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Chapter 3 - Manual Backups

Overview

Types of Manual Backups

Note: You can also back up the server's UNIX operating system, or kernel, to diskette. Refer to "To Save the Current Kernel Configuration to Diskette" in Appendix C for more information.

Backup Procedures

General Guidelines

Preparing for a Backup

Note: You do not have to shut down services when you back up a server. However, if a file is open during a backup, it may not be backed up properly. For more information, refer to the next section, "Backing Up Files That Are in Use."

Backing Up Files That Are in Use

Labeling Backup Media

Backing Up the Complete System

To Create a Manual Backup of the Complete System

1. From the Operator Menu, select Backup/Restore. The Backup/Restore Menu appears.

Figure 3-1. Backup/Restore Menu Screen

2. Select Backup. The Backup Menu appears.

Figure 3-2. Backup Menu Screen

3. Select Complete System Backup. The Confirm Backup Screen appears.

Figure 3-3. Confirm Backup Screen

4. Select one of the following:

- YES to confirm the readability of the backup after it completes (recommended).

- NO if you do not want to confirm the readability of the backup.

The Insert Media screen appears.

Figure 3-4. Insert Media Screen

Note: Confirming the readability of the backup media confirms only that the media is not damaged or defective and can be read by the tape or diskette drive. It does not guarantee that data was correctly backed up to the media. The data on the backup media is not compared with the data on the server.

5. Insert the tape or diskette into the drive and select one of the following:

- CONTINUE to proceed.

- ABORT to cancel the system backup and return to the Backup/Restore Menu.

If you are backing up to a tape drive, a message appears, indicating that drive is retensioning the tape. Retensioning the tape can take several minutes.

Note: If a service on the server is not functioning properly, a message appears, informing you that the service is in an inconsistent state. You are prompted to choose whether you want to continue. If you continue with the backup, the files and directories in the inconsistent service are not backed up. All other services are backed up normally. If you do not continue, fix the problems with the service before you begin a new backup.

6. The drive light remains on and you receive confirmation as each service is backed up:

Continuing...
Backing up System Databases.
Backup successful.
Backing up MS@USCHI007@Servers.
Backup successful.

7. When all information has been backed up, a message reports that the backup is complete. If you are using tape, the tape automatically rewinds. Skip to step 11.

If the backup does not fit on the current tape or diskette, the Insert Media Screen appears. A message informs you that the space on the tape or diskette is exhausted. If you are using tape, the tape automatically rewinds. You are then prompted to remove the media from the drive. Remove the tape or diskette and label it.

8. Insert the next tape or diskette in the drive.

9. Enter P and press ENTER to continue with the backup.

10. Repeat steps 7 through 9 for each tape or diskette needed to contain the backup.

11. If you chose not to confirm the readability of the backup in step 4, skip the remaining steps and refer to "After Completing the Backup" later in this chapter. Properly label all media (refer to "Labeling Backup Media" earlier in this chapter).

If you chose to confirm the readability of the backup in step 4, a message appears informing you that the confirmation is beginning.

- For backups that fit on a single tape or diskette, the test begins automatically. Skip to step 13.

- For backups requiring multiple tapes or diskettes, you are prompted to insert the first tape or diskette in the backup sequence. You need to test all tapes or diskettes of the series in the order in which you used them during the backup. Remove the last tape or diskette from the drive. Continue with step 12.

12. Insert the tape or diskette to be tested into the drive and press ENTER.

If you are using tape, the drive retensions the tape before the test begins.

Note: To cancel the confirmation procedure once it is in progress, press CTRL-C. The tape retensions, the test stops, and the Backup Menu appears. A message indicates that the backup has failed the test. The backup may be readable, but because you did not allow the test to complete, the test did not succeed. Confirm readability of the backup at a later time.

13. The drive light remains on and you receive confirmation as each service on the backup media is confirmed:

Confirming readability of System Databases.
Readability confirmed.
Confirming readability of MS@USCHI007@Servers.
Readability confirmed.

After a tape is tested, it automatically rewinds.

14. You are prompted to insert the next tape or diskette in the backup sequence. Repeat steps 12 and 13 until all media in the sequence have been tested.

