Archive:Schedules 3.4

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SEP AG has discontinued support for obsolete SEP sesam versions. Instructions are still available for these SEP sesam products, however, SEP AG accepts no responsibility or liability for any errors or inaccuracies in the instructions or for the incorrect operation of obsolete SEP sesam software. It is strongly recommended that you update your SEP sesam software to the latest version. For the latest version of SEP sesam documentation, see documentation home.

Schedules

The window shows an overview of the configured schedules and the related events. Using the tools lists the switches may be set to control the time and events for all activities within SEP sesam. You will either create a new schedule or activate a previously established schedule. Within the schedule you set an event and specify the tasks for the event. The Task will then be executed in the specified time range,and depending on the action the task will be rescheduled automatically by the SEPuler to be performed during the next cycle.

Properties Schedule - New Schedule

Name

Identification of the schedule

Execute

(De-)Activation of all events using this schedule by the user

Duration

Time interval for the execution of a schedule

: the date can be entered through a graphical calendar appearing at mouseclick.

Begin

Start time for the repetition cycle. The schedule is valid only after the day for which Begin is

: specified. The first execution can be performed no earlier than the start time Begin

End

If the check box End is activated then the repetition cycle is ended after the selected date.

: After the day End no further executions occur. If the check box End is not set, the : repetition cycle is unlimited.

Starting Range

Backup task can be started only in this defined period of time

Start

Desired Start of the event. The actual start time of the event depends on system load.

: Each event is inserted at start time into a waiting queue at start time. Depending on : workload and job limit of this waiting queue and the schedule priority, execution must wait until : all current tasks are completed and there are no tasks of higher priority pending. For tasks of : equal priority the rule FIFO (first in first out) is valid .

Duration

The user can set up a Starting Range by defining the duration. If execution cannot start in the

: duration interval, the job is not started.

A variety of settings is offered for the cyclic behavior of a schedule:

• one-time the desired time in the starting range is set
• daily specific days or hours or minutes
• weekly specific weeks and weekdays
• monthly specific months at specific month date
• monthly at 1., 2.,3.,4., last day, weekday, weekend day, Mo,Tu,We,Th,Fr,Sa,Su of month (optionally a daily offset here is possible) these specifications are denoted as relative
• yearly similar to monthly; absolute and relative specifications allowed

User-defined Schedules

User Defined Schedules exhibit a list of absolute and relative Date Inputs, that cylce annually. In the field Name enter a descriptive Name for each List Entry. In the field Date/Offset you enter, depending on the switch setting, a date in the format Month-Day (mm-dd) or Offset. The Offset is a number between -50 and +50 and designated the number of days before or after a specific date, e.g. Easter, ( Offset=0 is Easter Sunday). This allows the setting or creation of backup tasks for holidays that change from year to year. By selecting Assume Task the entry will be made to the List. Further, displayed lists as well as elements from other lists can be copied or deleted. To take this action double click the right mouse button and select the desired choice. The user defined schedule is normally used for exception scheduling for typically stringent schedules during concurrent schedules for blocking events that may occur during vacations or holidays.

New Backup Event

Succession Parameters

Priority

Priority

Blocking event

The event is in effect only to block other Backups with the same name if schedules overlap

Execution Parameters

Backup Type

Selection of the Backup type FULL, DIFF, INC, COPY

On/Offline

Execution Parameter, e.g. for Database Backup Task

Media Pool

Target for the Backup data. The exact label of the target media is determined by the previously executed media event

Drive Group

Specified in the media pool drive group (not editable) changes at media pool selection

Drive (opt.)

Selection of a drive from the pre-set drive group

Interface (opt.)

Selection of additional configured TCP/IP-Name of the client. So the data stream can be directed over a specific network connection permitting undisturbed backup or restore

execution without blocking other network activities

Object

The backup object or Task Group

Task

Selection of a single backup task

Task Group

Selection of a single Backup Task Group

New Restore Task Event

The switch New Restore Event opens the following window where the 2nd register is selected. The 1st Register is the mask Schedule and is already correctly pre-set.

