Glossary

This glossary contains terms and definitions found in this guide. Most of the terms are specific to Backup products.

active group

A group with its autostart attribute enabled.

annotation

A comment that the Backup administrator or user associates with an archive save set, to help identify that data later. Annotations are stored in the media database for ease of searching and are limited to 1024 characters.

Application Specific Module (ASM)

A program that, when used in a directive, specifies the way that a set of files or directories is to be backed up and recovered. For example, compressasm isa Backup directive used for compressing and decompressing files.

archive

The process by which Backup backs up directories or files to an archive volume and then grooms them to free disk space. When data is archived, it is written to one or more storage volumes and then marked so that it is never subject to automatic recycling. You can delete the archived files from the client, thus freeing disk space. See also Failed Cross Reference Format.

archive pool

A volume pool that contains only archived save sets. A separate volume pool, the archive clone pool, contains only cloned archive save sets.

archive volume

A tape or other storage medium used to store Backup archive data, as opposed to a backup volume or migration store.

attributes

A feature of a resource. It is a service or information that the resource provides.

autochanger

A mechanism that uses a robotic arm to move media among various components located in a device, including slots, media drives, media access ports, and transports. Autochangers automate media loading and mounting functions during backups and recovers. The term autochanger refers to a variety of robotic libraries, including jukebox, carousel, library, near-line storage, datawheel, and autoloader.

auto media management

A feature that enables Backup to automatically label, mount, and overwrite a volume it considers unlabeled. Backup also automatically recycles volumes eligible for reuse.

backup, manual

A backup that a user requests from the client's save program. The user specifies participating files, filesystems, and directories. A manual backup does not generate a bootstrap save set.

backup cycle

The period of time from one level full backup to the next level full backup.

backup group

A group of Backup clients that begin their scheduled backups at the same time.

backup levels

A measurement that determines how much data Backup saves during a scheduled or manual backup.

A full backup backs up all files, regardless of whether they have changed.

Levels one through nine (1-9) backups back up files that have changed since the last lower numbered backup level.

An incremental (incr) backup backs up only files that have changed since the last backup.

backup volume

A tape or other storage medium used to store Backup backup data, as opposed to an archive volume or migration store.

bootstrap

The bootstrap save set is essential for the Backup disaster recovery procedures. It is composed of three components that reside on the Backup server: the media database, the resource database, and a server index that is a file that lists all the server files that were backed up during this scheduled backup.

browse policy

A policy that determines how long entries for your backup data remain in the client file index.

client file index

A database of information maintained by the Backup server that tracks every file or filesystem backed up. The Backup server maintains a single client index file for each client machine.

clone

The process Backup uses to make an exact copy of saved data (save sets). Backup can clone individual save sets or the entire contents of a backup volume. Cloning is different from an operating system or hardware device copy operation because it leaves traceable information entries in both the client file index and the media data.

clone volume

A duplicated volume. Backup can track three types of clone volumes: backup clone, migration clone, and archive clone. Save sets of different types cannot be intermixed on the same clone.

command line interface

An interface with the Backup software, based on command text entered from the shell prompt. See also Failed Cross Reference Format.

daemon

A program that is not invoked explicitly, but lies dormant waiting for a specified condition to occur.

database

A collection of related data that can serve multiple purposes and support multiple users.

device

The unit connected to the Backup server, either as a standalone machine or in an autochanger, that stores data on media.

directed recover

A method of recovery that recovers data that originated on one client machine and re-creates it on another client machine.

directive

An instruction directing Backup to take special actions on a given set of files.

enabler codes

A special code provided by SunSoft that activates the software. The software must then be registered and the returned authorization code entered to permanently license the product.

filesystem

1. A file tree that is on a specific disk partition or other mount point.

2. The entire set of all files.

3. A method of storing files.

grooming

The process of removing original files from local disk after a successful archive operation.

group

A client or group of clients that starts backing up files at a designated time.

heterogeneous network

A network with systems of different platforms and operating systems that interact across the network.

