Overview of Backing up and Restoring Data using NetMAX

Date: 4/17/01
Revised: 7/14/03

Requirements:

• A SCSI tape drive and appropriate tape media.
• A 3 1/2" high-density diskette.
• NetMAX system CDROM.

Backing Up The NetMAX Server

In order to successfully recover your NetMAX server from a system failure you must have a good backup. Here is a procedure for properly backing up your NetMAX server. Note that there are many valid backup procedures. The following procedure is by no means the only way to back up a NetMAX, however it is the method we recommend.

Backup Administration

Remember that recovering from a catastrophic system failure begins with regular administration of your backup system and process. This includes:

1. Scheduling backups - Schedule backups on a regular basis. Typically this should be performed on a daily basis during a time when the system is least active.
2. Rotation of tapes - Develop a tape rotation scheme that employs multiple tapes. A good choice is a separate tape for each day of the week for a minimum of two weeks. Have 12 additional tapes to rotate in at the end of each month and rotate the last tape of the month off-site for safe keeping. We recommend storing full backups on a separate tape from the differential backups, but you may use the same tape.
3. Monitoring backups and alerts - Monitor backup report logs to ensure that backups are being performed properly.
4. Testing the backups periodically - Setup a regular routine of performing a test restore to ensure that a backups are actually working properly.
5. Care of tape devices - Clean tapes drives on a regular basis according to the manufacturers recommendations and replace worn tapes.
6. Keep your NetMAX CDROM, configuration backup floppy, and backup tapes in a safe and secure place. Another good idea for backups is to rotate a set or two of backup tapes and diskettes off site. In most cases this place is another building with a fireproof safe. By taking this step you will be able to recover your system should your NetMAX server be met with a catastrophic end (fire, tornado, earthquake, nuclear missile attack, etc...).

Backing Up The NetMAX Server

1. Your NetMAX system CDROM - To quickly restore the basic static system.
2. Configuration Backup - To restore the configuration settings of the NetMAX.
3. Backup Tapes of Data - To restore your valuable data.

The Backup Process

1. First backup your system configuration to a backup configuration floppy through the NetMAX interface.

   • Insert a formatted 3.5 inch high density diskette in your floppy drive.
   • Go to Home|System|Configuration. The screen will list your floppy drive device. Select Continue. When the message on the screen updates to "Ready to backup configuration" select Continue again to begin the backup process.
   • Note: Make sure to backup your configuration regularly! You should back up your configuration any time you make a system change. Remember if you backup your system regularly your restoration will be closer to your current system. It is also a good idea to rotate backup diskettes so that if something doesn't work correctly you can restore from a prior configuration backup.
   • You can also make this Configuration Backup Floppy from the command line using the following command:

     /usr/netmax/bin/floppy_backup.pl -b -d /dev/fd0

2. Use NetMAX's backup function to store critical information and data for later retrieval if required.
   • Go to Home|Services|Backup and configure the backup utility to store the directory /var/mnt/System and all subdirectories it contains.
   • This directory tree contains the users home directories, the Web directories and any other data information you may have stored on your NetMAX server system volume. If you know specifically what directories you will be using to store custom data (for example, only web sites), then you may choose those specific directories. Its always better to back up more than you need than to miss something though.
   • Note: Make sure that "Start at beginning of tape" is selected the first time you back up. This is necessary for proper recovery.
   • Also configure the backup utility to store the directory /var/conf and all subdirectories it contains. This directory tree stores all configuration data for the NetMAX server. It shouldn't be needed if you have a proper configuration back up floppy, but it can't hurt to have this data backed up in more than one place.
   • Note: Double check your backup configuration to make sure that you are backing up these two directories:

     • /var/mnt/System
     • /var/conf
   • In order to backup another hard drive (volume) you will need to backup an additional directory.

     • The additional directory you need to backup is:

       /var/mnt/(volume name)

     • Where (volume name) is the name you gave to your NetMAX hard drive.
     • For example if you created a volume called "secondhd" configure the backup utility to additionally backup the directory /var/mnt/secondhd.
   • Again, double check that you have selected "Start from beginning of tape."

System Recovery

How to fully recover a NetMAX server from a complete failure.

To do this you need:

1. Your NetMAX system CDROM - To quickly restore the basic static system.
2. Current Configuration Backup - To restore the configuration settings of the NetMAX.
3. CURRENT Backup Tapes of Data - To restore your valuable data.

Recovery Process

The following process requires that you backed up your system by following the backup tips above. Additionally it assumes that the current hardware and network setup is identical to the hardware and network which created the backup. In other words only the data on the drive has changed.

1. Install NetMAX using your NetMAX CDROM. Make sure to use the same IP address as before.
2. After installation you will be able to recover your previous configuration.
   • Reboot using your NetMAX CDROM or a boot floppy and proceed to do a repair. For more information on doing a repair consult your manual.
   • From the repair options select Restore and follow the instructions given to restore your configuration from your configuration backup diskette.

     If you had applied patches or upgrades before you made the Configuration Backup Floppy, the version on the CD may not match the version on the floppy. In this case, you will want to apply all of the patches and upgrades to bring your NetMAX up to the version that you used to make the floppy. Then restore the configuration from the floppy with the following command:

     /usr/netmax/bin/floppy_backup.pl -r -d /dev/fd0

3. After you have restored your configuration you are ready to restore data from your tape backup.
   • Put the most recent full backup tape in the tape drive.
   • Before restoring your backed up files re-catalog your tape.
   • After NetMAX has been reinstalled and the configuration has been restored using the backup configuration diskette, put your backup tape in your tape drive.
   • Log into your NetMAX interface and go to: Home | Services | Backups.

     • Click on the Catalog button.
     • Make sure that your tape drive is selected in the device drop down menu.
     • Click the "OK" button.
   • Once the re-cataloging has completed you may continue with your restoration.
   • Go to Home | Services | Backup and click Restore.
     • Restore your backup of:

       • /var/mnt/System/
       • /var/conf
       • /var/mnt/(volume name) (if applicable)

   • If you have differential tapes, repeat this process for each differential going from oldest to newest. If the differentials were stored on the same tape, the backup system will automatically restore the newest version of each file.
   • Now that you have recovered your Web, User etc. data and your system configuration you need commit the system.
     • If your commit button is not blinking you can force a commit by going to Home|Services|Mail and clicking the Store button.

4. After the commit has completed you will be back up and running with the same files and settings from the last time you backed up your system.

Special Circumstances Recovery Method

If you try to restore from tape backup and keep getting the message "verifying tape id" or "locating archive" try the following steps:

For this procedure you must be logged into the command line of NetMAX as root user. You must also have the most recent full backup in the tape drive. This should only be tried as a last resort.

**This procedure assumes that there is enough space available to restore files from backup.

1. First the tape in the drive must be rewound. Use this command to do so.

   • /usr/netmax/mt -f /dev/nst0 rewind
2. After the tape has rewound (the prompt reappears) you can recover your data from the tape drive. In this procedure you will restore the data to the directory from where it was backed up.

   • First you need to change directory to the root directory:

     • cd /
3. From the root directory you will recover the NetMAX configuration files as well as all data from /var/mnt/System (user, web, applications, etc.) Run this command to begin recovery:

   • dd if=/dev/st0 bs=10240 | gunzip | tar -xvf -
4. Now that you have recovered all of the stored NetMAX files you will need to run a few commands to get the system back to the state it was at when it was backed up.

   • cd /var/conf/sdb
   • find .-type f -exec touch {}/;
   • parse
   • pmake commit

• After you run the last command your system will be fully recovered. At this point you may continue use of your NetMAX server.