Back-up Procedures

[calisurf]

I need some suggestions on a couple of fronts.

1. Does it make sense to make an image (use Netrestore) of your server once everything is installed and configured? in case of emergency?

2. I have a client that just purchased 4 XServes, Retrospect and a VXA tape back-up system. Does anyone have any suggestions on what I should be backing up on each of these machines?

Server 1 Open Directory Master
Server 2 Replica with 400 user directories
Server 3 Replica with 400 user directories
Server 4 Replica with 400 user directories

Should I be doing a complete back-up of the entire system?

[tbone]

I wouldn’t image the whole thing unless you plan on using that image in a DR type restore mode. I would backup only the files you want to keep. You should be running replicas of directories user info and dumping that data to raw text and backup it up. You should back up all customer data, web pages, scripts, logs, etc. But if the system truly bites the dust I would think you would install a fresh system, suck down a replica, restore some data files and be back in business.

Trent

[MDhaliwal]

Really depends on how you want this done. If you have helpers and you want them to be able to mimic you identically without the need to explain how to re-import different data, then imagaing the system isn’t a bad idea.

Personally, I had an OD Master blow up due to ‘circumstances’ when I wasn’t in. I had a help desk application running on that server as well. I used the third drive in the Xserve to install a fresh OS with the updates I wanted, copied my help desk database to a fresh install of the application, told the Xserve to be a replica of the newly promoted Master, promoted the Xserve back to master and demoted the former replica (now master) back to replica…I can draw stick figures to make this more clear!

Yeah, this is a few extra steps, but it saves you disk space on backing up extraneous files, but it was pretty quick and pain free. I guess the real question is, how long did it take for the Master to replicate to the OD Replica? If its a matter of minutes, then you should be set. My OD was running inside of an AD and didn’t have 400 records in it.

With all that said, grab the OD Backup script (if your not on 10.4.x) and make sure you have a proper copy of your OD to put on tape and store offsite, incase of a real disaster!

[puskas]

Hi MDhaliwal,

What did you have to run on the replica in-order for this to work? Did you have the replica running an almost exact copy of DNS, a new DHCP range? etc etc

I would like to do this but I am not sure how to do it (safely)!

Also, when your master went down, could your clients authenticate against the replica? If so did you have to modify their Directory access tab?

Many thanks in advance
Puskas

[QUOTE BY= MDhaliwal] Really depends on how you want this done. If you have helpers and you want them to be able to mimic you identically without the need to explain how to re-import different data, then imagaing the system isn’t a bad idea.

Personally, I had an OD Master blow up due to ‘circumstances’ when I wasn’t in. I had a help desk application running on that server as well. I used the third drive in the Xserve to install a fresh OS with the updates I wanted, copied my help desk database to a fresh install of the application, told the Xserve to be a replica of the newly promoted Master, promoted the Xserve back to master and demoted the former replica (now master) back to replica…I can draw stick figures to make this more clear!

Yeah, this is a few extra steps, but it saves you disk space on backing up extraneous files, but it was pretty quick and pain free. I guess the real question is, how long did it take for the Master to replicate to the OD Replica? If its a matter of minutes, then you should be set. My OD was running inside of an AD and didn’t have 400 records in it.

With all that said, grab the OD Backup script (if your not on 10.4.x) and make sure you have a proper copy of your OD to put on tape and store offsite, incase of a real disaster![/QUOTE]

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