Scheduled DB copy agent for backups?

HCL Domino Domino Forum
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We run nightly backups of our fileserver and Notes server data to a NAS system. Currently its just a straight file copy scheduled to run in the middle of the night. We backup the Notes data folder without shutting the notes server down so we are risking having corrupted database backups. This server is our application and mail server and really needs to be operational 24/7.

I am thinking I could create a scheduled agent to make a copy of the application databases to a specific folder before the nightly backups run - then backup the copies instead of the live databases.

Does this sound feasible? Should I copy or replicate the databases? Can anyone see any problems with this thinking?

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Subject: Scheduled DB copy agent for backups?

My 2 cents:

Not a good idea to have 2 replicas of a database on the same server…always creates problems.

But I think you are on the right track…you just need another server to put the replicas on. It could be another piece of hardware, or in a Virtual Machine on the same hardware. You don’t have to replicate throughout the day, just schedule the replication to run once a day before the backup to NAS.

hope that helps…

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Subject: RE: Scheduled DB copy agent for backups?

Thanks for the info.

We have a machine thats on 24/7 with a Notes client installed. Its used to run some scheduled report agents etc. and monitor spam filtering.

Now I’m thinking from this client I can set-up a once daily scheduled replication of the application databases to a folder on a network drive which is included in the nightly backups.

I’m not sure on few replication configuration things though if anyone can help.

  1. I only want replication to happen one way(ie. all changes from the production database to the backup replica - nothing back the other way.)

  2. I want to make sure no scheduled agents are run on the backup replica.

  3. I’m not sure the best way to scheduled a once daily replication of the databases from a client?

Can this be done from client or do I need a Notes server to do properly?

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Subject: RE: Scheduled DB copy agent for backups?

It sounds like you want a backup solution, so why not use one? There are backup products that can work with a running Domino server.

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Subject: RE: Scheduled DB copy agent for backups?

Answers to your questions:

  1. On a server you can easily control the direction of replication. On a workstation, you cannot. You can probably manage it with replication formulas on each database, but I’ve never done that myself

  2. To prevent scheduled agents from running, you need to make sure that their ‘run on server’ field specifies the main server (and is not set to ‘any server’)

  3. You can schedule the daily replication by specifying a single time (e.g. 10:00 PM) instead of a time range for the replication schedule.

I still think you are better off with a server or, as Stan suggested, Domino-aware backup software.

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Subject: RE: Scheduled DB copy agent for backups?

Thanks guys.

The domino specific plugin for our backup software is cost prohibitive for us, we are only a small operation(~30 users). I was hoping to be able to get around the problem with some creative planning!

We do have a second Notes development server but currently its not always on. I may be able to do something with that.

I’ll take all the info into consideration and see what I can come up with. Cheers.