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3
Backing up
In this chapter, you will learn:
■ How to configure a platform for backup using the Backup Wizard ■ How to perform a backup
Backup Wizard
The Backup Wizard allows you to configure platforms for backup. A backup configuration consists of the following elements:
■ A backup selection ■ A media pool ■ A scheduling
The wizard automatically assigns the backup configuration to the first available strategy for the given platform. For instance, if you are configuring a backup on the platform
"myplatform" that has no strategy defined yet, the Wizard will use Strategy A. If
"myplatform" already has strategies A and B defined, then the wizard will create Strategy C.
Configuring a Backup with the Backup Wizard
When you open Time Navigator Administration Console, the Backup Wizard is
automatically launched by the Administration Assistant if it detects one or more platforms in the catalog without a backup configuration. In addition, you can manually launch the wizard at any time.
To configure a backup
1. In Time Navigator Administration Console, choose Backup-Backup Wizard if the
Wizard does not automatically open.
Tip: You can also right click on a platform and choose Backup Wizard.
The Welcome window appears.
Click on Next.
2. In the Platform Selection window, select the platform that needs to be configured for backup.
Note: If you launched the wizard by right-clicking on a platform, you can only configure a backup for that platform. The Platform Selection screen does not appear.
Chapter 3 Backing up 43
Click on Next.
Note: If compatible platforms (same operating system for hosts, and same type for applications) have already been configured for backup, the wizard gives you the option to Configure a new backup or Back up with an existing
configuration. If you choose to use an existing configuration, the wizard lets you select the platform whose configuration you want to use.
3. In the Backup Selection window, click on Add.
4. In the New Backup Selection window, enter the path of the folder containing the data to back up, or click on Browse to select the path.
Click on OK then click on Next.
5. In the Media Pool window, choose wether you want to use the same or separate pools for full and incremental backups. If you use the same pool, both backup types will have the same retention period (i.e., the amount of time backed up data is kept before the media is recycled) and will be backed up using the same device.
Chapter 3 Backing up 45
Click on Next.
Note: If you already have media pools in your catalog, the wizard asks whether you want to use an existing pool or create a new one. If you choose to use an existing pool, the wizard asks you to select a pool from the list of available pools.
6. In the Media Pool Parameters window, indicate the retention period and device to use for the new pool.
Retention Period
If you do not want to limit the amount of time during which data is stored, select Do
not reuse media. Otherwise, choose the number of days, months or years during which data will be stored. Once that time period expires, the media will be reused to store new data.
Device
Select the library you want to use to back up your data. Click on Next.
Chapter 3 Backing up 47
Click on Next.
Note: If you chose to use separate pools for full and incremental backups, you need to define both a full pool and an incremental pool.
Typically, full backups are performed weekly while incremental backups are performed daily.
Click on Next.
Chapter 3 Backing up 49
Click on Next.
Note: In your catalog, if you have some platforms compatible with the one you are configuring (same operating system for hosts, and same type for applications), and that are not yet configured for backup, the wizard opens the Platform Group window, to let you apply the current backup
configuration to these platforms.
Note: In the Summary window, verify that all information is according to your needs.
Click on Finish.
In Time Navigator Administration Console, the platform(s) you configured now show the letter of the Strategy you just defined.
Performing a Backup
Time Navigator is now able to perform a backup. You can either wait for the next scheduled backup to occur or manually trigger a backup. If the very first backup scheduled is incremental, it will be equivalent to a full backup.
To manually trigger a backup
Right click on the letter of the strategy you want to use, for instance A, below the server icon and select Full Session Now. This command is available for any defined strategy on any platform.
Conclusion
This chapter has allowed you to configure an automatic backup.
☞
For further information concerning the backup configuration, see the Time Navigator Administration Guide.51
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Restoring
Data restore is the true goal of Time Navigator. Data is backed up to allow for a timely restore in the event of loss or failure.
To familiarize users with the restore procedures and to demonstrate Time Navigator restore capabilities, four scenarios are provided. To test the procedures presented below, you should perform at least one backup and delete at least one file.
Restore is performed in three steps:
■ Use a Time Navigation method (moving to a past date, synchronizing on a backup date, using a time navigation or the search tool) to select the files to restore. See “Restore Examples”, page 53.
■ Define the Restore Parameters.
Refer to “Restore Settings”, page 59. ■ Restore the files.
Refer to “Restore Examples”, page 53.
Note File restore takes place in Time Navigator Restore & Archive Manager. It is used to view the file system of a given platform either in the Present or in the Past.
➤ Opening Time Navigator Restore & Archive Manager
■ In Time Navigator Administration Console, right click on a platform icon and select Time Navigator Restore & Archive Manager, or select the platform and choose Platform-Time Navigator Restore & Archive Manager. The file system of that platform is displayed in the present.
