Backing up system files (unattended)

This topic provides the following information about the Modular Messaging system unattended backup, which automatically saves critical Message Storage Server (MSS) and Messaging Application Server (MAS) data:

• About the unattended backup
• Changing the unattended backup schedule
• Verifying that an unattended backup occurred
• Partial unattended backup

About the unattended backup

The unattended backup automatically saves critical Message Storage Server (MSS) and Messaging Application Server (MAS) data. The MSS and MAS data backed up includes most of the information necessary to bring the system back to an operational state after a service-affecting event. However, the unattended backup alone might not completely restore the system to its previous state, it might only restore the system to an operational state.

The unattended backup saves the following MSS data:

• Detailed system data on shared memory, speech file system pointers, and so on
• Alarm management information
• A list of installed software
• Networking connectivity and communication information
• Message headers, mailing lists, and subscriber profiles
• Hard disk configuration
• Local administrative roles
• Authentication, Authorization, and Accounting (AAA) sever configuration
• Syslog server configuration
• Voiced subscriber names
• Messages and greetings, if space allows

The unattended backup saves the following MAS data:

• Custom tone files
• Custom prompt files
• Deployed Caller Applications
• Messages
• The Data Collection Tool (DCT) system analysis

For the unattended backup to be successful, you must ensure that you insert the required backup media in the drive (for DVD-RAM backups) or administer the remote storage location (for LAN-based backup). If you are backing up to the DVD-RAM drive, make sure that you change the backup media daily. If you do not change the backup media daily, the existing information will be overwritten. Also, make sure the media is right side up in the media drive. If the media is upside down, the backup will fail.

The approximate time an unattended backup takes depends on several factors, including whether you are backing up over the LAN or to the DVD-RAM drive and the amount of data to be backed up.

Changing the unattended backup schedule

By default, the unattended backup runs automatically every day at 3:05 AM. You can modify the scheduled start time of the unattended backup if another time is more appropriate for your system. However, you should avoid scheduling the daily unattended backup for 1:00 AM, because MSS Voice Messaging Database Audits run at that time.

To modify the scheduled start time of the unattended backup:

1. On the Configure Remote Storage page, in the Unattended Backup Time field, enter the time at which you want the system to begin the daily unattended backup.
2. In the Expected Finish Time field, you can optionally enter the time at which you expect the unattended backup to complete. If the unattended backup does not complete by the expected time, the system raises an MT BACKUP 3 alarm. The alarm information can help you identify a slow or stalled backup.
3. Click Save.

   The system displays a message that the parameters have been saved.

4. Click OK.

Verifying that an unattended backup successfully occurred

It is recommended that you verify that a successful unattended backup occurred each day. If an unattended backup did not successfully occur, the system generates the MT BACKUP 1 warning alarm.

If you are using the DVD-RAM drive for backup, after verifying that the unattended backup was successful, remove the medium and label it with the current date and with the data types that were backed up, for example, Dec. 10, 2002—System data. Store the medium in a secure location. A second medium must then be inserted into the drive.

To verify that a successful unattended backup occurred:

1. On the Backup Logs page, which contains a drop-down list of the seven most recent backup logs, select the backup log that you want to view and click View.

   The system displays the View backup logs page, which contains a list of all the files that were backed up and information about any errors that occurred during the backup.

2. Scroll to the end of the log and verify that there is an entry with the current date and the following text: FULL-AUTO BACKUP completed successfully | Data Types - day date time

   If the backup was not successful, the log contains an explanation of why the backup failed.

   If the log contains the phase PARTIAL-AUTO BACKUP, a backup did occur but not all of the data types were backed up. See Partial unattended backup for more information.

3. If you are using DVD-RAM for backups, label the backup medium, store it in a secure location, and insert a second backup medium into the drive in preparation for the next unattended backup.

Partial unattended backup

For an unattended backup to DVD-RAM, if the backup cannot store all of the data types, the system backs up the system data and as much of the names, greetings, and messages as possible. This is called a partial unattended backup. If the system performs a partial unattended backup, the backup log contains the following log message: PARTIAL-AUTO BACKUP completed successfully. In addition, the system generates the MT BKRST029 event log entry.

Tip: If you are using DVD-RAM for backups, consider performing full attended backups using multiple DVD-RAM media on a regular basis to ensure that you have complete backup of data if you need to perform a restore. See Backing up system files (attended) for more information on how to perform an attended backup.

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