Metafile allocation, Allocating files that comprise a database, Allocating metafiles – HP XP Array Manager Software User Manual
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To restore system databases (master, model, and msdb) together with a database that uses the
database mirroring function, disable the mirroring function for the database using it, restore the
system databases, and then restore the database that uses the mirroring function.
Allocating files that comprise a database
Do not place database files to be backed up in the same volume as files that will not be backed up.
Allocating metafiles
A metafile is a file SQL Server outputs during backup processing. Metafiles store information about
database composition and are therefore used in restoration processing. For this reason, when backup
data is backed up to tape, the metafile must also be backed up to the tape.
If you have specified a VDI metafile storage directory, when backup data of the secondary volume
is backed up to tape, the metafile must also be backed up to the tape (this is not necessary if the
metafile is stored in the same directory as the database file).
When you back up to tape, use FTP or a similar method to transfer the metafile created in the metafile
storage directory in the database server to the backup server. Transfer the file in the directory using
the same name as in the metafile storage directory in the backup server and allocate the same drive
characters.
Metafile allocation on the database server and the backup server is shown in the following figure.
Figure 16 Metafile allocation
If the database server is in a cluster configuration using Microsoft Cluster Service and metafiles are
stored in a storage system volume, a secondary volume can be used to restore the metafiles when the
cluster server fails over.
For best results, store metafiles in a volume belonging to an SQL Server resource group so that, even
if an SQL Server cluster resource fails over, the metafiles are failed over with the resource group.
The following figure shows a sample location for metafiles in an active/standby (or active/passive)
cluster configuration.
Managing application replicas
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