■ If you are opening the Time Navigator Restore & Archive Managerfor a platform other than the one you are logged on, you will be asked to provide the user name and password to access the platform.
Note The directories that have a defined backup selection appear with a green ball in front of the directory. In the diagram below for example, the defined backup selection is c:\in_progress_documents.
Chapter 4 Restoring 53
Restore Examples
The following diagram represents the various conditions under which you can restore a file:
➤ Scenario 1: Restoring a previous version of a file based on a date
In this example, the file to restore still exists but you want to restore it as it was on a given date.
Note There must be at least one hour between backup and restore because the minimum interval of time required to visualize the past is one hour.
1. Open Time Navigator Restore & Archive Manager (see “Opening Time Navigator Restore & Archive Manager”, page 52) on the platform containing the file.
The file tree structure of your platform is displayed in the Present.
2. Expand the directory tree (double-click) until you locate the file to be restored. 3. Check the box in front of the file, and choose the date and time you want to go back
to in the Time Navigation area. Click on Past.
Note The file tree structure of your platform is now displayed in the Past, on the date you specified.
4. While the file is still checked, choose Restore-Run.
5. Set the restore parameters as described in “Restore Settings”, page 59 and click on OK.
6. The Restore Information window appears and you can view the restore progress and corresponding events.
☞
For more information about the Restore Information window, refer to Time Navigator Restore Guide.Chapter 4 Restoring 55
➤ Scenario 2: Restoring a previous version of a file based on previous backup
In this example, you need to restore a specific version of a file but are uncertain of the modification date.
1. Open Time Navigator Restore & Archive Manager (see “Opening Time Navigator Restore & Archive Manager”, page 52) on the platform containing the file.
The file tree structure of your platform is displayed in the Present.
2. Expand the directory tree (double-click) until you locate the file to be restored. 3. Right click on the file and select Versions. The list of all existing versions of that file
is displayed.
4. Click on the version to be restored and click on Synchronize.
Note The file tree structure of your platform is now displayed in the Past, on the date of the version you synchronized with.
5. Check the box in front of the file and choose Restore-Run.
6. Set the restore parameters as described in “Restore Settings”, page 59 and click on OK.
7. The Restore Information window appears and you can view the restore progress and corresponding events.
☞
For more information about the Restore Information window, refer to Time Navigator Restore Guide.➤ Scenario 3: Searching and restoring a file using a time navigation period
In this example, you need to restore a file that was deleted but the location and approximate time of disappearance of the file is known.
1. Open Time Navigator Restore & Archive Manager (see “Opening Time Navigator Restore & Archive Manager”, page 52) on the platform the missing file was located on. The file tree structure of your platform is displayed in the Present.
2. Expand the directory tree (double-click) until the directory that used to contain the file is open.
3. In the Time Navigation area, check the Show Deleted Files box. Define the time period you want to cover. For example, if your file was deleted approximately 2 hours ago, set a 3 hour time period. The icon of a deleted file appears striped.
Note The file tree structure of your platform is still displayed in the Present, but it also includes any file that existed on your platform during the time navigation period.
4. Check the box in front of the striped icon of the deleted file and choose Restore-Run. 5. Set the restore parameters as described in “Restore Settings”, page 59 and click
on OK.
6. The Restore Information window appears and you can view the restore progress and corresponding events.
☞
For more information about the Restore Information window, refer to Time Navigator Restore Guide.Chapter 4 Restoring 57
➤ Scenario 4: Searching and restoring a file using the search tool
In this example, you need to restore a file that has previously been backed up but the exact location and/or exact name of the file is unknown. You need to use the search tool to locate your file.
Note There must be at least one hour between backup and restore because the minimum interval of time required to visualize the past is one hour.
1. Open Time Navigator Restore & Archive Manager (see “Opening
Time Navigator Restore & Archive Manager”, page 52) on the platform you are logged on.
2. Choose Backup-Find.
3. In the Search Parameters window, define your search: ■ Platform
You can search on any platform present in the current catalog. Use the Add and Remove buttons to establish a platform list.
■ Max number of lines
This is the number of items displayed in the Object Found list. It also indicates the number of files searched. For example, if you specify 20, the search stops after the 20th object found. You may have up to 999 items displayed.
■ Object Path
The object path, in the format POSIX, indicates the starting point for the search. By default the path is / (slash), the root of the file tree. You can specify a path, for example, /c/Documentation. All subdirectories are included in the search.
■ Object Name
You can enter a search pattern in this field with the following special characters:
* any number of any character ? any single character
[ab] either a or b
■ Time Frame
Specifies the time period covered by the search (Search over a period of). You can also set a date to specify the search starting point.
