Initiating Incremental V2P on a SQL Server VDB

This topic describes how to perform an Incremental V2P operation, consisting of two phases:

Currently, the Incremental V2P is supported only via API/CLI.

The following sections explain the procedure to complete these stages using CLI.

Creating Incremental VDB

This is a preparatory step before executing incremental export.

Prerequisites

  • Incremental VDB must be created from a dSource with FULL recovery model.

  • Incremental VDB must be provisioned with FULL recovery model.

All basic prerequisites for provisioning a VDB, as described in Provisioning a SQL Server VDB section applies for Incremental VDB as well.

Preparation

  • Determine a consistent and healthy snapshot in dSource timeline.

  • Determine the time interval to capture VDB backups.

  • Confirm sufficient Delphix Engine storage is reserved to cover the expected growth on the Incremental VDB as well as to retain its backups until Incremental export is started.

Procedure

To provision an Incremental VDB, define the required fields as outlined in the CLI cookbook: provisioning a SQL server VDB. Additionally, define parameters as shown below to set the time interval for execution of Backup worker to capture VDB changes:

Copy 
set source.incrementalExportBackupParams.type=MSSqlIncrementalExportDelphixStorageBackupParams 
set source.incrementalExportBackupParams.backupFrequencyMinutes=<backup_interval_in_minutes
Incremental VDB backups will be retained until the Incremental export is complete. On completion of incremental export, restore worker starts picking available backups and applies them to the physical database. Backups that are already applied are detected by the Backup worker during its next iteration and removed, so plan storage accordingly.
Executing operations such as VDB Disable, VDB Stop, and Engine Upgrade during an Incremental V2P will temporarily pause the backup worker and will lead to an increase in overall execution time; plan accordingly.

Once the provisioning of VDB is completed, VDB state as well as related backup information is published as runtime attributes. To know more about the available container runtime attributes, refer to the Monitoring incremental V2P status section.

Exporting Incremental VDB

This section describes how to perform an incremental VDB export for an SQL Server.

Unlike Traditional Export, Incremental export completion does not mean the physical database is ready to use. To open the physical database after incremental export, refer to the Using the Export Finalize for SQL Server.

Prerequisites

  • Incremental VDB should be present.

  • OLDEST snapshot/point in Incremental VDB timeline should be intact.

  • SQL server instance version used for export should match the SQL Server instance version of the VDB snapshot.

Complete all basic prerequisites for exporting a VDB, as described in CLI Cookbook: V2P virtual to physical on SQL server, apply to for Incremental VDB.

Procedure

To perform an incremental export on an incremental VDB using CLI, following export parameters must be set as shown below:

  1. Specify the type

    Copy 
    set type=MSSqlIncrementalExportParameters

  2. Set the VDB you wish to export

    Copy 
    edit timeflowPointParameters 
    set container=<incremental_vdb> 
    set location=OLDEST_SNAPSHOT 
    back 

Rest of the V2P parameters can be set as outlined in the CLI Cookbook: V2P virtual to physical on SQL Server section.

Export (i.e. Traditional or non-incremental export) is also allowed on the Incremental VDB. However, these 2 variations cannot be performed in parallel.

File mapping has limited support via CLI. For more information, refer 2025.6.0 release notes>known issues.

On completion of incremental export, runtime attributes such as restore status, backups pending to be applied etc. are regularly published at fixed intervals. To know more about the available container runtime attributes, refer to the Monitoring incremental V2P status section.