Backup Strategies

A database backup is a representative copy of the data in the live database. A backup can be either a live copy of the database created by the Instant Secure or a point-in-time copy of the database created using Greentree Desktop Total Secure.

Purpose of a Backup

The primary purpose of a backup is to protect important data so that in the case of a disaster situation, that data can be recovered.

Secondary purposes for a database backup are:

A means to transfer the data to a test system so functional testing can be done without modifying the primary live database.
Providing the data to a third party such as a business partner or MYOB Greentree Desktop support.

What a Backup is Not

A folder copy or archive (.zip, .rar, and the like) of the \system and \bin directories is not a valid backup. A valid backup is one that is performed using Greentree Desktop Secure which performs verification of the consistency and validity of the backup. A backup is not a bit level file copy as performed by some disk level mirroring tools.

A backup strategy is more than taking a backup of a database and storing it so it can be fetched and loaded when trouble strikes. You must verify all data that is backed up. Knowing how long it takes to backup and verify the database, to restore and verify the database, to restore and verify transaction journals and to perform recovery is an important part of the strategy.

Backup Methods

Greentree provides different methods for database backups.

Offline Full Backups

An offline backup involves shutting down the database server before starting the backup and then restarting the database after the backup is complete. Use the JADE database utility to perform offline backups. This ensures that the database is in the correct state and that all necessary database files are backed up. You can optionally verify the database files while they are being read, and you can compress the backup files while they are being written.

Online System Backups

This is a useful utility that allows Greentree Desktop data files to be backed up to an alternate directory, while Greentree Desktop is still running. This allows your Greentree Desktop system to be fully operational and accessible 24 hours per day, if required (apart from scheduled updates of service packs).

Note: The backup file must be validated, especially if copied across media (for example, from disk to disk or tape). Use the JADE Database utility (JDBUTIL) verifyChecksums and verifyJournal functions to recalculate and compare file checksums with those originally written to the BackupInfo file.

Online Full Backups

A backup that is performed while the database is active for both read and write access is called a full online, or hot backup. The transaction journal file or files must be retained so that backup recovery may occur; that is, the recovery process can recover the restored database files to fully consistent state as when the end backup record was written.

Online Quiesced Full Backups

A backup that is performed while the database is in a read-only state is called a quiesced online, or warm backup. The database is placed in a quiescent state by allowing current active transactions to complete and then flushing modified buffers from cache to the stable database. In this mode the physical database files contain all committed updates to the database. External backup processes can safely copy the database files as a consistent database image.

Warm Standby Server

It may be desirable to maintain a copy of your database on another machine in standby mode. You can quickly and easily make a standby copy of a database by restoring and recovering a backup on another machine.

As transaction journals become archived (or offline) on your primary system, you can then copy them to the standby system, verify them, and apply them to the database. When the batch JADE Database utility runs to recover the database, it processes the next journal and whatever in-order later journals exist in the directory.

Instant Secure

Instant Secure provides an out-of-box software solution automating a hot standby database in one or more geographical locations. Instant Secure automates the otherwise-manual process of maintaining a hot standby database that can be used if the primary database is taken offline for routine maintenance, becomes damaged, or is lost

Database Backup Best Practice Checklist

This is a checklist of database backup best practices:

Regularly schedule and take backups. The frequency will depend on risk considerations.
Monitor backups process by reviewing logs and email alerts.
When performing backups, never overwrite the last good backup until the current backup is completed and verified.
Consider and implement using RAID disk volumes for storage of all volumes for Greentree, including database files, journals, other flat files, and the like.
After journals have been released, verify them by using the JADE Database utility verifyJournal, and back them up.
Place archived journals on a different physical disk and/or machine from the current journals.
Store backups and associated journals securely, both offsite and onsite. Total and Instant Secure can automate this process.
Regularly perform a physical certification of the database, by using the JADE Database utility certify feature, and investigate and address any errors or warnings
Regularly test the restore and recovery process, using recent backups.
After you move database files from one location to another (for example from disk-to-disk or tape-to-disk), perform the JADE Database utility verifyCheckSums feature before opening the database for recover or for other use.
After you move journals from disk to disk or from tape to disk, verify them again by using the JADE Database utility verifyJournal feature.