ISA Backup
- Data on file servers.
- Data on workstations/personal computers.
- Standard backup
- Restore
- Multiple users on the same PC.
- Security recommendations
- Advanced backup
- Special recommendations for users with large amount of data
For comments or questions, please contact Torben Worm (Office: 4824) or in his absence Jørgen S. Nielsen (Office: 4822).
IMPORTANT: Backup with the ISA backup scripts and backup of the ISA file servers are day to day backup - i.e. we can restore data from yesterday if a hard disc fails or a data file is damaged. The system is not meant for archiving: Deleted files will be delete in the backup system after some time. Archiving (permanent backup of data) is the responsibility of the user. It is recommended to make a permanent backup of your data areas regularly (write a DVD).
Please also check by yourself that data are being backed up as you expect - i.e. check the backup directories in the DFS structure backup sections.
Permissions on backup files/directories: Handled differently in depending on the backup type:
CS_Computers: (Control System Computers).
Permissions on backup data from these computers are fixed and defined: ‘Domain Administrators’ has full control and ‘Domain Users’ read access to the data backed up from these computers.
User_Computers: (Backup from ‘personal’ computers, made by the ISA backup scripts)
Permissions on the backup data is set by the backup administrator before the initial backup. The default backup would be ‘Domain Administrator’: Full Control and ‘Computer Owner’: Full Control. Remark, that all files in the backup will have the same permissions – including files that you have set special permissions on in own computer. Please contact Torben Worm before initial backup of the User data directory on a new computer.
ISA_DATA: (Data from different parts of the \\isa\data DFS structure - including \\isa\data\users)
Permissions on backup data is set on the initial backup of a given backup file/directory. REMARK: Changes to permissions on files/directories at the source after the initial backup are not reflected in the backup! It is therefore important to set access rights to files and directories before initial backup data – good practice is always to ensure correct permissions when a file/directory is created. Usually, this implies setting appropriate permissions in the base of a directory structure. ‘ISA\Domain Admins’ should always be included will ‘Full Control’ access rights.
Data on file servers.
Data on the file servers should be accessed through the ISA Distributed File System (ISA DFS):
Most directories in this structure are located on the ISA NAS server (ISANAS01) - these are mapped into the \\ISA\Data DFS structure. The physical location may change over time, but the logical map in the DFS structure will be the same.
If needed, the underlying shares can be accessed directly (for instance if access is needed when not logged onto the domain). But be aware, that the administrators may change the physical locations mentioned below.
General user data. Please create a subdirectory with your user name for your data. Large amount of data - like some experimental data, should not be placed in this location.
Backed up by the ISA domain backup to \\ISA\Data\Backup every night.
Permissions on new source files are set on the initial backup of the files, but later changes in permissions will not be reflected on the backup files.
Used to store temporary data - DELETED EVERY SUNDAY NIGHT!
Typical used to exchange data between users.
This drive is primary meant for experimental data.
Backed by NFIT backup system every night - but does not go into the 3 weeks backup chain.
Permissions on new source files are set on the initial backup of the files, but later changes in permissions will not be reflected on the backup files.
This drive is primary meant for test data - there is no/low data protection: There is no backup of these data!
ISA backup repository - do not work on files in this directory!
Backups of user directories on workstations/user computers made by the ISA
backup script are stored in this directory in subdirectories like
\\ISASQL\backup\<Computer Name>\Users\..
The ISA domain backup script - scheduled to run each night - make
backup of central ConSys directories and part of the \\ISA\Data DFS structure.
The backup of the \\ISA\Data is stored in
\\ISASQL\backup\ISA_DATA/<DFS name>
Further backup of the \\ISA\Data\Backup
structure:
- Backed up to the NFIT backup system every night
- Backed up to \\ISA\Data\Backup1Day
every night
- \\ISA\Data\Backup1Day backed up to \\ISA\Data\Backup1Week once every week
- \\ISA\Data\Backup1Week backed up to \\ISA\Data\Backup2Weeks once every week - run before the backup from 1Day to 1Week.
- \\ISA\Data\Backup2Weeks backed up to \\ISA\Data\Backup3Weeks once every week - run before the backup from 1Week to 2Weeks.
Direct share:
\\isasvr01\Backup$
Data on workstations/personal computers
All computers in the ISA domain have a local share 'UsersData'. All user data should be stored in a personal subdirectory in one of these user shares - typically on the users personal computer - or on the server in \\ISA\Data\Users. If you have many/big data files - as on data acquisition computers, please see the special recommendations for users with large amount of data.
A general purpose ISA backup script is used to copy data from the user computers to a repository drive on the backup server, \\ISA\Data\Backup. The script can make a full or incremental backup of any directory structure to the repository. The security settings on files and directories on the repository will be as the original files and directories. See also
Incremental backup: Copies all files with the archive flag set (changed files) to repository. Security settings are kept. Clear the archive flag from the source files.
Full backup: Copies all files to the repository. Deletes files in the repository that are no longer present at the source. Security settings are kept.
Please note that the backup directory should be treated as a backup - never as a storage/working directory. The repository drive is backed up on the NFIT backup system every night.
For most users, the two short cuts placed on every computer fulfil the backup needs. The 'FULL ISA backup' will make a new full copy of all files stored in the local 'users' directory. The 'ISA backup' will take an incremental backup of the same directory. It is recommended to take an incremental backup every day and a full backup whenever major parts of the user files have been deleted
This backup should be regarded as a day to day backup only - burn a CD-ROM or backup by other methods for long term (permanent) storage.
