously deployed Backup Agents off-hours during a single time period or in stages according to your corporate change policies. You can remotely upgrade previously deployed agents through the SQLsafe Agents view in the Management Console.
The Backup Agent is automatically installed on the local computer when you install or upgrade any of the other SQLsafe components.
Backup Agent compatibility with Tivoli Storage Manager (TSM)
SQLsafe 6.4 and later includes extensive enhancements to how SQLsafe handles backing up to and restoring from TSM Server. If you store backup files on a TSM Client node, ensure you upgrade the Backup Agents that perform backups and restores using those files.
Backup Agent compatibility with Backup Policies
SQLsafe 7.x requires version 7.x Backup Agents to successfully run new Backup Policies and edit existing Backup Policies (created with SQLsafe 5.0 or earlier).
If you want to continue using 5.0 or earlier Backup Agents for existing Backup Policies, install SQLsafe 7.x along side your current SQLsafe deployment. Use SQLsafe 7.x to create and manage new Backup Policies, and use SQLsafe 5.0 to maintain existing policies.
Backup Agent compatibility with Log Shipping Policies
Because SQLsafe 5.0 Backup Agents cannot restore backups written by 7.x Backup Agents, environments that include Log Shipping policies require a specific upgrade path. First upgrade the Backup Agents running on the SQL Server computers hosting the secondary databases, and then upgrade the Backup Agents running on the SQL Server computers hosting the primary databases. Otherwise, when SQLsafe attempts to ship a new transaction log backup, the restore operation will fail and the Log Shipping policy status will show that the associated jobs are out of date until all the Backup Agents have been upgraded.
How to upgrade a Backup Agent using the Management Console
This procedure guides you through the process of upgrading previously deployed Backup Agents using the Management Console. You can also manually upgrade a Backup Agent using the setup program.
To upgrade deployed Backup Agents:
- Verify that your environment includes the newest version of the SQLsafe Management Console.
- Start the new SQLsafe Management Console, and navigate to the SQLsafe Agents view. To access the SQLsafe Agents view, click the SQLsafe Agents tab at the bottom of the Servers tree.
- For each Backup Agent you want to upgrade, select the SQL Server computer that is hosting the agent, and then click Upgrade SQLsafe Backup Agent on the right-click context menu. Upgrading the Backup Agent automatically upgrades the SQLsafe XSP deployed to each registered SQL Server instance running on the selected computer.