SQL 2000 backup unable to see local drives

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SQL 2000 backup unable to see local drives

john.holman

SSC Journeyman

Points: 93
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November 18, 2009 at 4:29 am

#213912

I have a SQL 2000 cluster running on Windows 2003 Enterprise server, the cluster shared storage is provided by a Dell SCSI disk array.
Im trying to backup the databases to an ISCSI drive on our SAN. When I select the backup locations for the databases in the maintenance plan the server only shows 2 drives (R & S) which are on the Dell expansion box, all other drives are not visible (local drives c: and d:, quorum drive q: - also on the Dell disk array and finaly x: ISCSI drive on our SAN)
Can anybody tell me why these drives are not available to select as backup locations and how to add them.
Thanks in advance

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Gail Shaw SSC Guru Points: 1004504 More actions · Answer 1

It's a clustered SQL Server. The only drives that will be visible to it are the drives which are set up as cluster resources and dependencies for the SQL service. This is only possible for shared drives (drives that are visible to all the nodes of the cluster).

If there are shared drives not visible it means that either they are not set up as resources in the cluster or they are not set as dependencies for the SQL service. Speak to your cluster administrator.

Local drives cannot be made cluster resources and hence cannot be visible to a clustered SQL Server

Gail Shaw
Microsoft Certified Master: SQL Server, MVP, M.Sc (Comp Sci)
SQL In The Wild: Discussions on DB performance with occasional diversions into recoverability

We walk in the dark places no others will enter
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Atul DBA Hall of Fame Points: 3610 More actions · Answer 2

In general, you can't access your Local Drive ( C drive) on clsuter node. This is because of nature of cluster architecture. Cluster services access the resources which can be accessed from any node. Local drive will not be accessible from other node.

You may try this but time cosuming and not sure if this will work or not. You can get free iSCSI target software http://www.nimbusdata.com/products/mysan/mysan.htm

and a free iSCSI initiator

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=12cb3c1a-15d6-4585-b385-befd1319f825&displaylang=en

Or, download the VMWare OpenFiler appliance if you don't want to configure an iSCSI target in Windows.

@SQLNumpty SSCrazy Points: 2940 More actions · Answer 3

The file created by the backup can be placed in any location that the job account has access to. This includes local drives, iSCSI targets and network shares ... 😉

Just make sure that the location is available from both nodes of the cluster.

john.holman SSC Journeyman Points: 93 More actions · Answer 4

I'm going to try what GilaMonster sugested first, We had already added it as a resource but not set the dependancies. I'm unable to try this today as we can't take the cluster offline. I've put some down time in for tomorrow to try this. I'll let you know what happens.

Thanks for all the replies so far