Hierarchical Storage Management (HSM)

A data management strategy that moves data from one storage medium to another. The hierarchy is usually from more expensive media with faster access to less expensive, media with slower access.

interoperability

The capability of software and hardware on multiple machines from multiple vendors to communicate meaningfully.

machine

Any computer, including file or computer servers, workstations with disks, or diskless workstations.

media

The physical storage medium to which backup data is written. Backup supports tape, magnetic or optical disk, and file as backup media.

media database

A database that contains indexed entries about the storage volume location and the life cycle status of all data and volumes managed by the Backup server.

media manager

The Backup component that tracks save sets to backup volumes.

migration

An HSM operation that moves files from a client's local disk to slower, cheaper media.

migration store

The media used to store migrated data.

multiplexing

A Backup feature that permits data from more than one save set to be written to one storage volume on different storage devices.

Backup client

A machine that accesses the Backup server to back up or recover data. Clients can be workstations, PCs, or fileservers.

Backup server

The machine on a network running the Backup server software, containing the client file indexes and providing backup and recover services to the clients and storage nodes on the same network and media database.

notification

A message generated to the Backup administrator about important Backup events.

operator

The person who monitors the server status, loads backup volumes into the server devices, and otherwise executes the day-to-day Backup tasks.

override

A Backup feature that allows you to configure a different backup level for a specific date listed in a Schedule resource. Refer to the online help in the nwadmin program for instructions on how to use this feature.

parallelism

A Backup feature that enables the Backup server to back up save sets from several clients, or many save sets from one client, at the same time. Parallelism is also available during recovers.

pathname

A set of instructions to the operating system for accessing a file. An absolute pathname tells how to find a file beginning at the root directory and working down the directory tree. A relative pathname tells how to find the file starting where you are now.

pool

A feature that enables you to sort backup data to selected volumes. A volume pool contains a collection of backup volumes to which specific data has been backed up.

recovery

A recovery method that re-creates an image of the client filesystems and database on the Backup server.

Registry

A database of configuration information central to Windows NT operations. This centralizes all Windows NT settings and provides security and control over system, security, and user account settings.

remote device

A storage device that is attached to a Backup storage node.

resources

Anything that you might need to manage or that a user might want to locate, such as a storage device, backup schedule or event notification. In the Backup administration program, resources are represented as windows. Resources contain attributes.

retention policy

A policy that determines how long save set entries are retained in the Backup server's media database.

retrieve

The process of locating and copying back files and directories that Backup has archived.

root

1. The UNIX superuser account (with username "root" and user ID). By extension, the privileged system-maintenance login on any operating system.

2. The top node of the system directory structure, the home directory of the root user.

save set

A group of files or a filesystem from a single client machine backed up onto storage media.

save set ID

An internal identification number that Backup assigns to a save set.

save set recover

The recovery of specified save sets to the Backup server.

save set status

The save set status indicates whether a given save set is restorable, recoverable, or recyclable. The save set status also indicates whether the save set has been successfully backed up.

savestream

The data and save set information being written to a storage volume during a backup. A savestream originates from a single save set.

server

The machine that runs the Backup software, contains the online indexes, and provides backup and recover services to the clients on a network.

shell prompt

A cue for input in a shell window where you enter a command. See also command line interface.

silo

A repository for holding hundreds or thousands of volumes. Silo volumes are identified by barcodes, not by slot numbers. They are controlled by silo management software on a server machine that might or might not be the Backup server machine.

SNMP

The Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) defines the communication between a manager (sometimes called a Monitor or Management Station) and an object (the item being managed). Backup uses SNMP to send messages to the administrator about Backup events. SNMP is not an end-user management system of its own; rather, it is the mechanism or definition that enables network management.

staging

The process of moving data from one storage medium to another, for example, to move backed-up, archived, or migrated save sets from a disk file to a tape.

standalone device

A storage device that contains a single drive for backing up data.

storage device

The hardware that reads and writes data during backup, recover, or other Backup operations.

storage node

A storage device physically attached to a server whose backup operations are administered from the controlling Backup server.

versions

The date-stamped collection of available backups for any single file.

volume

A physical unit of media, such as magnetic tape, optical disk, or disk file.