Recovery Solution 6.2 Infrastructure Backup and Restore

White Paper

June 13, 2006

© 2006 Altiris Inc. All rights reserved.


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Contents

Introduction

Introduction

Recovery Solution 6.0 Infrastructure

Recovery Solution Infrastructure Changes in 6.1 and 6.2

Backup

Notification Server database Backup

Recovery Solution database Backup

Data Files Backup

Restore

Notification Server database Restore

Recovery Solution database Restore

Load Balancer Configuration Restore

Data Files Restore

Appendix A: Recovery Solution 6.0 database Backup and Restore

Backing up the server

Backing up without a SQL backup agent

Backing Up With Software That Includes a SQL Backup Agent

Restoring the server from a backup


Introduction

Introduction

Starting from Recovery Solution 6.1, with introduction of Recovery Solution clusters and data files mirroring, backup procedure described in Recovery Solution 6.0 Administrator’s Guide (Administration > Network and Server Functions > “Backing Up the Server” section) is no longer complete. This document describes additional steps that need to be done in order to obtain a complete backup of Recovery Solution infrastructure.

Recovery Solution 6.0 Infrastructure

In Recovery Solution 6.0, Recovery Solution server was always installed on the same computer as the Notification Server, and there was one-to-one correspondence between Recovery Solution and Notification Server. Both Notification Server and Recovery Solution databases could be placed onto remote SQL servers, so the infrastructure could be distributed.

Notification Server database only contained information about rollout policies, collections and reports, and Recovery Solution database contained all information about Recovery Solution users and their snapshots.

So, to take a complete snapshot of Recovery Solution 6.0 installation, one had to back up the following pieces of information:

  1. Recovery Solution Database
  2. Recovery Solution data files (AKA BLOBs)
  3. Names and contents of Recovery Solution Users and Recovery Solution Admins groups—these were implemented as local Windows groups on the Recovery Solution Server computer, so generally it was suggested to simply back up the complete Recovery Solution Server computer.
  4. In addition, if the Recovery Solution database was stored on a remote SQL server, it was needed to back up “Linked Server” entry on the Notification Server computer’s SQL Server. If the complete computer backup was made (as suggested in the previous bullet), this was achieved automatically.
  5. (Optional, not mentioned in documentation.) Exports of custom Notification Server items like collections of Recovery Solution computers, rollout policies, and so on. Note that these are not critical for successful Recovery Solution operation.

Recovery Solution 6.0 Administrator’s Guide contains “Backing Up the Server” and “Restoring the Server From a Backup” sections (both under “Administration > Network and Server Functions”); they describe backup and restore procedures step by step. Appendix A in this document contains the complete text of these sections.

Recovery Solution Infrastructure Changes in 6.1 and 6.2

Starting from Recovery Solution 6.1, the following major changes are introduced:

  1. Recovery Solution clusters, which replace and enhance Recovery Solution servers.A cluster may have one or several Recovery Solution servers, which can be installed remotely. A cluster’s Recovery Solution database can be also located on a remote SQL server.
  1. One Notification Server can now manage many Recovery Solution clusters.
  2. Notification Server database is now much more involved in storing the Recovery Solution data (for example, list of Recovery Solution clusters, Recovery Solution agent, and Recovery Solution cluster settings).
  3. Recovery Solution data files mirroring—now there can be several copies of data files; these copies are synchronized between themselves either synchronously or asynchronously (by means of an Recovery Solution server job).
  4. An optional load balancer device, which can be “attached” to the cluster. It is used to distribute client requests among the cluster’s servers.

So in generic case, the Recovery Solution infrastructure can be now heavily distributed:

  • SQL Server computer with Notification Server database.
  • Windows Server computer with Notification Server and Recovery Solution Solution.
  • Every Recovery Solution cluster can have its own SQL Server computer with Recovery Solution database.
  • Number of Recovery Solution Server computers. Every such computer has its own local Windows group for Recovery Solution users; it also has ODBC DSN string for communication with the Recovery Solution database computer.

