Protecting Your Data : Backing Up a Database : Performing an operating system backup
Performing an operating system backup
When performing a backup using an operating system utility instead of PROBKUP, you must perform the following extra steps:
Be sure to back up all the proper files.
Make sure that the database is not used during the backup. Otherwise, the backup will be invalid. If you have an Enterprise database license, you can do this by using the PROQUIET command to create a database quiet point. Regardless of your database license you can shut down the server and make any single-user session inactive.
After you perform and verify the backup, mark the database as backed up.
Use the following steps to perform a backup using an operating system utility:
1. Shut down the database server.
Before you back up the database, you must shut down the database server. See StartingUp and Shutting Down for information about shutting down the database.
2. Verify that the database is not in use with the PROUTIL BUSY utility.
The following example shows the syntax for PROUTIL BUSY:
proutil dbname -C busy
The BUSY qualifier returns a code indicating whether the database is in use. You can use the codes returned by the BUSY qualifier in scripts, files, or procedures. For detailed information, see PROUTILBUSY qualifier.
3. Make a note of the last entry in the log file. You will use this information later to verify that the database is not used during the backup.
4. Back up the database.
Use an operating system backup utility to back up the database files. Ensure that your backup technique backs up the entire file. On many UNIX systems, certain utilities (for example, cpio) back up only the first part of files that are larger than a specified size (controlled by the ULIMIT parameter). Backups of only the first portion of a database file are of no value.
5. Verify that the backup is valid.
First, compare the last entry in the log file against the entry you noted in Step 3. If an entry has been added to the log file since you checked in Step 3, the database might have been used. If the database was used during the backup, then the backup is invalid. You must perform another backup.
Second, verify that you have backed up the entire database. The PROBKUP utility automatically backs up the proper files; with an operating system utility, you must make sure the proper files are included in the backup. See Identifyingfiles for backup for the complete list of files.
6. Mark the database as backed up.
After you have verified the backup, use the RFUTIL MARK BACKEDUP utility to mark the database as backed up, as shown:
Be sure to back up all the proper files.