Create a NW client to only backup databases?

Hi,

What kind of databases are you looking to backup?  There are a number of different NetWorker modules available that will allow you backup live databases depending on the database technology you are using.  If you are just looking to backup flat files, then you should look in the NetWorker Administration Guide - page 167 'Directives' Chapter should give you the information you need.  If you can't get it working, give us more details on exactly what you are trying to backup and I'm sure we'll be able to figure out what you need.

-Bobby

I'm looking to backup all *.mdb files that exist anywhere/any path on ~400gb Windows 2003 server. I thought this could be done via a Directive within the Save Set of the Client but the documentation I've read, including the the Admin Guide/pages you offered, speak to which files to "exclude" or "skip".  Is it possible to do what I'm asking?  Or will I have to create a Directive to ignore every file type but *.mdb?

The one solution I found (esg61807) spoke to building the list of files at the OS level and backup the list - but it's for "NW for Unix" - not Windows.

Any feedback is appreciated.

Thank you.

You can use both approaches (esg61807 which describes client initiated backup approach or/and server one with directive to skip everything with override to backup always mdb extensions).

I have a few questions?

Is the DB up if so and you are just backing up live hot DB's the restore may not be a good one.

If you are doing a shutdown first of the DB then your backups will be able to restore.

If you are useing a NetWorker module the this may let you do a backup hot.

Or if you do a extract or clone in the DB itself then your back should be a good one.

Just becuse you have backup a live active DB with Networker does not mean the backup is a useable/good one.

Are you doing any of these type of backups or you doing it live?

Backing up a live (up) database is not advice unless you are using module that will allow it.

If you are just using networker then you should shut down the database and back it up.

If you do backup a live database your backup may not be any good even if no users are using it at the time of the backup.

If you want a good backup then the database needs to be shutdown and then you make a cold backup of it.

A Hot backup of a live data base with just networker ids not a good thing unless you use an add-in-module that can do this.

If you do backup a live data base with just networker your Database backup is worthless. I do not think you understand this point.

Thank you for your replies.

The backup/restore I'm attempting perform appears to be a simple one, in that I'm trying to backup only *.mdb files (not SQL etc DBs), which would be done while no one is accessing them (middle of the night.) Further, the backup/restore client works for some mdbs - but fails on specific *.mdbs (for instance back end of an mdb restores successfully - front end does not).

At this point, my goal is to create a backup client/job that will traverse the file directory and backup only mdbs - so that I can perform a restore to see which fail, which are successful.

It would be far too time-consuming to create a client with a directive that "omits" approximately 50+ file extensions; the server in question is a "Group drive" and the entire dept. stores all file types on this server.

I am not trying to beat you up.

Access databases, when someone is still logged into the database but is not actively doing anything the data file they are in is locked by them.

You cannot backup a locked database the way you want to. The only way is for you kill off all users connections. You can ask everyone to log off it every night. But I have found that does not work 100% of the time and getting backups 100% of the time is what I try to-do.

You can run an export on the database when it is up but no one logged in and then back up the export this can be done with in networker by itself. You can run scripts (see savepnpc in the doc’s) to do the export or scripts to-do whatever you want a script to-do.

Thank you, Lee.  My earlier post did speak to your concerns " ...which would be done while no one is accessing them (middle of the night.)"

I'll look into the export idea. In the meantime, will work on Directive for client.

Thx

lee wrote: Access databases, when someone is still logged into the database but is not actively doing anything the data file they are in is locked by them. You cannot backup a locked database the way you want to. The only way is for you kill off all users connections.  You can ask everyone to log off it every night. But I have found that does not work 100% of the time and getting backups 100% of the time is what I try to-do.

VSS file system backup will handle any locks by Access database.