Backup Command

You can enter a custom backup command in the Clients resource that includes additional processing instructions. This custom backup command is used instead of the default save program when scheduled backups are initiated.

You can run pre-processing and post-processing commands that execute only once per client backup with the savepnpc program. The savepnpc program, like the save program, saves files to long-term storage. Before performing the first save operation on the client, savepnpc performs any pre-processing commands that exist in the /nsr/res/<group_name>.res file. After the last save operation completes successfully on the client, savepnpc performs any post processing commands listed in the /nsr/res/<group_name>.res file. See "savepnpc " of Appendix B and the man pages for more detailed information about savepnpc.

You can customize your client backups by creating additional programs that affect the way Backup backs up client filesystem data.

For example, you can create a program that shuts down either a mail server or a database before Backup performs a backup operation and then restarts the mail server or database after the backup is completed. Or you can create a program that prints a message (such as backup started at 3:33 a.m.) before the backup operation begins, then executes the backup on the client data and prints a message when the backup is completed (such as backup completed at 6:30 a.m.).

The backup command is performed for each save set that is defined for the client, not on a per-client basis. If you specify a save set value of All, the backup command batch file is executed the same number of times as the number of filesystems on the client. The simplest implementation of a customized backup command is to create a special separate client with a single save set listed in the Save Set attribute.

Consider the following issues as you determine what level of customization works best for your environment:

• Amount of disk space you have

• Whether you have client data that doesn't need to be backed up every time (for example, company e-mail)

• Whether you want Backup to send special messages (in addition to the savegroup completion reports) about the backups it executes

Unlike savepnpc, new instance of the customized Backup Command, like the standard save program, is invoked for each save set listed in the Save Set attribute. Bear this in mind when you create a Client resource with a customized Backup Command for a database, because a shutdown command is executed for each save set you list.