15. Remove the last backup media and label it if you have not already done so.

16. Press ENTER. One of the following messages appears:

- Backup has passed test

- Backup has failed test

If the backup fails the test, create a new backup. Discard backups that repeatedly fail readability tests.

Note: Confirmation only provides information on the readability of the entire set of media. For backups that use more than one tape or diskette, an error on any one tape or diskette causes the entire set to fail.

Incremental Backups

Caution: An incremental backup does not by itself contain all of the system information you need to restore lost data. For example, incremental backups do not record changes to the system configuration (third-party drivers for communications or peripherals). When restoring information to a server, you must load the last complete system backup before loading the appropriate sequence of incremental backups.

Configuring the Incremental Backup Range

Setting the Range for Incremental Backups

Table 3-1. Advantages and Disadvantages of Extending the Backup Range

Choosing Types of Incremental Backups

Note: Incremental backups never include changes that occurred prior to most recent complete backup.

Figure 3-5. Incremental Range That Includes Changes Since Last Incremental

Figure 3-6. Incremental Range That Includes Changes Since Incremental Prior to Last

Figure 3-7. Incremental Range That Includes Changes Since Last Complete Backup

Example Restoring from Backups with Different Incremental Range Settings

To Display and Change the Incremental Backup Range

1. From the Operator Menu, select Backup/Restore. The Backup/Restore Menu appears.

Figure 3-8. Backup/Restore Menu Screen

2. Select Change Configuration. The Change Configuration Menu appears.

Figure 3-9. Change Configuration Menu Screen

3. Select Incremental Backup Range. The Incremental Backup Range Menu appears.

Figure 3-10. Incremental Backup Range Menu Screen

4. Select an incremental backup range from among the three ranges shown and press ENTER. Your choice appears as the current setting.

5. Press ESC. The Change Configuration Menu appears. The incremental backup range that you set takes effect the next time you create an incremental backup.

To Create an Incremental Backup

1. From the Operator Menu, select Backup/Restore. The Backup/Restore Menu appears.

Figure 3-11. Backup/Restore Menu Screen

2. Select Backup. The Backup Menu appears.

Figure 3-12. Backup Menu Screen

3. Select Incremental System Backup. One of the following occurs:

- If you have performed a previous complete backup on the server, the Confirm Backup Screen appears. Continue with step 4.

Figure 3-13. Confirm Backup Screen

- If you have not performed a previous complete backup on the server, the following message appears:

Incremental must be preceded by Complete System Backup.

You cannot create an incremental backup unless you have created a complete backup first. Perform a complete backup now and then create an incremental backup at a later time.

4. Select one of the following:

- YES to confirm the readability of the backup media after the backup completes.

- NO if you do not want to confirm the readability of the backup media.

Note: Confirming the readability of the backup media confirms only that the media is not damaged or defective, and can be read by the tape or diskette drive. It does not guarantee that data was correctly backed up to the media. The data on the backup media is not compared with the data on the server.

The Insert Media screen appears.

Figure 3-14. Insert Media Screen

5. Insert the tape or diskette into the drive and select one of the following:

- CONTINUE to proceed.

- ABORT to cancel the backup and return to the Backup Menu.

If you choose to continue, a message appears, indicating the range of the incremental backup that is beginning. If you are backing up to a tape drive, a message appears, indicating that drive is retensioning the tape. Retensioning the tape can take several minutes.

Note: If a service on the server is not functioning properly, a message appears informing you that the service is in an inconsistent state. You are prompted to choose whether you want to continue. If you continue with the backup, the files and directories in the inconsistent service are not backed up. All other services are backed up normally. If you do not continue, fix the problems with the service before you begin a new backup.

6. The drive light remains on and you receive confirmation as each service is backed up:

Continuing...
Backing up System Databases.
Backup successful.
Backing up MS@USCHI007@Servers.
Backup successful.

7. When all information has been backed up, a message reports that the backup is complete. If you are using tape, the tape automatically rewinds. Skip to step 11.

If the backup does not fit on the current tape or diskette, the Insert Media screen appears. A message informs you that the space on the tape or diskette is exhausted. If you are using tape, the tape automatically rewinds. You are then prompted to remove the media from the drive. Remove the tape or diskette and label it.

