9.1 New Features

Azure

• New Authentication Methods are available: Key and SAS (Shared Access Signature Service URL).

Backup in Desktop Console

• Users can now run Pre/Post-Backup Commands.

Upgrade

• A new wizard to upgrade SQL Safe Agents is available.

9.1 Fixed Issues

Amazon S3 Cloud

• Restores of backup files with FILESTREAM files are working properly now.
• Users can now rename the bucket properly.

Availability Group

• Full and Differential backups are working properly on Availability Groups.

Azure Cloud

• Backup operations to the Azure Storage account are running faster than before.

Installation

• Users can now install remotely the SQL Safe Backup Agent where the Microsoft Visual C++ 2015 redistributable or greater is previously installed.

Object Level Recovery

• Object Level Recovery operations on remote instances using CLI or XSP are working properly now.

Policies

• Users can now perform log shipping policies properly using CLI with and without encryption.
• The SQL Server Agent is working properly when performing backup policies.

Virtual Database

• The Virtual Database is mounting the original database.

9.0 New Features

User Interface

• New User Interface features include UI Scaling (support for 4K monitors and scaled fonts) and a new dark mode theme.

8.7.2 New Features

Amazon S3 Cloud

• The StorageClass parameter is now available when backing up to Amazon S3 Cloud (AWS S3).

SQL Safe Repository

• Users can now record the cluster details in the SQL Safe Repository.

8.7.2 Fixed Issues

Azure Cloud

• Backup and Restore operations are allowed on Azure File storage and Azure Blob storage.

Backup / Restore

• Backup and Restore operations of a database from an Untrusted Domain server are successful.
• Backup and Restore operations are allowed from Untrusted Domains.
• Backup and Restore operations are working properly on the Amazon S3 cloud.

CLI Command

• Restore Policies are working properly through CLI commands for backups in the Amazon S3 cloud.

Instant Restore

• Restore Hydration operations can be canceled on the Management Console.

Management Service

• The Management Service is working properly.

Object Level Recovery

• Reference objects are included in Object Level Recovery operations.

Policies

• Backup and Restore policies are working properly for the Azure cloud.
• SQL Safe detects when a policy is out of sync.

Restore

• The Restore Again option is assigning properly the new path location.

SQL Safe Agent

• In untrusted domains, Windows Authentication is blocked and the SQL Safe Agent authenticates using SQL Server Authentication.

Upgrade

• Upgrade the repository when the temporary database has been previously backed up. Please contact support for further assistance.
• After upgrading SQL Safe Backup, the registration of the Web Console is successful.

Virtual Database

• Virtual Database operations are working properly for both local and remote instances.

8.7.1 New Features

Cloud Support

• Extended support is now available for cloud backups and restores from Azure and Amazon S3.

Desktop Console

• The user experience has been improved in the Desktop Console.

Object Level Recovery / Virtual Database

• The Object Level Recovery and Virtual Database functionalities are now refined and reinforced.

8.7.1 Fixed Issues

Backup

• Backup files are now deleted from the temporary download location while performing a
  backup.

Cloud Storage

• Amazon S3 and Azure cloud storage performance has been improved to load large backup
  files.
•   Restore operations from Amazon and Azure cloud storage through T-SQL
  and CLI commands are now working properly.

Notifications

• Email notifications are sent properly now after the product upgrade.

Operation Status

• Queued operations are now displayed correctly in the Operation Status window.

Policies

•      Policies performance has
  been improved.

Virtual Database and Object Level Recovery

• Virtual Database and Object Level Recovery operations are now supported in a cluster
  environment after a failover.
  Make sure you set up manually the VDBMetadata directory structure before a Virtual Database operation is
  attempted on an availability group environment.

8.7 New Features

Object Level Recovery

• The Object Level Recovery functionality is now available in the Desktop Console.

Policies

• Users can now copy policies in the Desktop Console.

Virtual Database

• The Virtual Database functionality is now available in the Desktop Console.

8.6.1 New Features

Backup and Restore operations

• SQL Safe Backup now supports backup compression for TDE-enabled databases with native SQL Server (.bak) format.
• SQL Safe Backup now supports backup and restore for Change Data Capture (CDC) enabled databases preserving the CDC metadata and capture \ cleanup jobs.

Support for Microsoft SQL Server 2019

• IDERA SQL Safe Backup 8.6.1 version now supports Microsoft SQL Server 2019 for all operations.