Generally, to get a _complete_ snapshot of an Recovery Solution 6.2 installation, one must back up the following pieces of information:

  1. On the computer with SQL Server that hosts the Notification Server database:
  1. The Notification Server database. Either the complete database must be backed up, or only Recovery Solution-related data. Section below describes this in more details.
  2. “LinkedServer” entries to SQL Server computers with Recovery Solution databases. SQL Server Enterprise Manager allows doing this easily via right-click on “Linked Servers” node in the EM console, and selecting “Export List...” menu item.
  1. On computers with SQL Servers that host Recovery Solution databases (for all Recovery Solution clusters):
  1. The Recovery Solution database.
  2. List of created logins. This list can be seen under Security\Logins node in the EM console. Right click provides “Export List...” menu item.
  1. For every Recovery Solution cluster, Recovery Solution data files must be backed up as well.
  2. For clusters that use load balancers, load balancer configuration must be backed up. Since this information is balancer-dependent, there is no step-by-step instruction for backup procedure. Refer to the specific load balancer’s documentation.

It’s vital to store the backed up databases and Recovery Solution data files to a safe location (e.g. a tape or an off-site storage).

Notification Server database Backup

If Notification Server is only used to host the Recovery Solution installation, you may back up the complete Notification Server database. Notification Server database can be backed up using approaches described in Appendix A. Note that if the SQL Backup Agent is not used then SQL Server that hosts the Notification Server database must be stopped, which will make the Notification Server non-operable for the duration of Notification Server database backup.

But if there are several solutions installed, it’s not feasible to back up the complete Notification Server database, as in case of disaster the whole database will have to be restored, possibly overriding other solution’s settings. For this scenario, a set of SQL scripts was developed:

  • Backup_All_RS_Clusters.sql—creates a backup database named RS_Backup_DB, then backs up all Recovery Solution clusters-related data into that database.
  • Restore_All_RS_Clusters.sql—restores information about all Recovery Solution clusters from the RS_Backup_DB.
  • Backup_Single_RS_Cluster.sql—backs up information about a single cluster.
  • Create_RS_Backup_DB.sql—creates an empty RS_Backup_DB. Should be called before Backup_Single_RS_Cluster.sql in cases when there is no backup database.

Every script has a comment in the beginning, describing its usage.

Scripts should be provided along with this document. Please contact Altiris Recovery Solution Support if not.

Recovery Solution database Backup

For every Recovery Solution cluster, its Recovery Solution database must be backed up. Refer to Appendix A for step-by-step instructions, as this procedure is not changed since Recovery Solution 6.0.

Data Files Backup

For every Recovery Solution cluster, its data files must be backed up. In Recovery Solution 6.0, there was only one copy of data files. In Recovery Solution 6.2, if there are several storage groups, data files synchronization job must be executed prior to backup, to ensure that all storage groups contain up-to-date copies of the data files. After the synchronization job is complete, only one copy of the data files (from any group) should be backed up. All servers in the clusters must be stopped or disabled during this process, to ensure data integrity.

Restore

If only the Recovery Solution database or the data files got corrupted, there is no need to restore the Notification Server database. In such cases skip the “Notification Server database Restore” section.

Similarly, if only the Notification Server database got corrupted, there is no need to restore the Recovery Solution databases or data files of Recovery Solution clusters.

Note, however, that if the Notification Server database is restored from an old backup, then the restored database will not contain information about recently created Recovery Solution clusters and their settings. Presently (Recovery Solution 6.2) there is no automatic way to recover such orphan clusters, however per request SQL queries can be supplied to do this.

Notification Server database Restore

If the whole Notification Server database was backed up, it can be restored using approach described in Appendix A, “Restoring the Server From a Backup” section. Simply substitute the Notification Server database name instead of Recovery Solution database name.

If either of backup SQL scripts was used, then the appropriate restore script should be used to restore either all or a specific Recovery Solution cluster.

Recovery Solution database Restore

The Recovery Solution database can be restored using approach described in Appendix A, “Restoring the Server From a Backup” section.

Load Balancer Configuration Restore

Since in Recovery Solution 6.1 the load balancer device configuration (such as adding the nodes) must be performed manually, backup and restore must also be performed manually. What exactly should be backed up and restored is balancer-dependent, generally information about nodes and about protocols/ports should be preserved and restored.

Note that any changes to the restored configuration, such as balancer address, must be reflected in the Recovery Solution cluster settings UI in the Altiris Console.

Data Files Restore

Appendix A, “Restoring the Server From a Backup” section, contains information about restoring the data files. It’s suggested to back up the data files along with the Recovery Solution database, and also restore these two pieces of information together.