8. Insert the next tape or diskette in the drive.

9. Enter P and press ENTER to continue with the backup.

10. Repeat steps 7 through 9 for each tape or diskette needed to contain the backup.

11. If you chose not to confirm the readability of the backup in step 4, skip the remaining steps and refer to "After Completing the Backup" later in this chapter. Properly label all media (refer to "Labeling Backup Media" earlier in this chapter).

If you chose to confirm the readability of the backup in step 4, a message appears informing you that the confirmation is beginning.

- For backups that fit on a single tape of diskette, the test begins automatically. Skip to step 13.

- For backups requiring multiple tapes or diskettes, you are prompted to insert the first tape or diskette in the backup sequence. You need to test all tapes or diskettes of the series in the order in which you used them during the backup. Remove the last tape or diskette from the drive.

12. Insert the tape or diskette to be tested into the drive and press ENTER.

If you are using tape, the drive retensions the tape before the test begins.

Note: To cancel the confirmation procedure once it is in progress, press CTRL-C. The tape retensions, the test stops, and the Backup Menu appears. A message indicates that the backup has failed the test. The backup may be readable, but because you did not allow the test to complete, the test did not succeed. Confirm readability of the backup at a later time.

13. The drive light remains on and you receive confirmation as each service on the backup media is confirmed:

Confirming readability of System Databases.
Readability confirmed.
Confirming readability of MS@USCHI007@Servers.
Readability confirmed.

After a tape is tested, it automatically rewinds.

14. You are prompted to insert the next tape or diskette in the backup sequence. Repeat steps 12 and 13 until all media in the sequence have been tested.

15. Remove the last backup media and label it if you have not already done so.

16. Press ENTER. One of the following messages appears:

- Backup has passed test

- Backup has failed test

If the backup fails the test, create a new backup. Discard backups that repeatedly fail readability tests.

Note: Confirmation only provides information on the readability of the entire set of media. For backups that use more than one tape or diskette, an error on any one tape or diskette causes the entire set to fail.

Protect the backed-up data by following the procedures in "After Completing the Backup" later in this chapter.

Backing Up a Single Service

To Back Up a Single Service

1. From the Operator Menu, select Backup/Restore. The Backup/Restore Menu appears.

Figure 3-15. Backup/Restore Menu Screen

2. Select Backup. The Backup Menu appears.

Figure 3-16. Backup Menu Screen

3. Select Service Backup. The Confirm Backup screen appears.

Figure 3-17. Confirm Backup Screen

4. Select one of the following:

- YES to automatically confirm readability of the backup.

- NO if you do not want to confirm readability of the backup.

The Insert Media screen appears.

Note: Confirming the readability of the backup media confirms only that the media is not damaged or defective, and can be read by the tape or diskette drive. It does not guarantee that data was correctly backed up to the media. The data on the backup media is not compared with the data on the server.

Figure 3-18. Insert Media Screen

5. Insert the tape or diskette into the drive.

6. Select one of the following:

- CONTINUE to proceed. The Select Service Menu appears and lists the services available on the server.

- ABORT to cancel the backup and return to the Backup Menu.

Figure 3-19. Select Service Menu Screen

7. Move the cursor to the name of the service you want to back up and press ENTER. If the list of available services does not fit on a single screen, press PAGE DOWN or CTRL-D to scroll down through the list, or PAGE UP or CTRL-U to scroll up.

The Begin Backup Menu appears.

Figure 3-20. Begin Backup Menu Screen

8. Select one of the following:

- Begin the Backup.

- Cancel the Backup to return to the Backup Menu.

If you are backing up to a tape drive, a message appears, indicating that the drive is retensioning the tape. Retensioning the tape can take several minutes.

Note: If the service you select is not functioning properly, a message appears informing you that the service is in an inconsistent state. You are prompted to choose whether you want to continue. If you continue with the backup, the files and directories in the inconsistent service are not backed up.

9. The drive light remains on. You receive confirmation as the service is backed up.

Backing up MS@USCHI002@Servers.

10. When the backup completes, the screen displays the name of the service and the number of files and directories backed up. If you are using tape, the tape automatically rewinds. Skip to step 14.

If the backup does not fit on the current tape or diskette, the Insert Media Screen appears. A message informs you that the space on the tape or diskette is exhausted. If you are using tape, the tape automatically rewinds. You are then prompted to remove the media from the drive. Remove the tape or diskette and label it.

