Client Management Suite

In order to properly manage the Symantec_CMDB or Altiris database and keep the database performing at an optimal level, routine maintenance tasks must be executed on the SQL server. The top routine maintenance task that should be performed is to create and schedule a SQL Server Maintenance Plan. Every company that runs SQL Server need a SQL maintenance job that is scheduled to run at least weekly (preferably daily) to perform backups.

The SQL Server Maintenance Plan is a set of actions taken to ensure that the following parts of the SQL database are properly maintained:

• Creates backups of databases
• Reorganizes data and indexes
• Checks database integrity
• Resets statistics on the database

A nice feature of SQL Server is that the maintenance plan can be configured by a wizard, which can help alleviate some of the burden of creating the plan. It can also ensure that the common features of the maintenance plan are taken care of.

Note: If you are running a free version of SQL Server (i.e. SQL Server Express), maintenance plans are not supported.

Server Maintenance - Create Maintenance Plan SQL Server 2005

A SQL Maintenance Plan can create backups of the database, backups of the transaction log, check the database integrity, get rid of unused space within the database, manage or reorganize indexes, and taking care of internal data storage issues.

In order to use the wizard to create the maintenance plan in the SQL Server Management Studio, follow these steps:

1. Open the SQL Server Management Studio by accessing All Programs -- > Microsoft SQL Server 2005 -- > SQL Server Management Studio.
2. Supply the connection information for logging in to the SQL Server Management Studio.
3. Select the Management -- > Maintenance Plans folder in the server object explorer window in SQL Server Management Studio. Right-clicking the folder gives you the option of creating a new maintenance plan from scratch or creating one via the wizard. Select the "Maintenance Plan Wizard". See figure below.

   

4. This will bring up the Welcome screen. Click the Next button to continue with the wizard.
5. Select a target server.
   • Give the maintenance plan a name.
   • Schedule. We are going to keep most items here default. Please review settings as you are working through the exercise.
   • Change the schedule by selecting "Change..."
   • Supply a name for the schedule
   • Review the defaults and select next
   • Select Next.
6. Select Maintenance Tasks.
   • Select "Check Database Integrity", "Reorganize Index" and "Back Up Database (Full)".
   • Select Next.
7. Select Maintenance Task Order. Select Next.
8. Define Database Check Integrity Task.
   • Select the Symantec_CMDB or Altiris databases.
   • Make sure "Include Indexes" is selected.
   • Select Next.
9. Define Reorganize Index Task.
   • Select the Symantec_CMDB or Altiris databases.
   • Make sure "Compact large objects" is selected.
   • Select Next.
10. Define Back Up Database (Full) Task.
    • Select the Symantec_CMDB or Altiris databases.
    • Select "Create a sub-directory for each database".
    • Change the folder path to c:\backups
    • Select "Verify backup integrity".
    • Select Next.
11. Select Report Options. Leave defaults for the Write history box. This screen deals with options relating to whether or not the SQL Server maintenance plan history will be stored in a SQL Server database somewhere for easy retrieval and historical purposes. Select next.
12. Complete the Wizard. The summary screen allows you to name the SQL Server maintenance plan. Clicking finish will generate the necessary jobs that are needed to perform the database plan.