• The SQL Backup and Restore Agent is light weight.
• Multiple databases can be either backed up or restored in one execution of the agent.
• It can be made to work with Mobiliti's Network/Unplugged or Continuity@Work and therefore, use the differencing technology of these tools.
• Multiple databases can be either backed up or restored in one execution of the agent.

How to use this agent with Network/Unplugged or Continuity@Work

In order to use this agent with Mobiliti products, please take the following steps.

• Install the Mobiliti client software on the machine having SQL server.
• Execute SQL Agent before synchronization to generate a backup file (*.bak) of the database.
• Complete the synchronization process to backup this backup file (*.bak) to any network location.
• Execute SQL Agent tool after synchronization to delete the temporary backup file (*.bak) from client computer.

In order to restore the backed up SQL Database, copy the latest backup file (*.bak) to the SQL Server machine and then run this tool (manually) to restore the database using that backup file.

To execute application before and after sync create the following registry entries:

• HK_Current_User\Software\Mobiliti\{Product Name}
  \Preferences\ExecBeforeSyncModeSynchronous = 1 (DWORD)
  
  
• HK_Current_User\Software\Mobiliti\{Product Name}
  \Preferences\ExecuteApplicationBeforeSync =
  C:\MOSQLBackupAgent.exe (string) (location of to agent exe on client machine)
  
  
• HK_Current_User\Software\Mobiliti\{Product Name}
  \Preferences\ExecuteApplicationBeforeSyncParameters =
  /b "c:\sqlmnuinit.ini" /l (string) (substitute c:\sqlmnuinit.ini with the location of ini file)
  
  
• HK_Current_User\Software\Mobiliti\{Product Name}
  \Preferences\ExecAfterSyncModeSynchronous = 1 (DWORD)
  
  
• HK_Current_User\Software\Mobiliti\{Product Name}
  \Preferences\ExecuteApplicationAfterSync =
  C:\MOSQLBackupAgent.exe (string) (location of agent exe on client machine)
  
  
• HK_Current_User\Software\Mobiliti\{Product Name}
  \Preferences\ExecuteApplicationAfterSyncParameters =
  /d "c:\sqlmnuinit.ini" /l(string) (substitute c:\sqlmnuinit.ini with the location of ini file)
  
  

Note: For optimum results over WAN or VPN, use Mobiliti software in Client Server configuration and apply Block level differencing.



The behavior of the agent is decided by the command line parameter sent to the agent as well as the settings in the ini file. The general syntax of required parameters is as follows:

MOSQLBackupAgent.exe /{Action} "ini file complete name" /{log}

Action can be either /b -> Backup or /r -> Restore or /d -> delete intermediate database backup file.

To enable event logging give /l switch as the third parameter else simply do not give any third parameter.

Example 1:

To do a backup of the databases mentioned in the file "c:\sqlinifile.ini", with the logging enabled we call the agent as:

MOSQLBackupAgent.exe /b "c:\sqlinifile.ini" /l

Example 2:

To do a restore of the databases mentioned in the file "c:\sqlinifile.ini", without the logging we call the agent as:

Example 3:

MOSQLBackupAgent.exe /r "c:\sqlinifile.ini"

To delete all the temporary database backup files mentioned in the file "c:\sqlinifile.ini", with the logging we call the agent as:

MOSQLBackupAgent.exe /d "c:\sqlinifile.ini" /l



In the "DatabaseInfo" section we specify the number of databases in the key "NumberOfDatabases". Then for each database in consideration we have the individual sections e.g. Database1, Database2 etc. In each of the individual sections we have the required information in the keys "SQLServerName", "UserID", "Password", "DatabaseName" and "BackupLocation". A sample ini file is described below:

[DatabaseInfo]
NumberOfDatabases = 2
[Database2]
SQLServerName = GOLOO\GOLOOSQL
UserID = sa
Password =
DatabaseName = InformationRetreivalSystem
BackupLocation = c:\viraj\sqldata_bkp\InformationRetreivalSystem.bak
[Database1]
SQLServerName = GOLOO\GOLOOSQL
UserID = sa
Password =
DatabaseName = gb
BackupLocation = c:\viraj\sqldata_bkp\gb.bak

SQL Database Backup and Restore FAQ's

• Does this Application do anything different then a normal osql.exe backup or restore?

• Answer: This application uses a different API. It uses the programmatic API of PL/SQL. This application has command line parameters which integrate well with Mobiliti suite of products. Additionally this application also has event logging, error handling and returns gracefully in case of an error. It also facilitates the backup of more than one database in one execution of the application. Using ini files for input this application executes in a non interactive manner.

• I assume I can use a bat file to do the same thing, is this?

• Answer: You could use two bat files for running our application with the respective parameters for the database backup. The first bat file would be executed before sync to run application in the backup mode. The second bat file would be executed after sync to run the application to delete the temporary backup files from the machine having SQL server (local machine). The sync would have synchronized the temporary backup files from the local machine to the network location before deleting them on the local machine. Else you could use the 6 registry entries given below.

• Do you have something in the registry of the Server component that will automatically run and restore the database after sync, so it is not a manual process?

• Answer: Currently for the beta version of this application we do not have any such capability, but once we make this application a part of our products, we would try to have this capability.

• What type of performance results have you seen with this backup type using block level differencing? For example: a 200mb database with one record change, how long will the sync take?

• Answer: The performance of this application is quite good. The performance varies depending on the contents of the database. (e.g. repetitions of records).  I am attaching herewith the test results of this application. The tests were conducted on both the fast network and the slow network.

• When using the tool with Mobiliti client server products, does the .bak file get compressed before transfer?

• Answer: Yes

• 486 or higher IBM-Compatible computer/laptop
• Microsoft Windows 95/98/NT/ME/XP/2000

Download a fully functional version of Mobiliti SQL Agent for free.

1) Network/Unplugged: Incremental file synchronization, outlook backup
and offline network in one solution

2) Continuity@Work: Cost effective backup and synchronization solution
(including outlook pst backup )