11. Insert the next tape or diskette in the drive.

12. Enter P and press ENTER to continue with the backup.

13. Repeat steps 7 through 9 for each tape or diskette needed to contain the backup.

14. If you chose not to confirm the readability of the backup in step 4, skip the remaining steps and refer to "After Completing the Backup" later in this chapter. Properly label all media (refer to "Labeling Backup Media" earlier in this chapter).

If you chose to confirm the readability of the backup in step 4, a message appears informing you that the confirmation is beginning.

- For backups that fit on a single tape of diskette, the test begins automatically. Skip to step 16.

- For backups requiring multiple tapes or diskettes, you are prompted to insert the first tape or diskette in the backup sequence. You need to test all tapes or diskettes of the series in the order in which you used them during the backup. Remove the last tape or diskette from the drive.

15. Insert the tape or diskette to be tested into the drive and press ENTER.

If you are using tape, the drive retensions the tape before the test begins.

Note: To cancel the confirmation procedure once it is in progress, press CTRL-C. The tape retensions, the test stops, and the Backup Menu appears. A message indicates that the backup has failed the test. The backup may be readable, but because you did not allow the test to complete, the test did not succeed. Confirm readability of the backup at a later time.

16. The drive light remains on and you receive confirmation as each service on the backup media is confirmed:

Confirming readability of System Databases.
Readability confirmed.
Confirming readability of MS@USCHI007@Servers.
Readability confirmed.

After a tape is tested, it automatically rewinds.

17. You are prompted to insert the next tape or diskette in the backup sequence. Repeat steps 15 and 16 until all media in the sequence have been tested.

18. Remove the last backup media and label it if you have not already done so.

19. Press ENTER. One of the following messages appears:

- Backup has passed test

- Backup has failed test

If the backup fails the test, create a new backup. Discard backups that repeatedly fail readability tests.

Note: Confirmation only provides information on the readability of the entire set of media. For backups that use more than one tape or diskette, an error on any one tape or diskette causes the entire set to fail.

Protect the backed-up data by following the procedures in "After Completing the Backup" later in this chapter.

System Configuration Backups

To Back Up the System Configuration

1. From the Operator Menu, select Backup/Restore. The Backup/Restore Menu appears.

Figure 3-21. Backup/Restore Menu Screen

2. Select Backup. The Backup Menu appears.

Figure 3-22. Backup Menu Screen

3. Select System Configuration Backup. The Confirm Backup screen appears.

Figure 3-23. Confirm Backup Screen

4. Select one of the following:

- YES to automatically confirm readability of the backup.

- NO if you do not want to confirm readability of the backup.

The Insert Media screen appears.

Figure 3-24. Insert Media Screen

Note: When you confirm the readability of the backup media, you are actually confirming that the media itself is not damaged or defective, and can be read by the tape or diskette drive. Confirming readability does not tell you whether the data is correctly backed up onto the media.

5. Insert the tape or diskette into the drive.

6. Select one of the following:

- CONTINUE to proceed.

- ABORT to cancel the backup and return to the Backup Menu.

If you choose to continue, the drive light goes on. If you are backing up to a tape drive, a message appears indicating that the drive is retensioning the tape. Retensioning the tape can take several minutes.

Caution: If a service on the server is not functioning properly, a message appears informing you that the service is in an inconsistent state. You are prompted to choose whether you want to continue. If you continue with the backup, configuration information for the inconsistent service is not backed up. Information for other services is backed up normally.

7. The drive light remains on. You receive confirmation as each service is backed up.

Backing up system data bases.
Backup successful.
Backing up MS@USCHI002@Servers
Backup successful.

The tape rewinds and the following message appears:

Backup successful

The tape retensions.

Depending on whether you chose to confirm the readability of the backup in step 4, one of the following occurs:

- If you chose to confirm the readability of the backup, the tape retensions and the confirmation test begins.

- If you chose not to confirm the readability of the backup, refer to "After Completing the Backup" later in this chapter.

Note: To cancel the procedure once it is in progress, press CTRL-C. If you cancel the confirmation test, the tape retensions, the backup stops and the Backup Menu appears. A message indicates that the backup has failed the test. The backup may be readable, but because you did not allow the test to complete, the test did not succeed. Confirm readability of the backup at a later time.

