Database Administrator's Guide

Backups and Data Integrity

The purpose of any data backup is to protect data integrity. Periodically backing up application data allows a Server Administrator to recover from problems or to roll back a database to a prior point in time.

There are several ways to back up data controlled by a FairCom Server:

• Using a standard backup utility while the server is shut down.
• Using the dynamic dump capability while the server is operational.
• Using VSS backup integration on Windows.
• Using ctQuiet/Quiesce for external backups while the server is running.

When possible, FairCom recommends shutting down the server periodically to allow a full backup. This has the advantage of simplicity, since all files can be backed up and restored without using the transaction logs to ensure the data and index files are synchronized. This is especially helpful for applications that do not use transaction control to maintain database integrity. The Administrator can simply restore the files and continue operation.

WARNING: Files under FairCom DB control should never be copied or backed up using third-party software while FairCom DB is operational.

In This Chapter FairCom Server Files Copying FairCom Server Controlled Files Automatic Recovery Database Backup Guide FairCom Database Restore Guide FairCom Database Rollback Guide FairCom Database Forward Roll Guide Transaction Log Dump Controls for Performance AND Safety of Non-Transaction Updates Checkpoint Requirements Hot Backups Stream to STDOUT Volume Shadow Service (VSS) Support