OSX Server, any special considerations?

[Photo-Program]

I am in the process of researching backup software and strategies for our Xserve.

Currently we have an Xserve with 80GB HardDrive which is only used for the system and application. Our data, which consists mostly of photos, and some Filemaker files are stored on an external LaCie F800 FW drive.

We have several different users and share points.

Based on what I have seen in your forums, there are some users who have installed SuperDuper on their servers.

Are there any considerations or limitations when using SuperDuper with an Xserve and OSX Server?

Will there be any issues with access privileges?

Are there any special strategies for servers?

How does your product compare to Restrospect Workgroupv6.1?

Thank you

[dnanian]

Apart from the obvious difference (namely, that Retrospect is generally used to create incremental backup "snapshots", rather than a full copy), the biggest thing to be aware of is that open databases cause problems for *all* backup programs. So, if you have those, you should use the Before/After copy "shell script" feature to checkpoint them.

This might not be an issue for you, but it's something to be considered.

As with a non-server, it's best to make your copy when programs aren't in use. This is harder if the server is public, of course, but it's something to take into account.

There shouldn't be any problems with privileges.

Hope that helps!

[Budgie]

Hi Photo-Program
Ive been useing SD on my OSX 10.4.6 Server for a while now and have had no problems with check points etc, booting from the back up drive is seemless, all share points connect up with out issues.

Budgie

[Polarbear99]

Apart from the obvious difference (namely, that Retrospect is generally used to create incremental backup "snapshots", rather than a full copy), the biggest thing to be aware of is that open databases cause problems for *all* backup programs. So, if you have those, you should use the Before/After copy "shell script" feature to checkpoint them.
Hope that helps!

Could you please elaborate on this for the not so UNIX-savy user? I´m running SD on a 10.4.6 Server and 10.3.9 server and as it is now i´m taking backups on the MySQL database when it´s running, wich i know is far from optimal. How would a script look that "stopped/freezed" the database so SD can make a proper copy of the db? I have scheduled smart update each night.

[dnanian]

You'd want to use "mysqldump" to dump the appropriate databases to a text file, then clean up the text files after the backup, Polarbear99.

[Polarbear99]

You'd want to use "mysqldump" to dump the appropriate databases to a text file, then clean up the text files after the backup, Polarbear99.

What do you mean when you say "clean up the textfiles"? I know about mysqldump but where do i dump it too? Do i save the dumped db after the clone is completed on the freshly made clone? Remember that i´m doing smart updates each night with a schedule so i have to make this work without me manually stopping or dumping the db. As you hear i´m a bit lost here, heh. I have been looking at bakbones solution and they have special MySQL plugins, they of course know how to charge for them too but i would be glad to pay for a script doing this.

[dnanian]

You'd use mysqldump to dump the data files wherever you'd like in the "Before" shell script. Those dumped files would be backed up during the regular copy operation. Then, in the "After" shell script, you'd delete the files you dumped to (which are the "text files", since a dump is ASCII -- unless, of course, you wanted to leave them around).

Does that help?

[wpns]

You'd use mysqldump to dump the data files wherever you'd like in the "Before" shell script. Those dumped files would be backed up during the regular copy operation.

And how would the restore operation work if you wanted to restore one of those backups?

[dnanian]

You would restore it, and then import the dumped data to recreate the database(s).

[thomasb]

Hello,

I am considering using SuperDuper to clone the system drive of an Xserve G5 running Mac OS X 10.4.9 Server. I see you mention that open databases could cause problems. What should be done with Mac OS X Server, before running SuperDuper? Would there be any problems with Open Directory/LDAP?

[dnanian]

My guess is that there are likely procedures in the Server documentation that indicate what to do with OD. What I suggest is following those procedures, and automating them with the before/after copy scripts in the Advanced tab of Options...