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Query re the backup utility on SME Server V6

Offline wbs316

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Query re the backup utility on SME Server V6
« on: April 07, 2008, 04:06:05 AM »
A new client was recently referred to me who is using SME server version 6.  As I am not familiar with this server configuration I joined this forum and have been searching the Internet for documentation.  In this first instance I was wanting to make some enquiries with regard to the backup.

The client reported to me that the backup "just seems to happen"!!  If the tape is ejected in the morning when they come into the office and no emails have been received with relation to issues regarding the backup they assume that the backup has completed okay!!

1. Can a report be viewed via an option within the server administration to provide more details on the completion of the backup.

2. Am I assuming correctly that there are no folders/files that need to be selected for the backup process and that the backup utility backs up everything on the hard disk by default.

3. Does the backup utilise a process to verify the tape.

4. Is it possible to re-store an individual file or files from the tape backup.

5. When using the option "Backup to desktop" is this only a manual operation that can not be scheduled to run automatically and when you choose to run this backup to the desktop are you able to nominate the folder that it is written to.

6. Is it possible to utilise an external USB hard drive as a backup device with the SME server.

Offline dmay

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Re: Query re the backup utility on SME Server V6
« Reply #1 on: April 18, 2008, 07:08:13 PM »
I suggest you first upgrade your client to the latest version, currently 7.3.

Darrell

Offline wbs316

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Re: Query re the backup utility on SME Server V6
« Reply #2 on: April 20, 2008, 08:55:57 AM »
And so the answer to my actual queries regarding the backup is????

Offline stiperstones

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Re: Query re the backup utility on SME Server V6
« Reply #3 on: April 29, 2008, 12:00:50 AM »
I suggest you first upgrade your client to the latest version, currently 7.3.

Darrell

As Darrell says

If you update to 7.3 you will have a more secure server and then you can install this backup contrib

http://wiki.contribs.org/Backup_with_dar


to backup to a workstation or a network location drive or tape drive scheduled

You can backup to a tape drive on sme 6.0 i dont know about restoring individual files, if you backup to desktop it only allows a certain amount i cant remember precisely and is manual

take a read through this may give you some pointers

http://wiki.contribs.org/Updating_to_SME_7.2
« Last Edit: April 29, 2008, 12:17:50 AM by stiperstones »
Stiperstones

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Offline wbs316

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Re: Query re the backup utility on SME Server V6
« Reply #4 on: May 19, 2008, 04:02:02 AM »
I am sorry it has taken me so long to respond to the item posted on the 28th of April.  While I appreciate the suggestions to upgrade to a newer version of the operating system I would not be upgrading to any version of any operating system on any PC or server if I was not confident that the backup utility was functioning properly and hence my initial post.

I'm somewhat surprised that at this time more than 1300 people have viewed this topic and there hasn't been a response relating to the backup process.  So perhaps I will just include just a couple of bullet points in this post to see if anyone is able to assist.

1. How do you set folders or files for backup on SME server version 6.

2. Is it possible to view a report using the server administration to provide detail on the completion of a backup.

Offline janet

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Re: Query re the backup utility on SME Server V6
« Reply #5 on: May 19, 2008, 10:37:29 AM »
wbs316

Well no one is using sme6 anymore.

> 1. How do you set folders or files for backup on SME server version 6.

Using the default tape backup program, it is automatic.


> 2. Is it possible to view a report using the server administration to provide detail on the completion of a backup.

I seem to recall you should receive an email message advising the backup completed.
There is probably a log file in /var/log/xxxx showing the tape backup.


> 2. Am I assuming correctly that there are no folders/files that need to be selected for the backup process and that the backup utility backs up everything on the hard disk by default.

A default tape backup does backup all files, but does not restore all files.
See the restore list here
http://wiki.contribs.org/Backup_server_config


> 4. Is it possible to re-store an individual file or files from the tape backup.

Yes using specific commands, look at info for the flexbackup program, which I think was last being used in sme6. A long search through old forum posts would probably find the procedure, go back a few years though.


> 5. When using the option "Backup to desktop" is this only a manual operation that can not be scheduled to run automatically and when you choose to run this backup to the desktop are you able to nominate the folder that it is written to.

Yes, and Yes, but you will find severe limitations as if you have a lot of data on your hard drive you will run into the 2Gb/4Gb backup/restore file size limit issue. It cannot be avoided using the backup to desktop function on sme6.

You need to install an alternative backup program such as backup2ws or backup2 created by darrell may, see his contrib area for the old sme6 version. This allows the backup file to be split to max 2Gb size chunks, but still appear as a contiguous file.


> 6. Is it possible to utilise an external USB hard drive as a backup device with the SME server.

I don't recall sme6 supporting that by default, but the backup2 contrib supported backups to USB.
This support is in sme7.

Please note if you do a tape backup and assuming it is working correctly, then you should have a adequate enough backup to allow restoration of your data in a worst case scenario. It should then be OK to proceed to do a upgrade to sme7.3 to avail of better feature set etc. Please carefully read the update gotchas re sme6 to sme 7.x upgrades in wiki. See
http://wiki.contribs.org/UpgradeDisk
and
http://forums.contribs.org/index.php?topic=30745.0

Also see this Howto re backup generally and what is included and what is not etc.

http://wiki.contribs.org/Backup_server_config
 

Note you can also mount the sme6 drive and do a restore to new hardware running a fresh install of sme7.3, it's a good method to use as it preserves your old hard disk contents, just in case something goes wrong.

Follow this procedure carefully.
http://wiki.contribs.org/UpgradeDisk
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