For example, if you set the time period to 3 months and the date to t1, Time Navigator searches for the missing file between t1 and t2. If the time period is zero, Time Navigator only searches for the missing file on t1. You can use the Page down and Page up keys to adjust the hours and the left and right arrow keys to adjust the minutes.
4. Click on Search. The files are displayed in the lower part of the window.
5. Once you have identified the file to be restored, select it and click on Synchronize. If the file is located on a platform other than the one you are logged on to, you are asked to provide a user name and password for that platform.
Note The platform file tree structure is displayed in the Past, on the file date you are synchronized with.
6. Check the box in front of the selected file, and choose Restore-Run.
7. Set the restore parameters as described in “Restore Settings”, page 59 and click on OK.
8. The Restore Information window appears and you can view the restore progress and corresponding events.
☞
For more information about the Restore Information window, refer to Time Navigator Restore Guide.Chapter 4 Restoring 59
Restore Settings
Whichever restore method you use, you must specify certain restore settings before Time Navigator can perform a restore.
The menu Restore-Run calls the Restore window to screens. This is composed of two tabs, ■ Parameter tab
■ Behaviour tab
Note If you also have a license for Time Navigator Security & Compliance Manager, there will be a third tab, Security.
Restore destination
By default, the restore is activated into a directory other than the original directory. Click on the button on the left of the field to browse.
If you want to restore your objects in the original directory, check the corresponding box.
Restore level
■ The Restore object data and attributes option is selected by default. The attributes concern the owner, group, reading/writing permission, ACL, etc.
■ The Restore object attributes only option makes it possible to restore only the attributes (even those of the existing directories) assigned to an object such as the owner name, the group name, the creation date, the ACL, etc. and not the actual data contained in the files.
■ It is possible to limit this operation to directories only by checking the Restore
directory attributes only box.
Do not restore security attributes
This option allows not to restore the security attributes.
Restore all file versions
This option is used to restore all the versions of the files selected in the file tree. The different
restored versions are renamed as follows:
■ v1filename
■ v2filename
■ v3filename, etc.
Note This kind of restore may require much disk space.
Information
This provides information about the volume and the number of objects selected for restore. The Update button updates the information when the Restore all file versions option is selected
Chapter 4 Restoring 61
Behavior Tab
This area indicate the behavior Time Navigator will adopt when encountering conflicts or errors.
If a file already exists
A series of radio-buttons (with a single choice) allows specifying the behavior to adopt in case of conflict before starting a restore.
You can specify the following behaviors:
■ Replace the files that already exist in the destination directory (default behavior). ■ Rename Existing File. A suffix is added to the name of the file that is present on disk.
(ex: the file.doc file is renamed into file.doc_save1).
■ Rename Restored File. A suffix is added to the name of the restored file (ex: the
file.doc file is renamed into file.doc_rest1). The file already present on the disk keeps its original name.
Note The Rename option is unavailable for platforms which do not allow you to rename a file (for exemple, NetWare). For applications, all buttons are dimmed since applications configuration defines the behavior to adopt.
■ Cancel the restore.
■ Do not restore the files involved.
■ Do not restore if the restored file is identical to the one which exists on the disk. The file on the disk will be replaced if it is different.
■ Do not restore if existing file is more recent. The existing file will be replaced if it is older than the restored file.
When replacing a file fails, Time Navigator renames it. When renaming a file fails, Time Navigator ignores it.
Note The choice you make applies to the restore of ALL the files involved in a name conflict.
If an error occurs while restoring a file
A second series of radio-buttons allows you to specify the behavior to adopt when Time Navigator encounters an error:
■ Skip and Continue with the restore job. ■ Cancel the restore job.
■ Ask user whether the restore should be stopped or not. The question is triggered for each problematic file.
■ Replace after reboot enables to activate the restored file after the reboot only. The toggle allows you to restore files locked by the operating system. It is most useful in case of a Disaster Recovery to restore some dynamic libraries locked by the system.
It can be activated when either the Replace, Ignore if identical or Ignore if more recent toggle is selected.
Warning Selecting this last option will reboot the system.
If the requested cartridges are offline
A series of radio-buttons allows you to specify the behavior to adopt when some cartridges needed for the restore are offline (outside the library):
Chapter 4 Restoring 63
■ Issue Time Navigator Media Request Console for each missing cartridge. This is the default behavior.
■ Ignore files located on missing cartridges. Time Navigator skips the concerned files and continues with the restore job.
Note Using this option can break hard links.
■ Cancel the restore job.
Note When using this option, the object structure is restored but not the actual data.
■ Display Offline Cartridge List in order to identify missing cartridges and put them online to proceed with the restore job if needed.
If the Display Offline Cartridge List option is selected and one of the cartridges needed is