When we first started with DPM (version 2008 I believe) we had to set our SQL Server DB to a RECOVERY_MODEL of either BULK_LOGGED or FULL if we wanted DPM to do 15 minute synchronizations. Based on what I'm reading/seeing it looks like as if this requirement has changed or been dropped altogether at some point between DPM 2008 and DPM 2012.
If I want DPM to do 15 minute or even 30 minute synchronizations (in addition to Daily express full backups) can I leave my DB RECOVERY_MODEL set to SIMPLE if am using DPM 2012?
Until I saw today that our IT Admin has the System Center 2012 DB’s Protection Group (in DOM 2012) set to 30 minute synchronization and each DB RECOVERY_MODEL is set to SIMPLE I had no idea that you could backup via DPM a DB set to a SIMPLE RECOVERY_MODEL and get DPM to do 30 minute syncs and not just full express backups.
RECOVERY_MODEL NOTE:
I know that the intent of the BULK_LOGGED and FULL RECOVERY_MODLES are for doing native SQL backups that allow one to do real time or near real time recovery because in addition to recovering the last full backup you can then also recover the log file (from the log file backups) thus allowing for near real time recovery. If however you are doing Backups solely thru DPM and if DPM does not require that you use a RECOVERY_MODEL of BULK_LOGGED or FULL then why would you still use one of those 2 RECOVERY_MODLES for your DB? By using the SIMPLE RECOVERY_MODEL you gain the benefit of keeping your log file size to a much lower size and avoid the risk of your log file growing out of control.