8.6.1 Fixed Issues

CLI and T-SQL Commands

•   CLI and T-SQL commands are now working properly for all SQL Safe Backup operations.

Policies

•  Backup operation statuses are now displayed properly in the Policy Status tab for SQL Server versions older than 2012.

Restore

•  Performing a Point-In-Time restore no longer leaves the database in a "recovering" state.

8.6 New Features

Azure / Amazon S3 Cloud

• SQL Safe Backup 8.6 version now supports Azure and Amazon S3 subfolders.

Cloud Environment

• Redesigned cloud backup and restore operations for Azure and Amazon S3 storage.

Support for Microsoft Windows 2019

• IDERA SQL Safe Backup 8.6 version now supports Microsoft Windows 2019.

8.6 Fixed Issues

Availability Group

•  Users can now host their SQL Safe Backup repository databases in an availability group environment. The SQL Server instances are registered using the listener name. For both cases, the license is tied to the listener name instead of each node. Keep in mind that if the availability group listener is registered and licensed instead of the node, then non-availability group databases would not be visible in SQL Safe Backup.

Backup

•  Users can now perform backup operations to an Azure location specifying the container name as "Page blob". 

Backup / Restore

•       Users can now backup and restore large databases to/from Azure and Amazon S3 locations.
•   Users can now backup and restore to/from Azure and Amazon S3 cloud base storage using subfolders.
•   Users can now perform AdHoc backup and AdHoc restore operations to Amazon S3 and Azure cloud storage using subfolders. They need to make sure to select the Force Restore (replace) option when performing restore operations.
•   Backup and restore operations are now working properly for TSM and Amazon S3 locations.

Cluster Environment

•  Users can now perform Object Level Recovery and Virtual Database operations to an agent in a clustered environment.

FIPS Compliance

•  Users can now perform backup and restore operations when enabling FIPS compliance. They can save Azure Pub Account details in the Web and Desktop Console.

Policies

•  Users cannot run backup policies to a snapshot database.
•  Users can now perform backup policies using subfolders from azure locations.

Restore

•  The Restore wizard is now working properly when restoring backed up databases to Amazon S3 locations in a remote instance.
•  Instant Restore operations to large databases are now working properly when it is restored to a new database or to an existing database using the "Force Restore" option.

Upgrades

•  After upgrading from SQL Safe Backup 8.5.2 to 8.6, the registration of the Web Console is now successful.
•  Users can now upgrade the SQL Safe Agent Components from an old SQL Safe Backup product version to the 8.6 version properly.

8.5.2 New Features

Backup

• The SQL Safe Management Console has been improved to allow users to perform backups in native (.bak) format.

IDERA Dashboard

• SQL Safe Backup is now integrated with IDERA Dashboard 4.6.0.9.

SQL Safe Web Console

• The SQL Safe Web Console includes an additional tab named Advanced for editing properties of a registered instance.

8.5.2 Fixed Issues

Availability Groups

•  Users can now perform Full/Differential backups on the secondary replica and Full/Differential policies on the primary replica.

Backup

•  The verify backup option is now working properly when performing backups to TSM.
•  Users can now backup large databases to Amazon S3.
•  Scheduled backup jobs are now working properly in a failover cluster environment.
•  Users can now perform backups with a remote instance using a non-default port number.
•  Improved user experience with T-Log backup operations.

Cluster Environment

•  Users can now deploy the Backup Agent onto a Cluster Environment from the SQL Safe Management Console.

Desktop Console

•  The Last Operation Status section is now updating properly the list of backups that succeeded and failed.

Grooming

•  The repository grooming is now set to 365 days.
•  The grooming bitesize option is now set to 1000.

Installation

•  The recovery model and page verify settings are now set properly when installing SQL Safe Backup.

License

•  The license key is now working properly when adding instances in the Web Console.

Management Service

•  Log entries are now working properly.

Policies

•  Restore policies are now working properly when changing the target database name of a restore performed from one server to another.
•  The Copy Policy feature is now scheduling policies properly.
•  When performing a backup policy, the location type is now set properly.

Restore

•  Users can now restore backup files that are moved manually to Amazon S3. Once the file is moved to Amazon S3, rename the file, and perform the restore.
•  Users can now perform restores with a remote instance using a non-default port number.

T-Log Backup

•  Improved user experience with T-Log backup operations.

Upgrade

•  Users can now upgrade manually SQL Safe Backup from 8.4.2 to 8.5.2 using the agent. 