Note

Some of the described functionality/fields displayed are unavailable in the current version but will be added in later revisisons.

New Restore Task Event - Source

Restore Task

Select a previously set Restore Task

Set Restore

With a fixer Restore the restore will be performed as it has been set previously in the Restore Wizard. The pre-defined backup source for the specified criteria will be used to perform the restore.

Select

The Restore Task will be used as a template. The Backup Task, and the Restore Task (Full, -Selective) will be set. The exact backup will be determined using the following parameters:

Selection Parameters

Saveset Limitaion

Enter the time constraints:

• View: oldest selection: first, second, third, etc.
• View: newest selection: last, next to last, etc.,

Backup (Sesam) Day

Limiting selection to a specific time period: from Date - to Date.

relative Backup Day

from - to as a relative input the count of days past

Example: 2 weeks to today: from date = -14, to Date = 0.

FDI Type

Only backup volumes with the following FDI Types may be selected (Copy, Full, Diff, Inc): C, F, D, I.

Selection

You can dynamically select the backup volumes for restore. Selecting the option newest or oldest either the most current or the oldest volume will be restored, i.e. in accordance with the relative Backup Day and other possible limited factors.

Media Preference

The limiting selection for the Restore Source should a Migrated/Cloned medium be required.

• No Restrictions >> ' '
• Regular Media before Clone >> 'media'
• Clone before Regular Medium >> 'clone', in the event there is replicated data (a Clone of the previous dataset) it will be restored, if one is is not available the latest media source will be restored.

Media Availability

Limiting Selection can restrict restore to media/data currently in the Autoloader.

• Error if Medium is unavailable (Default) >>
• Select only available media >> 'available'
• Select only available media with EOL Protection >> 'eol-protected'

Pool Limitation

Permits Source selection to specific Media Pools.

Status

Limitations based on Backup Result - Possible choices are:

• Successful or Successfully with Warnings (Default)
• Only Successful
• Only with Warnings
• Partly Restorable - Interrupted or failed backups

New Restore Task Event - Destination Parameter

Sequence of Events

Priority

see Setting Event Priorities

Blocking Events

see Blocking Events

Execution Parameters

Backup Type

this option can overwrite the Backup Type of a Backup Task and perform the restoration of another backup type, usually a Path Restore.

On/Offline

Perform a Restore Online/Offline.

Media Pool

Not selectable.

Disk Drive Group

Shows the chosen Media Pool for the Disk Drive Group.

Drive

Selection field for the desired drive from the Disk Drive Group.

Interface

optional specification of the interface where the data transfer to Target Node occurs.

New Migration Task Event

As with the executonn of other sesam tasks you must first establish a new schedule Scheduling -> New Schedule. Using this new Schedule you can now create a new Migration Event Task Schedulng -> New Migration Event. The Task window mask is only slightly different from that for a Restore Event.

Note

The following functionality for some of the described fields will only be available in later versions of SEP sesam.

Migration Task

Select a previously created Migration Task

Source

Set the parameters as in New Restore Task Event - Source

Select Parameter

Saveset Limits

Input for the Time Division:

• View: Oldest selection: first, second, third, etc.
• View: most recent selection: last, next to last, previous to next to last, etc.

Backup Day

Limiting choices for a fixed time period : from date x ... to date y.

Relative Backup Day

from - to as relative input for the number of past days. Example of relative Backup Day: from -1 to +1 copied as a dataset, set to the previous Sesam Day for the selected Media Pool.

