In many NetWare installations, administrators have been creating backups of server-specific information. With the release of eDirectory 8.6, the structure of the eDirectory schema was changed. Further changes were included with the release of eDirectory 8.7. However, server-specific information backups created by filesystem TSA or third-party backup tools were not supported by the changes. Instead, the database changes were supported in a new "hot backup" facility provided by the Backup eMTool in Novell iManager or by the eMBox client. Support for backup of server-specific information using filesystem TSA was not included at that time. In eDirectory 8.7.3, this is now supported using the hot backup functionality. As in previous versions, filesystem TSA calls the dsbacker.nlm to create the backup, but now dsbacker.nlm calls the backupcr.nlm, which creates a backup using the Backup eMtool functionality.
Effective backups can be created and restored using the following recommendations for various NetWare and eDirectory versions.
The main differences in server-specific information in NetWare 6.0 with eDirectory 8.7.1 are as follows:
Bigger File Size: The former method of SSI backup contained only a small portion of the database. Now, because the backup file contains all the information about all directory objects on the server, it is much bigger. It will be roughly the same size as the database.
User-Defined File Location: In former versions of server-specific information backup, only one file, servedata.nds, was created in the sys:system directory. Because the file was smaller, it was not critical where the data was placed before copying off to tape. With eDirectory 8.7.3 you can use filesystem TSA to create a full backups of the database. Three files are involved. For one of these, ssiback.bak, the file location is user defined.
| File | Description | Location |
|---|---|---|
ssiback.bak |
This backup file is the same as the full "hot backup" created with the Backup eMTool. See About the eDirectory Backup eMTool. |
User defined. The default is sys:system. Because of file size, we recommend it be relocated onto a volume other than sys:. |
ssiback.ini |
A text file containing the path where the ssiback.bak file is located. Default backup file location is sys:system. For example: vol1:/backups/ssibackup.bak. |
sys:system |
ssiback.log |
A high-level view containing information about previous backups. The log file contains a history of all backups, records backup start time and end time, and contains information about possible errors during the backup process. |
sys:system |
Restore Using Backup eMTool: The server-specific information can only be restored using the Backup eMTool.