Upgrading SQLsafe allows you to take advantage of the new features available in this version.
The backup file names using the %timestamp% macro may change and cause issues with your backup files. This issue only affects some users. For more information, see the known issues section of the Release Notes.
SQLsafe includes a file system filter driver to support the InstantRestore feature. The driver, named SQLsafeFilterDriver, allows SQL Server to access database data while SQLsafe is executing InstantRestore. The driver is only used during this action and is no longer in use once the database is completely hydrated.
Upgrade checklist
To successfully upgrade your Microsoft SQL Server environment to this build, complete the procedures outlined in the following table. These procedures support upgrades from SQLsafe versions 5.0 or later.
 | Follow these steps |
|---|---|
 | Ensure the computers on which you want to upgrade SQLsafe meet or exceed the product requirements for this version of SQLsafe. For example, ensure .NET Framework 2.0 SP1 or later is running on the target computer. |
| Ensure your Windows logon account has local administrator permissions on the computers you intend to upgrade. |
| Review the Product components and architecture. |
| Review the Supported installation scenarios. |
| Close all open applications on the computers you intend to upgrade. |
| Upgrade your SQLsafe installation. |
Available upgrade paths
Because each component can be installed separately on different computers, the type of upgrade you will need to perform will depend on your environment. The following table describes the conditions under which you would follow a typical or staged upgrade path.
| Environment Description | Recommended Path | Why |
|---|---|---|
Simple environment, where the Management Console, the Repository, and the Management Service all reside on the same computer | Typical | A simple environment can be upgraded through the setup program. |
Distributed environment, where each SQLsafe component resides on a different computer. | A distributed environment requires a staged upgrade to maintain backup continuity while each component is upgraded. | |
Multiple Management Consoles deployed to different computers. | A SQLsafe installation with multiple Management Consoles requires a staged upgrade in order to maintain connection with all Backup Agents while each component is upgraded. | |
Backup Agents from different SQLsafe versions. | An environment that manages Backup Agents from different SQLsafe versions requires a staged upgrade in order to maintain connection with all Backup Agents while each component is upgraded. | |
Change control policies that require multi-phased upgrades. | An environment with stringent change control policies requires a multi-phased upgrade in order to test each updated component thoroughly before moving on to the next step. |
New encryption options in 6.0 and later
SQLsafe 6.0 and later provides new, more secure encryption algorithms. To use these new algorithms, upgrade your Backup Agents to the latest version.
| Previous Encryption Options | SQLsafe 6.x Encryption Options |
|---|---|
AES DES Triple-DES RC2 | AES-128 AES-256 |
These new encryption options replace the options previously available in SQLsafe 5.0 or earlier. You can select the new encryption options when you manually perform a backup, or create and edit existing Backup Policies.
If you had set encryption options when creating your Backup Policies , the encryption method specified in the corresponding SQL Server job will be automatically updated to AES-128 when you upgrade the associated Backup Agent. You can later change this setting by editing the policy.
SQLsafe 6.0 and later does support previously encrypted archives; you can continue to restore any encrypted backup file created with a previous version of SQLsafe.