Microsoft SQL Server 2019 Express Edition Considerations

Microsoft SQL Server 2019 Express Edition is a free, lightweight version of Microsoft SQL Server and is packaged with Arcserve Backup. Review the following information if you are considering using Microsoft SQL Server 2019 Express Edition to support the Arcserve Backup database:

• Ensure that the Arcserve system account has administrative privileges on Microsoft SQL Server 2019 Express Edition databases.
• Microsoft SQL Server 2019 Express Edition does not support remote operations. You must install the Arcserve database locally to your Arcserve Backup server.

• Microsoft does not recommend running Microsoft SQL Server 2019 Express Edition as a Local System account, a Local Service account, or Network Service account on Windows Server systems that function as domain controllers. When you install Arcserve Backup on a system that functions as a domain controller, Setup configures the Arcserve Backup database (ARCSERVE_DB) to communicate using a Local System account, and all other services to communicate using a Network Service account. To ensure that the Arcserve Backup database can communicate on Windows Server systems that function as a domain controller, you must change the Microsoft SQL Server 2019 Express Edition account to a Windows domain user account after you install Arcserve Backup.
• Note: For information about how to change the Microsoft SQL Server 2019 Express Edition account to a Windows domain user account, see the Microsoft SQL Server documentation.
• To function properly, Microsoft SQL Server 2019 Express Edition requires that .NET Framework 4.8 be installed on your system. Microsoft .NET Framework 4.8 is packaged with Arcserve Backup and is provided for you on the Arcserve Backup installation media.
• If you determine that Microsoft SQL Server 2019 Express Edition does not meet the needs of your Arcserve Backup environment, you can use the Server Configuration Wizard to convert the Arcserve Backup database to Microsoft SQL Server and then migrate your existing data to the new database after the conversion is complete. You can convert the database at any time after you install or upgrade Arcserve Backup.
• Note: For information about upgrading from Microsoft SQL Server 2019 Express Edition to Microsoft SQL Server, see the Administration Guide.
• Arcserve Backup does not support migrating data from a Microsoft SQL Server database to a Microsoft SQL Server 2019 Express database. Therefore, if you are currently running Microsoft SQL Server in your environment, you must deploy Microsoft SQL Server for the Arcserve Backup database.
• For Global Dashboard, you cannot configure the Arcserve Backup database for the Central Primary Server with Microsoft SQL Server Express installed. Microsoft SQL Server 2012 or later, must be installed on the Central Primary Server.
• You can download and install the latest updates, security patches, and service packs that apply to the version of Microsoft SQL Server 2019 Express Edition that is running in your environment. The Compatibility Matrix on the Arcserve support web site can help you determine the applicable updates for your implementation.

Important! You should always check the Compatibility Matrix on the Arcserve support website before you apply Microsoft SQL Server Express Edition service packs to your Arcserve Backup implementation. After determining the compatible service packs, you should apply the updates and security patches based on the recommendations of Microsoft.

• Consider the following upgrade scenarios:
• Upgrading to Arcserve Backup 19.0 from Arcserve Backup r17.5/r17.5 SP1/r18.0 (GA and all service packs) or prior versions will upgrade Arcserve database default instance to SQL Server 2019 Express Edition
• You are using Microsoft SQL Server Express Edition to host the Arcserve Backup database. The name of the Arcserve Backup database instance is ARCSERVE_DB (default). This scenario also includes situations where a previous release of Arcserve Backup may not be installed on the target system, however, Microsoft SQL Server Express Edition is installed on the target system and you are using an instance named ARCSERVE_DB for other applications.
• You are using Microsoft SQL Server Express Edition to host the Arcserve Backup database. The name of the Arcserve Backup database instance is not ARCSERVE_DB.
• When you upgrade to this release, Setup searches for the default Arcserve Backup database instance. If Setup detects an instance named ARCSERVE_DB, Setup upgrades the instance to Microsoft SQL Server 2019 Express Edition, and Arcserve Backup continues using the instance, and data, from the previous release. However, if Setup cannot detect an instance named ARCSERVE_DB, Setup creates a new instance called ARCSERVE_DB. If Setup creates a new database instance, the information from the previous Arcserve Backup release is not retained in the new instance.