8.5.1 New Features

Amazon

• SQL Safe Backup now supports the Amazon AWS GovCloud S3 in the SQL Safe Management Console and SQL Safe Web Console.

Azure

• SQL Safe Backup now supports the Azure Government Blob Storage in the SQL Safe Management Console, SQL Safe Web Console, SQL Safe CLI, and SQL Safe XSP.

Tivoli Storage Manager (TSM)

• SQL Safe Backup now allows users to create striped files when backing up to TSM through the SQL Safe Management Console.

8.5.1 Fixed Issues

Access Files

•  The SQL Safe Web Console will now prompt users for credentials to access the file system when the initial attempt fails.

Backup

•  SQL Safe Backup policies automatically perform a full backup operation when a differential backup operation fails due to a lack of a full backup.

•  The storage options of the Backup again with different options to Tivoli Storage Manager (TSM) are working properly now in the SQL Safe Management Console.
•  The High Level and Low Level text boxes of the Backup with different options to Tivoli Storage Manager (TSM) are recognizing the data properly in the SQL Safe Web Console.
•  SQL Safe Backup displays now properly the progress of backup operations that are being performed without compression.
•  Backup and restore operations performed in native file format can have timeout values modified through a registry key update.
•  Percentage values are no longer included in the Result Text of backup and restore operations.

Instant Restore

•  Resolved an issue that would prevent an InstantRestore operation from completing successfully.

Management Console Preferences

•  The preferences set on either the SQL Safe Web Console or SQL Safe Management Console are kept the same when performing operations.
•  Users can now set long passwords for the deployed Backup Agent service account in the Agent Deployment option.
•  The SQL Safe Management Console is no longer reporting a false failure when deploying the SQL Safe Backup Agent to a remote server.

Object Level Recovery

•  Users can now perform Object Level Recovery operations to a large backup file.

Operation History

•  The Database name of every operation performed is kept in the Operation History tab.
•  The SQL Safe Web Console now displays times in the local time zone.

Policies

•  Users can now edit SQL Safe Backup Policies which includes unreachable SQL Server instances and/or SQL Safe Backup Agents.

Repository

•  Improvements to the grooming operation.

Restore

•  Optimized the mc_GetRestorableDatabaseBackupsets stored procedure which is used to populate the list of backup sets in the SQL Safe Restore wizard.
•  SQL Safe Backup can now successfully restore large backup files that are stored in an Amazon S3 bucket.

SQL Safe Backup Service

•  Optimized the SQL Safe Backup Agent to prevent crashes in certain scenarios.

SQL Safe Management Console

•  The SQL Safe Management Console is now able to connect to the SQL Safe Management Service without any problems.

SQL Safe Scripts

•  Removed the 3200 character limit when performing an operation through SQL Safe Backup.

SQL Safe XSP

•  Users can now perform Object Level Recovery operations using the XSP commands.

8.5 New Features

Grooming

• The groom settings for SQL Safe Backup have been improved to allow users to granularly control the amount of operational history that is to be maintained by SQL Safe Backup. This improvement will provide users with more control over maintaining the size of the SQL Safe repository database.

IDERA Dashboard

• SQL Safe is now integrated with IDERA Dashboard 3.8.1.9.

New Installer

• The installer has been improved to allow the installation of all SQL Safe Backup components and the IDERA Dashboard in one single wizard.

SQL Safe Agents view

• The SQL Safe Agents tab now includes SQL Virtual Database properties.

Support

• SQL Safe now supports SQL Server 2017 CU4+ on a Windows operating system.

Virtual Database

• The Virtual Database page has been updated to allow users to easily manage the virtual databases that have been mounted. Users can quickly and easily identify which virtual databases are mounted on which SQL Server instance.

8.5 Fixed Issues

Administration

•  In the SQL Safe Web Console, users are now able to select the account type and specify the session timeout for the account they are adding in the Manage Users option.
•  In the SQL Safe Web Console, the user list in Manager Users is now viewable when the list spans several pages.
•  In the SQL Safe Web Console, users are now able to Add Groups in the Manage Users option.
•  In the SQL Safe Web Console, users can successfully configure the credentials to be used by the SQL Safe Management Service when connecting to the SQL Safe repository database.

Availability Group

•  SQL Safe Backup Policies which include databases in an availability group are now accurately reporting the Backups did not start as scheduled status.

CLI Commands

•  Users can now use the CLI commands for "restorelast" and “xp_ss_restorelast” to restore the latest backup without an associated backup policy.

