Sun Java System Instant Messaging 7.2 Administration Guide

Backing Up Instant Messaging Data

Instant Messaging does not come with any disaster recovery tools. Use your site’s backup system to backup the configuration and database directories periodically. This section describes backing up Instant Messaging in the following sections:

Backup Information

The Instant Messaging information that needs to be backed up are of the following types:

The configuration information is stored in the configuration directory (im-cfg-base). Default paths are described in Instant Messaging Server Directory Structure.

The Instant Messaging data is stored in the database directory (im-db-base). Defaults for im-db-base are also described in Instant Messaging Server Directory Structure.

The Instant Messenger resources must be backed up if they have been customized. The location of the Instant Messenger resources are provided during installation.

Performing a Backup

While the configuration information does not change frequently, the Instant Messaging end-user data changes rapidly and to prevent any loss of end-user data you should back up the Instant Messaging end-user data on a periodic basis. You need to perform the backup before running the installation program and the uninstallation program.

To backup the end user data and the configuration information you do not have to stop the Instant Messaging server as all the disk commits by the server are automatically performed.

Restoring Backup Information

The back up of the end-user data and the configuration information needs to be restored when there is a disk failure and all the end-user data and the configuration information is lost.

ProcedureTo Restore End-user Data from Backup

  1. Change to the im-runtime-base directory.

    See Instant Messaging Server Directory Structure for information on locating im-runtime-base.

  2. Stop the Instant Messaging server:


    imadmin stop
    
  3. Copy the backed up data to the im-db-base directory.

    Be sure to maintain the directory structure of the backed up data.

  4. Verify the permissions and owner of the newly restored data.

    The files should be owned by the Instant Messaging system user. See Creating a UNIX System User and Group for information on this user. Permissions should be set as follows:

    • Files: 600 (indicating read and write permissions for owner only)

    • Directories: 700 (indicating read, write, and execute permissions for owner only)

    Refer to your operating system documentation for information on changing permissions and owners.

  5. Start the Instant Messaging server.

    imadmin start