Users Guide
Table Of Contents
- About This Guide
- Dell EqualLogic Auto-Snapshot Manager/Microsoft Edition Version 5.4 User's Guide
- Introduction to ASM/ME
- Functions Provided By ASM/ME
- Supported Applications
- HIT Groups and Multiple Machine Management
- ASM/ME Smart Copies
- Smart Copy Types
- Smart Copy Operations for Template and Thin Clone Volumes
- Robust Data Recovery
- Thin-Provisioning a Volume
- SAN Data Copy Offload
- Scripts and Command Generation
- Alerts and Event Notification
- Remote Installations
- Failover Cluster Support
- ASM/ME and the Virtual Snapshot Service
- Functions Provided By ASM/ME
- Configure ASM/ME
- PS Series Group Requirements
- Windows Computer Requirements
- Required Access Controls
- VSS/VDS Service Access to the Group
- Access to Volumes and Snapshots
- iSCSI Target Connections
- Volume Mount Point and Drive Letter Assignments
- Mount Point Constraints in Cluster Environments
- ASM/ME Settings
- ASM/ME Graphical User Interface
- Start the ASM/ME GUI
- Tree Panel
- Tree Panel Behavior in Failover Cluster Environments
- Tree Panel Nodes
- Tree Panel Icons
- Group SharePoint Farm Nodes, Clusters, or Host Nodes
- About Aliases
- Customize Color Themes
- HIT Groups
- General ASM/ME Operations
- About Volumes
- Operations on Failover Clusters
- About Collections
- About Schedules
- About Smart Copies
- Restoring Data
- View Multipath Information
- View I/O Details
- Using ASM/ME with Exchange
- View Exchange Applications in ASM/ME
- Exchange Operations
- Overview of Exchange Smart Copies
- Exchange eseutil.exe Utility
- Recovery Considerations for Exchange
- Checksum Verification and Soft Recovery
- Run Checksum Verification and Soft Recovery Immediately
- Run Checksum Verification and Soft Recovery After Smart Copy Creation
- Schedule a Global Verification Task for Checksum Verification and Soft Recovery
- Run Checksum Verification and Soft Recovery on a Remote Host
- View Checksum Verification and Soft Recovery Status
- Checksum Verification and Soft Recovery Logging and Notification
- Create Exchange Smart Copies
- Schedule Smart Copies for Exchange Components
- Recover Exchange Data
- Using ASM/ME with SQL Server
- Using ASM/ME with Hyper-V
- Using ASM/ME with SharePoint
- SharePoint Installation Considerations
- Plan to Install on a SharePoint Farm
- Example of ASM/ME Installed on a SharePoint Farm
- Example of a SharePoint Farm with a SQL Cluster
- Install ASM/ME on a SharePoint Farm
- About Changes to an Existing SharePoint Farm
- Remove a HIT Group Host From a SharePoint Farm
- Add a Writer Host to a SharePoint Farm
- Change a Writer Host in a SharePoint Farm
- Change the Writer Host and Disable the VSS Writer in a SharePoint Farm
- Respond to Changes in a SharePoint Farm
- View SharePoint Farm Components in ASM/ME
- SharePoint Smart Copies
- Restore Options for SharePoint Smart Copies
- Availability of SharePoint Data Restoration Operations
- Mount a SharePoint Smart Copy
- Restore Selected Databases from a SharePoint Smart Copy
- Restore a Database In-Place From a SharePoint Smart Copy
- Restore a Database From a SharePoint Smart Copy as a New Database
- Restore an SSA From a SharePoint Smart Copy
- Using the Command Line Interface
- Introduction to ASMCLI
- How to Use ASMCLI Commands
- General Command Syntax
- ASMCLI Command Summary
- Command Parameters
- ASMCLI Commands and Their Syntax
- ASMCLI -alert
- ASMCLI -breaksmartcopy
- ASMCLI -cloneReplica
- ASMCLI -configureASM
- ASMCLI -configureCHAP
- ASMCLI -createCollection
- ASMCLI -delete
- ASMCLI -deleteCollection
- ASMCLI -enumerateiSCSIPortals
- ASMCLI -enumerateSmartCopies
- ASMCLI -help
- ASMCLI -list
- ASMCLI -modifyCollection
- ASMCLI -mount
- ASMCLI -Properties
- ASMCLI -restore
- ASMCLI -selectiveRestore
- ASMCLI -shutdownsystray
- ASMCLI -shutdownverifier
- ASMCLI -smart
- ASMCLI -unmount
- ASMCLI -verify
- ASMCLI -version
- Use a Script to Create Smart Copies
- Recover a Clustered Volume From a Clone
- Index
Introduction to ASM/ME
Dell EqualLogic Auto-Snapshot Manager/Microsoft Edition (ASM/ME) enables you to create fast, space-efficient, point-in-time
copies of Dell EqualLogic volumes as part of a backup and recovery strategy for your data. You can quickly back up and restore
Dell EqualLogic volumes on multiple Windows machines, and manage multiple hosts from a single graphical user interface.
ASM/ME is a component of the Host Integration Tools, so it is installed when you install the Host Integration Tools.
For instructions on installing the Host Integration Tools, see the Host Integration Tools for Microsoft Installation and User’s
Guide.
Topics:
• Functions Provided By ASM/ME
• ASM/ME and the Virtual Snapshot Service
Functions Provided By ASM/ME
You can use ASM/ME to perform backup and recovery operations in both standalone and cluster environments, including Hyper-
V CSV-enabled clusters. ASM/ME creates point-in-time, consistent copies (backups) of data stored on one or more PS Series
groups. You can back up a single volume, or an entire database consisting of multiple volumes. The resulting backup is called a
Smart Copy.
A Smart Copy consists of the copy itself, and a backup document that describes the Smart Copy. If you configure your PS
Series group for replication, you can use ASM/ME to create a disaster-tolerant storage environment.
While you create Smart Copies, all applications remain online with little impact on performance and computer availability. The
time required for copying is minimized, and the data is always consistent and usable.
A Smart Copy can be one of three types—Snapshot, clone, or replica. After you have created a Smart Copy, you can restore it
to recover data at any time. The Smart Copies created by ASM/ME are application-consistent, which means that the Smart
Copy is always usable by Exchange, SQL Server, and Hyper-V after a restore operation.
You can use ASM/ME to create Smart Copies in the following ways:
● On Demand—You can select a volume, application component, or collection in the ASM/ME GUI and immediately create a
Smart Copy of it.
● Automated Schedule—You can select a volume, application component, or collection and then create a Smart Copy schedule
for that object. A schedule automates Smart Copy creation and allows you to control the timing, frequency, and number of
retained copies.
● Scripts—You can use ASMCLI, the command-line interface for ASM/ME, to write scripts for creating Smart Copies.
While ASM/ME enhances and supplements your regular backup regimen by providing fast and efficient data recovery, it is not a
replacement for a regular and complete backup of your data to long-term media. You can use your backup software to transfer
the data in Smart Copies to long-term backup media. Because the applications in your production environment remain online
during such transfers, ASM/ME significantly reduces your planned computer downtime.
Supported Applications
ASM/ME supports these applications:
● Exchange Server
● SQL Server
● SharePoint
● Hyper-V
See the Host Integration Tools for Microsoft Release Notes for a list of supported versions.
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