Event Logs

•  The SQL Safe Backup Service, by default, is no longer writing entries into the Windows Application Event log when policies are configured to have jobs created by the SQL Safe Backup Agent.

IDERA Dashboard

•  In the SQL Safe Web Console, users are now able to perform backup operations successfully where the target location uses a UNC path.

Object Level Recovery

•  The Object Level Recovery functionality is working properly now when the repository is hosted on SQL Server 2014+ instance.

Operation History

•  In the SQL Safe Web Console, the instance column is now displaying the full instance name on the Operational History page.

Point in Time

•  The point in time functionality is working properly when mounting a virtual database.

Policies

•  Users can now add a database to an existing backup policy.
•  In the SQL Safe Web Console, the filename is now auto-generated when enabling the option to delete backup files in the backup policy wizard.
•  In the SQL Safe Web Console, the "Access Files As" option is now able to switch to the default state after providing different credentials in the Restore policy.
•  When creating or editing a policy in the SQL Safe Web Console, the credentials specified for accessing the file system is now properly applied. 
•  In the SQL Safe Web Console, users can run now a policy manually.
•  In the SQL Safe Web Console, restore policies are working properly when configured to connect to the SQL instance using SQL Server Authentication.
•  Users can now supply a UNC path when creating or modifying a policy in the SQL Safe Web Console.

Restore

•  In the SQL Safe Web Console, users can now perform the verify operation using the restore wizard.
•  In the SQL Safe Web Console, the point in time selection is working properly now in the restore wizard.
•  In the SQL Safe Web Console, users are now able to select multiple files for restore through the File System and Target Server options.
•  The restore wizard now correctly selects the SQL Server instance based on the user selection on the Databases tab when the Repository option is selected.
•  The restore wizard now displays the list of instances in sorted order on the Databases tab when the Repository option is selected.

SQL Safe installation

•  Users can now successfully install SQL Safe Backup while using quotes (") in their service account passwords.

Upgrade

•  Upgrading will use the existing installation directory rather than using the default path of C:\Program Files\Idera\SQLsafe.
•  The SQL Safe Agent Components can now be upgraded through the SQL Safe Management Console.

8.4.2 Fixed Issues

Dashboard

• In the Operation History tab, users can now use the Virtual Database filter.

E-mail

• Users can now receive e-mail notifications for Backup/Restore operations performed from the SQL Safe Web Console.
• Users can now update e-mail settings within the IDERA Dashboard.

Licensing

• Updated licensing files that will affect expiring subscription keys (license keys that have an expiration date). If applying for a new subscription license key, you must upgrade prior to applying the new key. Perpetual license keys (non-expiring license keys) are not impacted.

Object Level Recovery

• Object Level Recovery Restore Operations are no longer generating the "An item with the same key has already been added" error.

Policies

• When creating/editing a policy through the IDERA Dashboard, users can now set an account for file system access without any problem.

SQL Safe Installation

• When installing SQL Safe Backup, the "Log on as a service" rights are now granted to the accounts specified for the SQL Safe services.
• The installation of SQL Safe Backup is no longer checking for an existing installation of .NET Framework 2.0 as SQL Safe requires an installation of .NET Framework 4.0 or higher.

SQL Safe Re-registration

• Users can now register SQL Safe Backup with the IDERA Dashboard (Dashboard > Administration > Manage Products > Register a Product).

Virtual Database

• Users can mount a virtual database from backup file(s) located on a UNC share, as long as the SQL Safe Backup Service and SQL Safe OLR Service has permissions to the UNC share.
• Mount Operations through the SQLvdb CLI Commands now recognizes the default location settings in the Graphical User Interface (GUI) and does not require the -Move parameter for the database file.

8.4 New Features

Native Backups

• SQL Safe Backup supports SQL Server native backup format for backups along with the ability to restore from native backups.

Virtual Database

• Virtual Database (VDB) is integrated into SQL Safe 8.4.

8.4 Fixed Issues

Add Instances

• When adding an instance to SQL Safe Backup, users can now validate the entered credentials by running the Test Credentials button.

Backup Policy

• Users can select databases when adding all instances in the Backup Policy Wizard.

Backup Policy Schedule

• SQL Safe Backup policies configured with the "Monitor + Automatically create backup jobs using the SQLsafe Backup Agent" action are now running all operations as scheduled.