The drive light remains on and you receive confirmation as each service on the backup media is confirmed:

Confirming readability of system data bases.
Readability confirmed.
Confirming readability of MS@USCHI007@Servers.
Readability confirmed.

Note: Confirming the readability of the backup media only confirms that the media is not damaged or defective, and can be read by the tape or diskette drive. It does not guarantee that data was correctly backed up to the media. The data on the backup media is not compared with the data on the server.

After testing of a tape backup, the tape automatically rewinds.

The Backup Menu appears and displays one of the following messages:

- Backup has passed test

- Backup has failed test

If a tape or diskette fails the test, create a new backup. Discard backups that repeatedly fail readability tests.

8. Remove the tape or diskette from the drive.

9. Label the tape or diskette with the server name and revision level, the date, and the words "System Configuration Backup."

Follow the procedures in the next section, "After Completing the Backup," to protect the backed-up data.

After Completing the Backup

1. Confirm the readability of the backup if you have not done so already. Refer to the next section "Confirming the Readability of Backups."

2. Check the backup logs to determine whether errors exist in the backup. Refer to "Displaying the Backup/Restore Logs" in Chapter 5 for information on viewing backup logs.

3. Write-protect the media.

4. Verify that all media are accurately labeled as described in "Labeling Backup Media" earlier in this chapter.

5. Store the backups in a secure place. You may want to store additional copies of your system backups away from your site so that one copy is always safe from fire or other disaster.

Confirming the Readability of Backups

To Check Backup Media for Damage

1. From the Operator Menu, select Backup/Restore. The Backup/Restore Menu appears.

Figure 3-25. Backup/Restore Menu Screen

2. Select Examine Backup. The Examine Backup Menu appears.

Figure 3-26. Examine Backup Menu Screen

3. Insert the tape or diskette you want to examine into the drive.

4. Select Confirm Readability of Backup.

5. The following message appears:

Confirming backup....

Note: To cancel the procedure once it is in progress, press CTRL-C. If you cancel the confirmation test, the tape retensions, the confirmation stops and the Backup Menu appears. A message indicates that the backup has failed the test. The backup may be readable, but because you did not allow the test to complete, the test did not succeed. Confirm readability of the backup at a later time.

If you are using a tape drive, a message appears, indicating that drive is retensioning the tape. Retensioning the tape can take several minutes.

As the process continues, the drive light remains on and you receive confirmation as each service on the backup media is tested for readability:

Confirming readability of System Databases.
Readability Confirmed.
Confirming Readability of MS@Server1@Servers
Readability Confirmed.

6. You are prompted to remove the media. If a backup spans multiple tapes or diskettes, you are prompted to insert each one in the correct sequence, until the entire set is tested.

Note: If you previously scheduled a backup for this time, it does not begin until you remove the tape or diskette and verify that it is no longer in the drive by pressing ENTER. This prevents a scheduled backup from accidentally overwriting the media being confirmed. This is only true when confirming tapes manually. When you choose to have a tape automatically confirmed following a scheduled backup, you are not prompted to verify removal of the tape after the test completes.

Following confirmation of a tape backup, the tape automatically rewinds.

7. Remove the backup media and press ENTER. One of the following messages appears:

- Backup tape has passed test.

- Backup tape has failed test.

If a tape or diskette fails the test, create a new backup. Discard backups that repeatedly fail readability tests.

8. Check the Backup/Restore logs for possible errors.

Caution: If you restore system information from a complete backup set that includes faulty media, some data may be permanently lost.

Moving a StreetTalk Group

Caution: You cannot move more than one group to a single tape or diskette. If you move a second group to the backup media on which another group's information already exists, the information for the second group overwrites the information for the first group.

To Move a Single StreetTalk Group to Backup Media

1. Shut down services at the server console. You cannot move a StreetTalk group to backup media if services are running. For instructions on shutting down services, see Chapter 2.

2. From the Operator Menu, select Backup/Restore. The Backup/Restore Menu appears.

3. Select Move StreetTalk Group. The Move StreetTalk Group Menu appears.

Figure 3-27. Move StreetTalk Group Menu Screen

4. Select Move Group to Device. The Enter Group Name screen appears.

5. Enter the StreetTalk name of the group you want to move and press ENTER. Depending on whether a group with this name exists on the server, one of the following occurs:

- If the group does not exist on this server, the Move StreetTalk Group Menu appears again and displays the following message:

Group specified is unknown.