Remember that data backup is a personal responsibility for every user!
Standard backup
This is backup the backup type needed by most users. Press on of the two backup icons placed on all desktops to start the backup. A window indicating the backup is taking place is opened. Do not close this window during backup - it will be closed automatically when the backup log appearing when the backup has finished is closed. It is possible to keep on working while the backup is running - just remember that the backup skips files in use. It is a good idea to close the mail client (Outlook or whatever program are used) before the backup is started in order to get the e-mail data copied during the backup.
Performs a full backup of all files in the local 'Users' directory. If files have been deleted in the users directory they are also deleted from the repository. Use this method whenever major parts of the users files has been deleted.
Performs an incremental backup of all files in the local 'Users' directory. Use this method daily to backup your changed files.
The script can also be run in a mode, where the computer is shutdown when the backup script has finished. Used the corresponding shortcuts with 'SHUTDOWN'. (A Shutdown version of an existing shortcut can be made by right clicking, select properties. In the shortcut menu, edit target, last part from 'inc' or 'full' to 'incShutdown' or 'fullShutdown'.)
The script can also be run in a mode, where the computer is hibernate when the backup script has finished. Used the corresponding shortcuts with 'HIBERNATE'. (A Hibernate version of an existing shortcut can be made by right clicking, select properties. In the shortcut menu, edit target, last part from 'inc' or 'full' to 'incHibernate' or 'fullHibernate'.)
REMEMBER: The backup does NOT copy files that are in use by any program. (Close OUTLOOK)
The backup is placed in the backup repository, presently \\isa\data\backup\User_Computers\<Computer Name>\Users\..
Restore:
The files in the backup are just copied to the backup repository \\\\isa\data\Backup, so copying the files from the repository to the original location is all that is needed to restore files. Remark that the standard windows file copy method sets the file security according to the security settings of the destination directory - and not the security settings of the source file. If you want to copy files and keep the security settings you must use the command 'robocopy' (should be at least version 1.96) from a command prompt. If you have an earlier version of Robocopy you need to upgrade it to the newest version - copy the version found in \\isa\data\pub\utilities to 'X':\Program files\utilities on your computer.
Older copies of the files can be found in the subsequent backup locations:
\\ISA\Data\Backup1Day
\\ISA\Dara\Backup1week
\\ISA\Dara\Backup2weeks
\\ISA\Dara\Backup3weeks
Multiple users on the same PC:
In general, data should be stored in personal sub directories in the Users directory. The backup schema also works in this case: When a user perform a backup by the ISA backup procedure, all files and directories that the user can access are backed up. Files and directories that the user is not allowed to access are left untouched - on the source drive as well as in the backup repository.
Security Recommendations:
The default security settings on the user files are the following:
Users
directory: Everyone - full controlUsers share
(Users directory share): Everyone - full controlPersonal directories created in the Users directory as
Users/<User Name>:
Owner: Full Control,
Domain administrators: Full control
System: Full control
System and Domain Administrators, Full control access rights is needed for second and subsequent backup levels.
In general, you should restrict the access rights as much as possible. It may be a good idea to have different access rights in different parts of your data structure so it matches the actual need for sharing of data. If you make network shares it is really recommended to keep the access rights as limited as feasible.
Please note, that domain administrators and backup administrators will be able to take ownership and restore to any location and set any security at that location. (But will only do so if needed in special cases - and with the users accept).
Advanced backup
Several options can be used together with the ISA backup script, isabc.
isabc ["programmer"|"users" "full"|"inc"|"fullShutdown"|"incShutdown" [computername sharedir]]
Running isabc without any options causes an incremental backup of \\<Computer Name>\Users\.. .
By specifying programmer instead of users the following files is excluded from the backup: *.obj *.sbr *.bsc *.pch *.pcb *.pdb *.sbr *.idb
"inc": incremental backup.
"full": full backup.
"incShutdown": incremental backup. Shutdown computer when the
backup scripts has finished.
"fullShutdown": full backup. Shutdown computer when the backup
scripts has finished.
If computername and sharedir is ommitted the \\<Computer Name>\Users\.. is used.
(<Computer Name> is the name of the computer executing the backup command)
Example:
A full backup of the directory share 'pictures' on the computer 'FLOPSY':
isabc users full FLOPSY pictures
The result of this command will be a backup of \\FLOPSY\pictures\.. stored in the repository, pt. \\KUPNU\Flopsy\Pictures\..
Special recommendations for users with large amount of user data:
The backup strategy explained in this document is meant for ordinary users with a limited amount of data (less than 500 MByte, 100000 files). For larger amount of data the system will be inefficient. Another reason is the limited space available on the repository hard drive.
Experimental data:
It is recommended to store experimental data on one of the experimental areas in
the \\ISA\Data DFS.
Alternatively - for small amount of data, the data can be placed in the Users directory and be backup by the ISA backup scheme. When the experiment is finished please make backups manually (on CD's or whatever you want) and remove the files from the Users directory. If you want to do keep large amount of data on a data-taking machine for long periods, please move the data to UsersNB when the experiment is finished and appropriate backups are created.
Last Modified 17 January 2013