Cloud Instances

• All Azure restore operations are recorded and displayed in the Operation History tab.

Encrypted Backup

• Users are no longer prevented from completing the SQL Safe Backup Wizard when selecting the "Backup with different options" setting on a backup operation that was previously completed which resulted in an encrypted backup file.

License

• The IDERA Dashboard now displays the SQL Safe Backup License Key information.

Operation History

• Selecting the “Backup with different options” option in the Operation History tab no longer generates exceptions.

Restore Database

• In the Restore Database wizard, the browse button, located in the Databases option under the File System tab, is now enabled.
• In the SQL Safe Restore Wizard, selecting a file path using the Browse feature correctly populates the file path that was chosen.

SQL Safe Backup Service

• The installation or the upgrade of the remote SQL Safe Backup Agent service is no longer displaying errors.

SQL Safe Product Migration

• SQL Safe product migration on CWF is no longer an issue.

SafeToSQL Utility

• SafeToSQL Utility can convert .safe backups into .bak backups and it is no longer having .NET versions conflicts.

Virtual Database

• The servers that have SQL Safe Agents installed (Version 8.0.0.423) are no longer reporting “SQLvdb Filter Service version 8.0.0.423: License has expired”.

8.3 New Features

IDERA Dashboard

• SQL Safe is now integrated with IDERA Dashboard 3.0.  

Microsoft Azure Blob Storage

• When performing backup and restore operations, users are now able to specify Microsoft Azure Blob Storage as the location for their backup and restore files.  

New Installer

• The installer has been improved to allow the installation of all SQL Safe components and the Idera Dashboard in one single wizard.

Policies

• Copying policies is now available from the Policy tab. Users can now copy preexisting policies and modify their settings before copying them.

Tivoli Storage Manager

• Users can now perform striped backups to tape devices using Tivoli Storage Manager.

8.3 Fixed Issues

• Users do not experience error messages anymore when performing the bulk "Backup Again" operation in the Operation History tab.

• Users can now sort the databases list of the backup wizard according to Database Name, Last Backup, or Space Used. 

• The Restore Wizard now updates the point-in-time date accurately after clicking the Apply option. 

• "Restore again" and "Restore with different options" are now available for Instant Restore operations in the Operation History tab. 

• Links from "Databases with failed backups" and "Databases with failed restores" in the "My Environment" section of the Home tab now direct to the correct information in the Operation History tab.

• Users can now access a tooltip that provides the complete name of SQL Server instances and databases displayed in the bar graphs of the Home tab.

• SQL Safe now supports TSM (Tivoli Storage Manager) 7.1.1.1.

• Users can now use wildcards such as %, _, [ ], [^] to find their information more quickly through the filters.

• Users can now perform the "Restore again" operation as a bulk operation in the Operation History tab without experiencing error messages.

• When upgrading to a new version, users can now select previous SQL Safe display names or create a new one.

8.2 New Features

SQL Safe 8.2 includes the following features in its web console:

Policies

• Administrators and users can now create backup, restore, and log shipping policies with the same capabilities as in the desktop console. The options for launching the Policy Wizards are available from the Home, Policies, Instances, and Databases tabs.
• SQL Safe now allows you to access and edit any policy from the Policies tab.  

Cloud Storage

• SQL Safe now includes Amazon S3 Cloud as a storage option for backup and restore operations. 

Enhanced Options in the Alerts section

• Alerts related to connection failures allow administrators and users to:
  • Start/Restart SQL Safe Backup Agents.
  • Install/Upgrade the SQL Safe Backup Agents.
• Administrators and users are now able to create backup policies or add databases to existing policies in alerts notifying that databases have not been backed up.

Instances tab

• Administrators and users can now Start/Restart SQL Safe Backup Agents and/or Install/Upgrade the SQL Safe Backup Agents from the instances tab. 

SQL Safe Agents tab

• Administrators and normal users are now able to edit the properties of the servers hosting SQL Safe Backup Agents. 
• Administrators and users can now find the following options:
  • Install/Upgrade the SQL Safe Backup Agents
  • Enable/Disable SQL Safe Instant Restore

General Preferences 

The General Preferences section of the Administration tab now includes the following options:

• The Agent Deployment section allows Administrators to specify the service account to be used for deploying Backup Agents.
• The Policy Data section lets Administrators specify a different path for the policy data files location.
• The Cloud Settings section allows Administrators to set their preferred configuration options for Amazon S3 cloud storage.  