Verify the name and location of the group and repeat the procedure at the appropriate server.

- If the group does exist on the server, the Continue Operation screen appears.

Note: The backup utility does not check whether the group or any other data already exists on the media. As with all backups, be sure that you do not overwrite important information on the backup media.

Figure 3-28. Continue Operations Screen

6. Select one of the following:

- YES to move the group to the media and delete it from the server. The Insert Media screen appears.

- NO if you do not want to move the group at this time. The Move StreetTalk Group Menu appears.

7. Insert a backup tape or diskette into the drive and select one of the following:

- CONTINUE to proceed.

- ABORT to cancel. The Move StreetTalk Group Menu appears.

The drive light goes on. If you are backing up to a tape drive, a message appears, indicating that drive is retensioning the tape. Retensioning the tape can take several minutes.

As the backup begins, the following messages appear:

Backing up StreetTalk group.
Backup successful.

After the group information is successfully copied to the backup media, the tape rewinds and undergoes a test to confirm readability. The group information is removed from the server only after the backup media passes the confirmation test.

Confirming readability of system data bases
Readability confirmed
Rewinding
Deleting group Sales@WCTUS...

One of the following occurs:

- If the confirmation is successful, the group information is moved to the backup media and deleted from the server. The Move StreetTalk Group Menu appears and displays the following message:

Group Sales@WCTUS successfully moved to tape.

- If the confirmation is unsuccessful, the operation aborts. The group is not moved to tape and is not deleted from the server.

8. Press ESC to return to the Backup/Restore Menu.

9. Label the tape or diskette with the server name and revision level, the date, the words "StreetTalk Group Backup," and the name of the group you backed up.

10. If you are not now using the backup to move the group to another server, store the backup in a secure place. You may want to store backup copies of your system off site.

11. Restart services.

12. Verify that the group no longer exists on the network. It may take some time before other servers remove the group from their StreetTalk and STDA databases.

To Move a StreetTalk Group from Backup Media to a Server

1. Verify that the group on the backup media does not exist on another network server. Refer to Managing Users and StreetTalk for information on how to search for a StreetTalk group - use the SEARCH function of MGROUP.

2. Shut down services at the server console. You cannot move a StreetTalk group to backup media if services are running. For instructions on shutting down services, refer to Chapter 2.

3. From the Operator Menu, select Backup/Restore. The Backup/Restore Menu appears.

Figure 3-29. Backup/Restore Menu Screen

4. Select Move StreetTalk Group. The Move StreetTalk Group Menu appears.

Figure 3-30. Move StreetTalk Group Menu Screen

5. Select Move Group from Device. The Insert Media screen appears.

6. Insert the tape or diskette containing the StreetTalk group you want to restore into the drive.

7. Select one of the following:

- CONTINUE to proceed. The Enter Group Name screen appears. The screen displays the name of the group being restored. Continue with step 8.

- ABORT to cancel. The Move StreetTalk Group Menu appears.

8. Press ENTER if the group listed is the group that you want to move to the server. If the group listed is not the group that you want to move, locate the media containing the correct group.

The server checks whether the group already exists. Depending on whether the group exists on the server, one of the following occurs:

- If the group does not already exist on the server, the process of copying the group information begins. Skip to step 10.

- If the group already exists on the server, the Continue Operation screen appears. Continue with step 9.

9. If a group already exists on the network, the Continue Operations screen appears. You are prompted to select one of the following:

- YES to overwrite the current group information on the server and continue. The process of copying the group information begins.

- NO to cancel the procedure and return to the Move StreetTalk Group Menu.

10. After the group information has been copied to the server, the Move StreetTalk Group Menu appears and displays the following message:

Group Sales@WCTUS successfully moved from tape.

Note: Moving a group from the backup media does not delete the information that exists on the backup media.

11. Remove the backup media from the drive.

12. Press ESC to return to the Backup/Restore Menu.

13. Restart services. For several minutes afterwards, the Service Monitor on servers that maintain services associated with this group may report an inconsistent state for those services.