Backing Up a Database

Main -> Documentation -> Database Builder – Newton -> The SiteSearch Database Operations Tool (SSDOT) -> Maintaining the Integrity of a SiteSearch Database -> Backing Up a Database

Backing Up a Database

As part of maintaining your Database Builder and Record Builder databases, you should periodically back them up, especially before making major changes to them, such as adding large numbers of records or reorganizing them. The SiteSearch Database Operations Tool (SSDOT) helps you to do this by creating database backup files and saving them as compressed tar files. The backup files are stored in a backups directory defined in item 12, Directory for backups, in the registration information for each database. Backup files are labeled with a different volume number every time a new backup is created. It is recommended that you store one or two of the backups in your Open SiteSearch Database Builder environment and move any additional backup volumes onto tape to preserve disk space. This allows you to track how your database grows and changes and have multiple volumes to restore if an error occurs when making changes to the database.

Important Note: It is strongly recommended that you manually create a database backup file using the instructions below instead of using the automatic backup option provided in item 19 of the database registration information. By manually performing the backup, you can ensure each time that you have enough disk space available to create a backup file and that the database has been built or updated correctly before making a copy of it.

This document contains instructions for completing the following tasks:

creating a backup file
listing database backups
restoring a database from a backup file
deleting a database backup

Requirements

Before creating a database backup file, you must have disk space available equivalent to 2 times the actual size of your database. The database will be tarred and then compressed during the backup process.

To create, list, restore, or delete a backup of your database, you need to build the database in SSDOT using the database utility programs first.

To restore or delete a database backup file, you have to have created at least one backup file first.

Creating a Backup File

Procedure

Start the SSDOT program and follow the instructions below to create a database backup file.

1. Select "4," Database Backups (menu), from the SSDOT Main Menu and press Enter.

2. Type "3" from the Database Backups menu to create a backup file and press Enter.

3. Enter the name of the database when prompted by SSDOT and press Enter.

4. Press the space bar to return to the Database Backups menu as prompted by SSDOT.

5. Check the jobs listing by typing "j" at the menu command prompt and press Enter to ensure that the database was backed up successfully.

Listing Database Backups

Procedure

Start the SSDOT program and follow the instructions below to list the database backup volumes that have been created.

1. Select "4," Database Backups (menu), from the SSDOT Main Menu and press Enter.

2. Type "1" from the Database Backups menu to list the database backup files and press Enter.

3. Enter the name of the registered database when prompted by SSDOT and press Enter. A listing of the available backup volumes should appear with the dates and times the backups were created. Below is an example of what you should see:

The following backups are available:

   Volume 1 saved 97/10/05 10:38:15
   Volume 2 saved 97/11/26 14:45:54
   Volume 3 saved 97/12/10 08:13:11
   Volume 4 saved 97/12/19 11:06:02

Press the space bar to continue.

4. Press the space bar to return to the Database Backups menu as prompted by SSDOT.

Restoring a Database from a Backup File

Procedure

Start the SSDOT program and follow the instructions below to restore a database from a backup file.

1. Select "4," Database Backups (menu), from the SSDOT Main Menu and press Enter.

2. List the database backups to locate the volume number you want to restore.

3. Type "4" from the Database Backups menu to restore a backup file and press Enter.

4. Enter the name of the database when prompted by SSDOT and press Enter.

5. Enter the volume number of the database backup file you wish to restore and press Enter.

6. Press the space bar to return to the Database Backups menu as prompted by SSDOT.

7. Check the jobs listing by typing "j" at the menu command prompt and press Enter to ensure that the database was restored successfully.

Deleting a Database Backup

Procedure

Start the SSDOT program and follow the instructions below to delete a database backup file.

1. Select "4," Database Backups (menu), from the SSDOT Main Menu and press Enter.

2. List the database backups to locate the volume number you want to remove.

3. Type "2" from the Database Backups menu to delete a backup file and press Enter.

4. Enter the name of the database when prompted by SSDOT and press Enter.

5. Enter the volume number of the database backup file and press Enter. SSDOT will confirm that you want to delete this database backup. Type "y" and press Enter to delete the database, or type "n" and press Enter to return to the Database Backups menu without deleting a backup file.

6. Press the space bar to return to the Database Backups menu as prompted by SSDOT.

7. Check the jobs listing by typing "j" at the menu command prompt and press Enter to ensure that the database was deleted successfully.

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