System information

Red Book for AIX Rel. 7.0 and 8.0

Backing Up the Database Overview

Use the System Backup Maintenance program to back up the Eclipse software and all associated

data, including UniVerse, VSI-FAX, and PowerChute to tape. The program backs up all files

residing under the /u2 directory. The program creates a complete data backup, not an incremental

backup of only changed data.

Schedule the database backup program to run nightly, during a quiet period on the server, when

no order entry transactions or data changes are occurring. Your installer will help you set this up.

Recommendations

For database backups, we make the following recommendations:

• Order a one-month supply of backup tapes and rotate the tapes according to a backup

schedule. Have one tape for each day of the month for which you are backing up the

database.

• Store your backup tapes OFF SITE. In the event of a disaster, such as a fire or flood, you

will have a data backup from which to restore the system.

• At the end of each month, archive a tape by removing it from the rotation and storing it in

a secure location. Take the oldest tape our of the rotation and attach a label, such as

January '03 Archive. Replace the archived tape with a new tape that is rotated into the

backup schedule.

• Keep a calendar for the tapes and write the tape number on the day it was recorded. In the

event that you need to restore a file from Wednesday two weeks ago, the calendar will

tell you which tape from which to do the restore.

• Replace your tapes once a year. Archiving a tape at month end and replacing it with a

fresh tape will accomplish this.