Setup guide

Backing Up Data
50 Netscape Certificate Management System Command-Line Tools Guide • May 2002
The backup a nd restore tools are simple Perl scripts; most Perl programmers
should find no difficulty in customizing or extending them. Read this chapter to
familiarize yourself with how the scripts work as well as their capabilities and
limitations.
The Perl scripts that perform the backup or restore are called from shell scripts
installed in the
<server_root>/cert-<instance_id>/ directory of every CMS
instance:
•
cmsbackup[.bat] copies all of the pertinent data and configuration files for a
CMS instance, the local Administration Server, and local Netscape Directory
Servers that the instance uses into an compressed archive (a zip file). See
“Backing Up Data” on page 50 for instructions on how to use this tool.
•
cmsrestore[.bat] opens a named a rchive, extracts the data, a nd uses it to
restore the configuration of a CMS instance. Y ou have the option to restore
everything or to select a subset of the a rchived data. See “Res toring Data” on
page 55 for instructions on how to use this tool.
Be awarethat the backuparchives contain sensitiveinformation(for example, your
CMS key database). Protect the backup archiv es as carefully as you protect the
server itself. The backups are stored on a local disk by default. To avoid losing both
the current data and the backup because of a disk failure, move the backup
archives to another m edium as soon as they are created. If possible, encrypt the
archives or store them on remova b le media in a secured location.
BackingUpData
Backing up your data is actually a very simple process. You run the script, and it
creates an archive that you store securely. This section explains what the backup
tool (
cmsbackup)doesanddoesnotdosothatyoucanplanyouroverallsystem
maintenance and backup procedures.
What the Backup Tool Does
There is a script or batch fil e installed in the instance directory of every CMS
instance. This file calls the Perl script
<server_root>/bin/cert/tools/CMSBackup.pl (using a Perl 5.005 interpreter
bundled with Certificate Management System).
CMSBackup.pl does the following:
• Creates a log file where all backup actions are logged
• Creates a tem porary backup directory