Ola Hallengren's August 2026 update fixes `DatabaseBackup` behavior when an availability group is in the `RESOLVING` state. That transient state appears while SQL Server and the cluster determine replica roles and connectivity. The operational lesson is broader than the specific fix: a backup schedule can run while the platform is uncertain, and a green job outcome may not mean every expected database received a valid new recovery point.
Why it matters in production
Teams should define expected behavior for each replica state. Which replica is preferred for backup, what happens when that replica is unavailable, whether the job moves to another node, and how skipped databases are reported all need explicit answers. SQL Agent success alone is weak evidence if the command intentionally bypassed a database or could not determine ownership.
Validation should correlate availability-group state, job history, command log, backup metadata, repository files, and the age of the last successful full, differential, and log backup. Alerts need to follow the recovery-point age per database rather than only a failed job. A state transition during the window should trigger a follow-up check after the group stabilizes.
Maintenance testing can reproduce failover, node restart, network interruption, and a temporary `RESOLVING` state. Observe where jobs execute, which databases are selected, whether log chains remain current, and how operators are notified. Pin and document the maintenance-solution version so fixes are promoted deliberately across production instances.
Practical takeaway
The practical conclusion is that backup health belongs to the database, not the scheduler. After an availability-group disturbance, verify actual recovery points for every protected database and run missed work once roles stabilize. Cluster recovery restores service placement; it does not retroactively prove that the backup window remained complete.