CRDSS_Task1_05-24_BackupProcedures

Home Browse Search

CRDSS TASK MEMORANDUM 1.05-24 Study of System Integration Issues System - Backup Procedures 1.0 ISSUE It is very important that the software and data for the CRDSS be backed-up regularly. This must be done for several reasons: (1)To avoid loss of software and data (and avoid spending time to regenerate or re-collect the data). (2)To avoid down-time during an important development period. (3)To allow the software and data to be loaded onto a different machine if the original machine fails. The procedures to perform backup must be developed with the following issues in mind: What is the scope of backups (how many files, machines)? ? What is the backup interval? ? What is the backup procedure? ? Who performs backups? ? Will the backup procedure adversely impact system performance? ? 2.0 DISCUSSION/ANALYSIS RTi has a Novell network supporting PCs and UNIX workstations, and has experience in backing-up the Novell file server and UNIX machines. RTi has developed a backup procedure for the UNIX machines that uses standard UNIX commands but allows automated backups of specific directories. This experience will be used to implement a similar backup procedure for CRDSS work. cron The RTi backup procedure involves using the UNIX program to automatically execute a shell script at predetermined times, and also allows manually executed backups. Backups can be either incremental or total. Incremental backups are those that save only files that have been saved more recently than a given date, and are written to a series of recycled tapes. Total backups save every file and are written to tapes that are saved indefinitely. Although performing a total backup each time is possible, such a backup requires that enough tape media is available to hold the entire system. However, since backups are usually performed late at night so that the backup procedure does not adversely impact processes that are being run during the 1 A275 05.10.94 1.05-24 Malers