If data files mirroring is utilized in Recovery Solution 6.2 installation, then it’s only needed to restore the files to the main storage group. Other groups will be synchronized, either (for synchronous groups) automatically on the background or (for asynchronous groups) during the next synchronization job.

Appendix A: Recovery Solution 6.0 database Backup and Restore

Backing up the server

It is strongly recommended that you back up the server to removable storage on a regular basis.

The procedure for backing up the server might be different depending on the backup software you use. It is best to use backup software that includes both a SQL backup agent and an open files agent.

Important: Whichever method you use, back up the database files first and then the protected data (BLOB) files. Also, because Recovery Solution uses the local Windows accounts database, the entire computer must be backed up.

Backing up without a SQL backup agent

Follow these steps if your backup software does not include a SQL backup agent. You might also need to refer to the instructions for your backup software.

  1. Stop the service for Recovery Solution, following the instructions in "Stopping and Starting the Server".
  1. Do one of the following.
If the server is running Microsoft SQL Server
  1. Open SQL Enterprise Manager.
  2. In the Console Tree (usually on the left side), expand SQL Server Group, the name of the server, and then Databases.
  3. Select the database for Recovery Solution.

By default, it is named AeXCRDatabase.

  1. In the Details Pane, under Backup, click Backup Database.
  2. Under Backup, click Database—complete.
  3. Under Destination, click the Add button.
  4. In the Click Backup Destination dialog, click File name.
  5. Specify the full path and file name. You can use the ... button to locate a path.

The path is where the database backup will go. The file name is the file that you will have your backup software back up.

  1. Click OK.
  2. Click Overwrite existing media.
  3. Click OK to start the backup.
  4. Have your backup software back up the file you created.
If the server is running MSDE
  1. Open an MS-DOS style command prompt.
  2. Change to the BINN subfolder of the folder containing the MSDE program files. You can use a command such as the following.

CD /D "D:\MSSQL7\BINN"

  1. Enter the following command.

OSQL.EXE -U sa -P -n -Q "BACKUP DATABASE AeXCRDatabase TO DISK = 'e:\AeXCRDatabase.dat'"

AeXCRDatabase is the default name of the database. If your installation of Recovery Solution uses a different database name, make the appropriate changes in the above command. The path and file name specified at the end can be modified to any appropriate location.

This command could be scheduled through Windows Task Scheduler or the AT command-line program. Database backups can also be scheduled using a SQL script. For details, see the Microsoft knowledge base article Q241397, which is available on the Microsoft Web site (

  1. Back up the file named BACKUP.uml from the program files folder for Recovery Solution Server (by default, C:\Program Files\Altiris\Notification Server\Client Recovery Server).

This file contains account information that is required for protected computer users to access the server. Some backup programs can back up this file while it is in use, but others might not be able to. It is safest to back up the file while the service for Recovery Solution is not running.

  1. Once the above files are backed up, use Windows Control Panel to restart the service for Recovery Solution.
  2. Use your backup software to back up the protected data (BLOB) files.

They are usually in a folder named AeXCRData.

Backing Up With Software That Includes a SQL Backup Agent

Follow these steps if your backup software includes a SQL backup agent. You might also need to refer to the instructions for your backup software.

  1. Back up the database files for Recovery Solution.By default, these are the following.
  • The main data file is AeXCRDatabase_Data.MDF, in a folder named AeXCRData.
  • You might have additional data files. Typically the next name would be AeXCRDatabase_Data.NDF.
  • The log file is AeXCRDatabase_Log.LDF, in a folder named AeXCRLog.
  1. Back up the protected data (BLOB) files.

They are usually in a folder named AeXCRData.

Restoring the server from a backup

This section describes how to restore the server from a backup. For instructions on creating a backup, see “Backing Up The Server”.

If you used a SQL agent to back up the server "live," then you can recover the entire computer, including Windows, SQL Server and its databases, Recovery Solution, and the protected data files.

If you used SQL Server directly to back up the database to disk and then to tape, use the following procedure to restore your database.

  1. Stop the service for Recovery Solution, following the instructions in “Stopping and Starting the Server”.
  1. Do one of the following.
If the server is running Microsoft SQL Server
  1. Open SQL Enterprise Manager.
  2. In the Console Tree (usually on the left side), expand SQL Server Group, the name of the server, and then Databases.
  3. Select the database for Recovery Solution.

By default, it is named AeXCRDatabase.