Saving Filtered Views

• Users can now save their preferred filters in the Policies, Operation History, Databases, Instances, and SQL Safe Agents tabs. 

8.2 Fixed Issues

• SQL Safe currently shows backup operations progress even when the compression option is not selected.   

• If a policy with a differential backup has a database with no previous full backup, SQL Safe takes first a full backup before executing the policy.  

• SQL Safe no longer restores logins when the option  Include database logins in the backup file are selected for backup operations. 

• SQL Safe accurately sends warning notifications for the  Verify step of Backup + Verify Policies. 

• SQL Safe has now improved the logic for calculating policy schedules and sending email notifications. 

• SQL Safe currently considers the creation date of a new database before sending notifications for missed operations schedules.

8.0 New Features

Web Console Application

Besides the desktop application, a new Web Application Console has been included that allows users to monitor their registered SQL Server instances and their respective SQL Safe operations. The web console provides most of the same capabilities as the desktop application. Actions such as adding new SQL Server instances, backing up, restoring, or performing other operations depend on the role assigned to the respective user. 

The main features of this Web Console Application are:

• Home tab - with a general status of the environment through alerts, summary information of SQL Safe operations, managed instances, and other important data. 

• Policies tab - with information about all SQL Safe policies existing in the users environment. 

• Operations History tab - with all SQL Safe operations performed in the users environment and their current status.  

• Instances tab - with a general view of all SQL Server instances registered in the users environment. 

• Databases tab - with general information of the databases that belong to the SQL Server instances registered in the users environment. 

• SQL Safe Agents tab - provides information of all computers that host registered SQL Server instances and the details of related Safe Agents. 

Integration with the IDERA Dashboard

Version 2.0 allows you to register as many instances of your SQL Safe with your chosen IDERA Dashboard. The IDERA Dashboard provides a platform of services that allow an integrated user experience across multiple IDERA products.

User level permissions

• SQL Safe Web Application now allows to assign three different roles to users: Administrator, User, and Guest. Each role has its own specific capabilities and/or restrictions. 

• Support for EMC Data.

• SQL Safe now backs up and restores to/from EMC Data Domain.

8.0 Fixed issues

• The collection service is no longer set to run as Local System by default and users no longer need to ensure this account has sysadmin rights in the SQL Server instance hosting the repository. They can specify the service account during installation. 

7.4 New features

Support for SQL Server 2014

• IDERA SQL Safe 7.4 now supports SQL Server 2014.

Support for SQL Server Express

• IDERA SQL Safe now supports SQL Server Express in all its editions and versions. 

Availability to use the SQL Safe Backup Agent to schedule policies

• Users can now choose between using the SQL Safe Backup Agent for scheduling backup, restore, and log shipping policies or the SQL Server Agent as another option for scheduling these policies. Previous versions only allowed to use the SQL Server Agent to schedule policy jobs but now the user can choose the SQL Safe Backup Agent as a scheduler for these jobs too.

Centralized license management in the Management Service

• License Management has now been centralized in the SQL Safe the Management Service which is in charge of keeping track of those SQL Server instances that are licensed for backup operations. The user specifies which instances they want to license through the License Management view in the Management Console and the Management Service will contact the respective Backup Agents for licensing. 

• The new License Management view allows users to add multi-instance license keys with no expiration date. On this view users can see which instances are licensed and which ones are only registered but not licensed yet. Users can manage licenses on this view and select those instances that they need to be licensed.

New Upgrade Installer

• Users can now access upgrade production installers from our Customer Support Portal. These installers are different from the trial installer, which now generates a trial license for unlimited instances with a 14-day expiration key on a fresh install.

Support on Always On Availability Groups

• SQL Safe now supports SQL Server Availability Groups and allows you to perform backup and recovery strategies on your primary and secondary replicas.

7.4 Fixed issues

• You no longer need to restart the InstantRestore service when adding a new drive to a server.

7.2.1 New features

Improved backup performance

• SQL Safe now offers faster backup times when backing up SQL Server instances in the following types of environments:

  • When the instance is hosted on server computer that is experiencing heavy resource loads.

  • When the instance is running on a virtual machine (VM).

7.2.1 Fixed issues

• SQL Safe now ensures backup jobs do not fail when the SQL Safe Backup Agent cannot read the registry on the target SQL Server instance.

• SQL Safe now provides more stability and better performance when using the Management Console.

