Delphix Toolkits (dxToolkit and dxmToolkit)

We've been working scripting out some of our workflows and in one of them we use dx_snapshot_db to snapshot the dSource before refreshing specific VDBs sourced from that dSource. On one of databases, we've noticed that dx_snapshot_db takes about an hour to complete the snapshot; but the normal snapshots taken when Delphix sees our transaction logs generally complete in a minute or less.

While reviewing the dx_snapshot_db page in the GitHub wiki, I noticed this usebackup option:

• -usebackup yes|no For MS SQL / Sybase dSource only - if this flag is set to yes - snapshot will to loaded from last known backup, if flag is set to no Delphix Engine will run full backup Default value is no

I find this description a little unclear and was hoping somebody on here would be able to clarify it for me. Is this saying when usebackup is set to yes that Delphix will use the last backup already ingested and when usebackup is set to no that Delphix has to ingest the last full backup?

------------------------------
Mark McKibben
Senior Database Administrator
United Fire Group
------------------------------

Hi Mark,

I think what it is trying to express is that when "usebackup=yes", Delphix will attempt to load the most recent existing full or differential backup. When "usebackup=no", Delphix will take a copy-only full backup of the database (we also sometimes call this a Delphix Managed Backup).

The Delphix Managed Backup is generally much slower than ingesting an existing backup. This KB article explains why:
  https://support.delphix.com/Delphix_Virtualization_Engine/MSSQL_Server/Configuring_Compression_in_Delphix_Managed_Backups_(KBA3799)

Even when using "usebackup=yes", I would expect this to be slower than when Delphix loads transaction logs because it will be loading from the most recent full or differential backup. It should be about the same as when you click the camera icon of your dSource and ask Delphix to ingest the most recent full or differential.

I hope this helps.

Thanks,
  Neal

------------------------------
Neal Stack
Senior Member of Technical Staff
Delphix
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 03-08-2021 11:36:03 AM
From: Mark McKibben
Subject: dx_snapshot_db with MS SQL

We've been working scripting out some of our workflows and in one of them we use dx_snapshot_db to snapshot the dSource before refreshing specific VDBs sourced from that dSource. On one of databases, we've noticed that dx_snapshot_db takes about an hour to complete the snapshot; but the normal snapshots taken when Delphix sees our transaction logs generally complete in a minute or less.

While reviewing the dx_snapshot_db page in the GitHub wiki, I noticed this usebackup option:

• -usebackup yes|no For MS SQL / Sybase dSource only - if this flag is set to yes - snapshot will to loaded from last known backup, if flag is set to no Delphix Engine will run full backup Default value is no

I find this description a little unclear and was hoping somebody on here would be able to clarify it for me. Is this saying when usebackup is set to yes that Delphix will use the last backup already ingested and when usebackup is set to no that Delphix has to ingest the last full backup?

------------------------------
Mark McKibben
Senior Database Administrator
United Fire Group
------------------------------

Thanks Neal, that's most helpful.

------------------------------
Mark McKibben
Senior Database Administrator
United Fire Group
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 03-08-2021 11:49:13 AM
From: Neal Stack
Subject: dx_snapshot_db with MS SQL

Hi Mark,

I think what it is trying to express is that when "usebackup=yes", Delphix will attempt to load the most recent existing full or differential backup. When "usebackup=no", Delphix will take a copy-only full backup of the database (we also sometimes call this a Delphix Managed Backup).

The Delphix Managed Backup is generally much slower than ingesting an existing backup. This KB article explains why:
  https://support.delphix.com/Delphix_Virtualization_Engine/MSSQL_Server/Configuring_Compression_in_Delphix_Managed_Backups_(KBA3799)

Even when using "usebackup=yes", I would expect this to be slower than when Delphix loads transaction logs because it will be loading from the most recent full or differential backup. It should be about the same as when you click the camera icon of your dSource and ask Delphix to ingest the most recent full or differential.

I hope this helps.

Thanks,
  Neal

------------------------------
Neal Stack
Senior Member of Technical Staff
Delphix

Original Message:
Sent: 03-08-2021 11:36:03 AM
From: Mark McKibben
Subject: dx_snapshot_db with MS SQL

We've been working scripting out some of our workflows and in one of them we use dx_snapshot_db to snapshot the dSource before refreshing specific VDBs sourced from that dSource. On one of databases, we've noticed that dx_snapshot_db takes about an hour to complete the snapshot; but the normal snapshots taken when Delphix sees our transaction logs generally complete in a minute or less.

While reviewing the dx_snapshot_db page in the GitHub wiki, I noticed this usebackup option:

• -usebackup yes|no For MS SQL / Sybase dSource only - if this flag is set to yes - snapshot will to loaded from last known backup, if flag is set to no Delphix Engine will run full backup Default value is no

I find this description a little unclear and was hoping somebody on here would be able to clarify it for me. Is this saying when usebackup is set to yes that Delphix will use the last backup already ingested and when usebackup is set to no that Delphix has to ingest the last full backup?

------------------------------
Mark McKibben
Senior Database Administrator
United Fire Group
------------------------------