Project Description
This GUI tool will help users determine whether the SQLVDI.DLL is functioning correctly and where you need to concentrate your troubleshooting efforts in case of SQL backup/restore operations are failing due to VDI errors.

This GUI tool works in two steps:
1. Captures the information regarding the backup location, SQL Server name and database name.
2. The it uses a modified version of simple.exe available as part of the VDI Sample applications available for download to perform the backup/restore of SQL databases. The modified EXE is called SQLBackupS.exe which gets copied to your %tempdir% as SQLBackupS.exe.

For details on how to use this utility, read the following blog post.

The modifications for the existing code of simple.exe is mentioned under the following blog post.

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Simulate VDI Backup/Restore

The input parameters for this tab are as follows:
1. Backup Location: This is the location where the database will be backed up to for backup operation OR the location from which the database will be restored along with the filename. This can be a local disk or a UNC path. Known issue: Currently file path with a space is not accepted. This will be addressed in a later release.
eg:
For backup operation: C:\Backups\ or \\backups\master\
For restore operation: C:\Backups\SQLBackupSim.BAK or \\backups\master\SQLBackupSim.BAK

If you just specify the backup folder, then the application will look for the SQLBackupSim.BAK file present in that location and return a File Not Found error if it doesn't exist.

2. SQL Server Name: The name of the SQL Server on which the operation (backup\restore) needs to be performed. This can be selected from the drop-down box. MSSQLSERVER is the default instance. The tool enumerates all the instances installed on the box.

3. Database name: Name of the database on which the backup\restore operation is to be performed. This can be selected using the "Select a Database" drop-down box.

4. Backup/Restore: Selecting the appropriate option (Backup/Restore) using the "Select an operation" drop-down box.

5. Use 64-bit process: For 64-bit boxes, you have the option of testing both 32-bit and 64-bit version of SQLVDI.DLL. The default is to check the functionality of the 32-bit DLL. To check the same for the 64-bit DLL, enable the check box.


Validate VDI Environment
This tab lets you validate the VDI DLL version and permission related checks that are required for a VDI backup to be successful. It will check the common known issues with VDI and report it in the text box below. You need to select the appropriate instance to perform the validation against using the "Select SQL Server Instance Name" drop-down box.

FAQs

1. What is the text output that is provided in the text box below the verbose output?
When a backup/restore operation is performed by the SQL Backup Simulator, it prints the verbose output to help troubleshoot in case of any failures.

2. The START button is disabled!
Select the operation using the drop down list for Backup/Restore option. For subsequent operations, reselect the operation type using the drop-down list.

3. What is the name of the backup file?
The name of the backup file is SQLBackupSim.BAK.

4. What is the version of .NET Framework needed to run this tool?
This tool will work perfectly in machines having .NET Framework 3.5 and above.

5. Application crashes when attempting to take a backup of a SQL instance running in WOW (32-bit SQL on 64-bit server) using the 32-bit version of SQLVDI.DLL?
This is a known issue with the tool. We are looking at addressing this in the next version.

For bugs/design change requests, please use the Issue Tracker to file your requests. In case you have any questions, then send it across as a tweet to banerjeeamit or start a new discussion using the dicussions tab.