• SQL Safe now displays the correct file locations for mirrored and striped backup sets in the following windows:

  • View Policy Settings

  • Summary tab of Backup Policy wizard

• SQL Safe now handles NULL values that may be returned from the operating system when an InstantRestore is in progress, allowing the operation to continue.

7.2 New features

New ability to specify mirror backup locations for Log Shipping policies

• You can now store mirrored copies of transaction log backup files in multiple locations, and then select which location should be used as the backup source when the log is shipped. This setting can be configured for each secondary server in the Log Shipping policy.

7.2 Fixed issues

• The SQL Safe Management Console now displays the correct database name when you attempt to cancel an operation and the operation status grid has been sorted by a column other than Start Date.

• When a server is reinitialized for a Log Shipping Policy, the Management Console now correctly refreshes and no longer returns the error “System.InvalidOperationException: Collection was modified; enumeration operation may not execute."

• SQL Safe now retries failed restore operations associated with Log Shipping policies.

• The SQL Safe Backup Agent now incurs minimal performance impacts when running backup operations on servers that have heavy loads.

7.1 New features

Enhanced Log Shipping Policy features

• Log shipping policy enhancements provide a way to specify an alternate network path from where you want the secondary database to pull the file to restore. For additional information about the new log shipping policy features, see Configure Secondary Options window of the Log Shipping Policy wizard.

Enhanced Restore wizard features

• Restore wizard enhancements provide an easier way to restore from a mirrored database when the primary database location is unavailable. For more information about the Restore wizard enhancements, see Backup Sets tab of the Restore Wizard.

Enhanced Cluster support

• SQL safe now supports failovers for Instant Restore during hydration. For additional information about the using SQL Safe in a clustered environment, see Using SQL Safe on a Microsoft Windows cluster environment.

SQL Server 2012 experimental support

• SQL Safe 7.1 is SQL Server 2012 RC0 compatible. This version of SQL Safe is not certified against newer builds of SQL Server and should not be used with these builds in a production environment. IDERA provides experimental support while you use your installation in a testing environment to ensure the features you rely on most are working as or better than expected.

7.1 Fixed issues 

• Users who have a case-sensitive SQL Server user name no longer finds SQL Safe failing to create a job. This issue was the result of SQL Safe adding the characters in an all lowercase format.

• SQL Safe now prompts for a user name and password if a user runs the SQL SafeCmd DELETE command when they do not have access to the remote file system.

• This release fixes an issue that caused some users attempting to upgrade to SQL Safe 7.0 to receive a message stating that a previous version already exists.

• An issue preventing the backup service from starting after some users upgraded to SQL Safe 7.0 is resolved.

• Restore policies no longer become out of sync with the database for users who have multiple data files.

• An issue occurring during an upgrade that prevented backups from starting is resolved. In the job history, this issue logged an error stating, "The process could not be created for step 1 of job X (reason: The system cannot find the file specified). The step failed."

• A data format issue that caused some users to see a number of their policies as "Not Loaded" is fixed. All policies should successfully appear after any SQL Safe version upgrade.

• SQL Safe now prompts the user to sync policies after changing SQL authentication details for a SQL Server.

7.0.2 Fixed issues

• SQL Safe applications and services no longer experience a long delay when starting if Windows cannot verify the Authenticode signature on the associated applications and services.

• SQL Safe Agent deployment no longer fails due to an issue that occurs when accessing the registry on the remote machine during installation.

• The SQL Safe Management Console now properly handles creating and re-initializing log shipping databases that include several data files.

• The SQL Safe Management Console now properly handles creating restore policies for databases that include several data files.

7.0.1 Fixed issues

• The SQL Safe Today page now accurately displays the status for each item on the policy list and includes the status for operations that occasionally did not appear because the UTC offset was set to hours instead of minutes.

7.0 New features 

Access your database quickly during a restore

• SQL Safe gives you the option to bring your database back online quickly when performing a restore. The InstantRestore feature lets you work on restoring a database while allowing users to perform read and write operations to the database during this process. InstantRestore is available only for restoring full databases and does not support a restore of individual files or file groups.

Automatically run a Full backup prior to a Diff/Log backup

• SQL Safe simplifies the initial setup process by automatically detecting and performing a Full backup prior to a Differential or Transaction Log backup.

7.0 Fixed issues

• The Retry reading backup files after network errors check box on the Backup Sets tab of the SQL Safe Database Restore wizard is renamed Enable network resiliency. The functionality remains the same while the name of the field was changed to improve usability.

