Release 10.1A: OpenEdge Data Management:
Database Administration

Identifying files for backup

To correctly back up an OpenEdge database, you must archive all of the files associated with the database. Files you must back up are:

Database (.db, dn) and before-image files (.bn)

These files contain data and recent transaction information. You must back up these files as a unit; you need all these files to recover a consistent database.

After-image files (.an)

If you have enabled after-imaging, the after-image (AI) files contain information required to reconstruct a database if a database disk is lost or damaged. You roll forward these files to reprocess all transactions that occurred since the last backup. Archive each AI file when it is full or when the database is not in use. You must use an operating system backup utility.

Database log file (.lg)

Event log (LG) files contain dates and times of important database events. They also contain messages and other historical information to help you diagnose complex problems by understanding the circumstances surrounding a failure. Back up these files regularly as part of the normal system backup procedures. You must use an operating system backup utility.

Transaction log files (.tn)

If you use two-phase commit, the transaction log files contain information used to resolve in-doubt two-phase commit transactions. Back up these files regularly as part of the database backup procedures. You must use an operating system backup utility.

Application files and program library files (.pl)

While not strictly part of your database, including application files in your backup strategy helps ensure overall system resiliency. Back up these files regularly as part of database backup procedures. You must use an operating system backup utility.

If you store database triggers in a program library, you should maintain the library to make sure it matches the database schema. When you back up the database, PROBKUP backs up the database schema and any schema references to 4GL triggers, but it does not back up 4GL trigger code that is referenced in the schema.