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Backups of Atlas Environments

Tools used:

  • TSM – tool that backs up and restores files, systems, databases, etc.
  • TDP – part of TSM that backs up databases
  • DDBoost – separate tools that backs up databases which is much faster.  It can only be used on large databases.

TSM is an older product and will most likely be phased out in the near future.  It uses many streams to do backups.  Since backups are done at night, daytime is when maintenance is done on TSM.  If restores are required, they cause delays and issues with maintenance.

Retention:

  • TSM
    • Files are never deleted from TSM until the file is deleted from the network.  E.g. if a file called JOE.TXT was created in 2001, TSM will retain a copy until that file is deleted from the network.  Once deleted, TSM will hold a copy for 7 days and then delete it.
    • Once a month, an archive is done so it is possible to get files from archives even more than 7 days after a file is deleted if it is on an archive.  It can take 10+ days to get files off of the archives.
    • Only the most recent copy is in the archive for files that change daily.
    • TSMAdmins group must have full access to folders on the file system in order for the folders/files to be backed up.
  • DDBoost
    • 21-day retention.  Three full backups and TSM monthly archives, which is most likely the HIPAA backup.
    • Can do cross-server restores if DDBoost is on both servers.

Items to add to this page:

  1. Tool being used on each server for db backups – Sam
  2. We need to get IS to put ddboost on d2232 and 2269 and they should use that for the backups – Tarun
  3. Revisit which servers need to be backed up – All
  4. Document our copy-only backups – Sam
  5. Get ddboost threshold from IS so we know which servers should be using ddboost, e.g. maybe we should switch to ddboost on the BWH STAR servers. – Tarun
  6. Document all IS backup jobs – Sam
  7. Make sure HIPAA backup jobs run at the same day/time on all servers because they take forever and we don’t want them to interfere with our processes.  E.g. the backups on QA sometimes interfere with our backup of the BWH database on the weekends. – All
  8. Plan for restore testing. – All

 

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