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Sun ONE Meta-Directory 5.1.1 Installation Guide

Chapter 7
Performing Backup and Restore Operations

Meta-Directory uses the Directory Server to store most of its configuration and the data that flows between different components. Hence, the backup process for Meta-Directory requires backup of Directory Server. A typical deployment could contain several directory servers associated with a single Meta-Directory installation, containing configuration, and data; the Connector Views for each of the connectors and so on.

Thus, backing up Meta-Directory involves a backup of all the Directory Servers. It is assumed that when the ‘Directory Server’ is mentioned, you must then perform the same operation for the associated Directory Servers.

The following sections are discussed:

Performing the Backup Operation

Backup operation of Meta-Directory and Directory server involves backing up of all related files and directories, any external configuration files, and external data sources.

    To perform the backup operation
  1. Make sure that no data is flowing between the external data sources, Connector Views, and Meta View. Also make sure no data is being changed in the Directory Server.
  2. Copy the server roots of Meta-Directory (Netsite_Root) and Directory Server (location where these products are installed) to a backup location. This backup location can also be a tape drive or any storage system.

    3. This ensures that all the configuration, data, and binaries are backed up at once.

    Note

    For the Universal Text Connector, the configuration files such as template.pl and task.cfg are provided by the administrator and hence can be located external to Netsite_Root. In such a scenario, where these files are not automatically copied, you must perform a backup of these files separately.

  3. External data sources such as: Oracle, Active Directory, Novell eDirectory, and so on should also be backed up to be in a consistent state when Meta-Directory is restored. See the appropriate products' documentation for information on backup and restore.

    4. Notes

    • An SQL script is generated when an Oracle database connector instance is created; which runs on the Oracle database to create the required set of the tablespaces, triggers, and so on. Perform a backup of this SQL script. Use this to view the changes made to the database for the connector and for troubleshooting purposes.
    • Novell Directory Connector and the Lotus Notes Connector uses an intermediate changelog database in MySQL for change-detection with respect to data in the external data source. Each connector instance stores its changelog data in a different ‘database’. Hence, to backup the complete Meta-Directory, you must backup each such database (in MySQL) separately (and restore them separately).

    For specific details on backup and recovery of databases in MySQL, see the ‘Disaster Prevention and Recovery’ section in MySQL documentation.

Backing Up Meta-Directory Configuration Only

Use the -B option to backup the complete Meta-Directory configuration in the Directory Server. This captures the Meta-Directory configuration and server instances from the Directory, and stores it in the LDIF files. It also copies the configuration directories for each Meta-Directory server instance to a specified backup location.

Usage:

upgrade.pl -<B> [-h directory server hostname] -p port -D Directory Manager -w password

Where: B: Backup

For example:

nsperl upgrade.pl -B -h ldap_host -p 389 -D cn=Directory Manager -w dmanager

Performing the Restore Operation

Use the -R option to completely restore Meta-Directory.

Usage:

upgrade.pl -<R> [-h directory server hostname] -p port -D Directory Manager -w password

Where: B: Backup

For example:

nsperl upgrade.pl -R -h ldap_host -p 389 -D cn=Directory Manager -w dmanager

The -R option can only be used when the directory configuration is in a particular state. However, if the Meta-Directory configuration or the data is corrupted, you can restore from a previously generated complete backup (as described in the previous section) using the procedure described below.

    To perform the restore operation
  1. Stop all the Meta-Directory servers and Directory servers (including the Administration servers).
  2. Move the existing Netsite_Root and Directory Server root directories from their existing location to a different location. You could delete these directories/files once the restore of a prior backup is successful and if it is not required.
  3. Restore the files and directories of Meta-Directory and Directory Server from the previously created backup location (such as: a tape drive). Ensure that you copy the files and directories to the same location where the original backup was located.

    4. Note

    For a Universal Text Connector instance, if the configuration files such as: template.pl, task.cfg, and so on were backed up separately, then you must restore these files also to their original location.

  4. Restore the external data sources.
  5. Restore the MySQL database that contains the changelog for the Lotus Notes and Novell Directory Connectors.
  6. Start all the servers.


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