• The Verify (checks integrity, no data restored) option moved from the Recovery State tab to the Target tab in the SQL Safe Database Restore wizard.

• SQL Safe now properly displays the selection in the Select backup sets manually box when the user switches from one database to another using the Restore wizard. This issue affected users attempting to restore multiple databases.

• New rolling logs improve troubleshooting by avoiding issues that result when a single log file continues to store information and grows without a limit. This file can cause performance issues and be hard to search for clues to find the issue you are trying to resolve. This feature is recommended for use only when instructed by IDERA support.

• SQL Safe Reporting no longer displays an error message when a user attempts to run the Last Backup report.

• Dependent SQL Safe operations in a series are now associated so that when one of the operations fails, all of the following operations are canceled.

• The Restore wizard now properly handles the LSN chain when there is an intermediate Full backup.

• Performance updates improve the speed of the SQL Safe installation.

• Enhancements to SQL Safe memory usage decrease the chance of memory leaks or fragmentation.

• Users can now backup a database using only one thread as specified in the Thread Count field on the SQL Safe Backup Policy wizard Options tab.

• SQL Safe alerting now properly handles log shipping restore schedule start times when set to a non-default value.

• SQL Safe network retry updates fixed an issue that resulted when the SQLAgent job hung during a backup and the network retry function is disabled.

• SQL Safe no longer causes an extreme load on the tempdb while backing up a database.

• SQL Safe now properly handles FQDN names when connecting to the Backup Service.

• SQL Safe no longer truncates text within the Result Text field.

• Users can now sort the list of databases in the SQL Safe Backup wizard by clicking the appropriate column name.

• SafeToSQL users who submit an encryption password that fails verification now receive the correct error message.

• The Backup Policy wizard no longer re-runs the file access check after a user edits the policy unless the change was made to the Location tab.

• SQL Safe now allows encryption passwords of more than 24 characters. This update allows users to implement pass phrases as a more effective method of security.

• Users no longer experience an issue causing the default SQL Server instance file path to change when re-running a failed or skipped backup.

• SQL Safe now features Cancel buttons in a number of areas available when the user runs a task. You can cancel a task when performing log shipping re-initialization, deleting a policy, enabling or disabling a policy, running a job, re-synching a policy, or updating a license.

• SQL Safe now prompts the user immediately after a user account credential check fails.

• Improved Command-line Interface (CLI) documentation regarding SQL Safe and TSM server is located in the SQL Safe Help topic, Back up to the TSM Server.

• Accessing sample Command-line Interface (CLI) and Extended Stored Procedure (XSP) script sample access is now documented in the Product components and architecture

• Users who submit a script that contains unnecessary backslash characters in the file path no longer receive an error message stating, "Value cannot be null." SQL Safe now omits the unnecessary backslash characters and continues the operation.

• Users can now create and run log shipping or restore policies on a database that contains multiple files on different drives.

• The SQL Safe Management Console now contains the proper certificate so the user no longer receives a request for credentials each time they launch the Console. This issue affected Windows 2008 users replying on user account control functionality.

• The default Connection Settings detail on the SQL Safe Backup wizard Locations tab no longer retains any changes made during previous use.

• Users can now quickly find an instance in the SQL Safe Database Restore wizard Databases tab by typing the name directly into the instance field and selecting the appropriate instance when it appears.

• Users can now successfully change the IP address on the server hosting the SQL Safe Management Service without causing IP address resolution issues with the Backup Agent.

• Users attempting to restore an older, inactive backup file stored on a TSM server no longer receive an error message.

• SQL Safe XSP now correctly handles wide-character Unicode file names.

• Updated file access permissions fixed a performance issue caused when SQL Safe ran the Backup Policy File Access Check on every database within a SQL Server instance.

• SQL Safe performance is improved when a user attempts to create or run a policy or load the policy status pages.

• Users with large SQL Safe repositories no longer encounter a timeout when accessing the Backup Sets page in the Management Console during a restore.

• If a backup policy specifies both a FULL as well as DIFF or LOG backups to be performed, the FULL backup is automatically run for new databases that have no previously-performed FULL backup existing at the time the FULL, DILL, or LOG backup is scheduled, whichever occurs first.

• The SQL Safe Management Console no longer prevents users from deleting some policies. These policies failed when loading from the Repository before the user attempted to delete the policy.

• PDF files of the SQL Safe Help and SQL Safe Release Notes now include hot links to access related information within the document.