FDI Type

Selection possibilities in relation to CFDI Type (Copy, Full, Diff, Inc): C, F, D, I und G

A difference to previous Restore Tasks now exists. The new selection to the standard CFDI Task selection is now available - type 'G' for 'Generation' Migration. This means that next to the incremental backup from the last days and all relevant past backups up to and including the last Full Backup will be included in the Migration Task. With this you can accomplish a Disaster Recovery of a failed server. By using the combination of available Full- Incremental- and Backups stored off-site, a restore can offer the most relevant and complete backup as desired.

Selection

Instead of the saveset selected in the Restore Task a dynamic selection of the saveset to be restored from the time of the Restore is made. Selections are newest or oldest', i.e. the newest/oldest saveset out of the selected interval (according to the relative Backup Day) is selected.

Media Preference

Limiting selection of the media to use as the Restore source / Should a cloned medium be used

• No limitation >> ' '
• Regular medium before clone >> 'media'
• Clone before regular medium >> 'clone'

If no clone is available the selection is ignored.

Media availability

Limiting selection of the media to use as the Restore source taking their availability inside the loader into account

• Errors if Media not available (Default) >>
• Selection of available media >> 'available'
• Selection of available media with EOL-block only >> 'eol-protected'

Pool Limitation

Enables, by selecting a check box, the backup Source to be limited to specific Mediapools.

Status

Limitation according to Backup Results: are Possible

• Successful or Successful with Warnings (Default)
• Only Successful
• Only with Warnings
• Partially Restorable (broken/stopped backup)

Destination Parameter

Essentially as in New Restore Task Event - Destination Parameter

Sequence Control

Priority

see Setting Event Priorities

Blocking_Events

see Blocking Events

Performance Parameter

Backup Type

Not Selectable.

On/Offline

Not Selectable.

Media Pool

Enter the target Media Pool, e.g. "LTO4".

Drive Group

Shows the chosen Media Pool from the delegated Drive Group

Drive

Selection field for the target Drive from the Drive Group.

Interface

optional Input of the Interface where the data transfer should occur.

New Media Event

Succession Parameters

Priority

Priority (see Chapter 4 - Prioritizing)

Blocking event

The event is only in effect to block other media events for the pool when schedules overlap

Execution Parameters

Media Pool

Grouping of media by certain criteria (e.g. by types of media etc.)

Media Strategy

Indication of strategy OLD defined in the media pool

Drive Group

Selection of a drive group. Advantage: Sesam uses the drives belonging to a specific group independently

Drive

Selection of a certain drive

Tape Label

Selection of a pre-set tape label (tape identification) from the media pool

Spare Label

Selection of a pre-set spare label from the media pool

A media event from the point of its activation defines a specific media of a pool onto which the backups write their data. The contents of the media are deleted by the event.

If the expected media is unavailable at the start of a backup or end of media is reached during data-transfer, then Sesam creates an internal media event, which provides the next media for the backup. If no media event is configured in the calendar, then always only the internal one is in effect at EOM.

New Command Event

The switch New Command Event opens following window:

Parameter

Description

Priority

Priority

Blocking event : The event is in effect (Prioritizing concept) only to block other command events with exactly the same command when schedules overlap

Selection

select already defined command events

Name

Identification of the command event

Command

complete command

Client

Selection of computer, on which the command should be executed

User

pre-defined user name at the client (access restriction), which may execute this command

The Switch List opens the following Window:

New

Set New Command Schedule

Change

Change existing Schedule

Copy

Copy existing Schedule

Delete

Delete existing Schedule

Save

saves new Schedule

Access restriction of command events

An event starts any executable command on the chosen Client. Since there are certain security issues to consider not every command can be implemented by each user on specific clients. Without additional entries only commands entered in the system directory at <SESAM_ROOT>/bin/sesam are allowed. Within these commands, e.g. a Shell Script, any desired commands can be released to selected users. If a command should be started from another directory before the regular backup tasks, this must be entered/permitted at the Target Client.

UNIX External commands are only executed when the user name and the command are entered into the file /etc/sesam_cmdusers.allow at the client computer.

Format: 'user command|* ( * = all commands )

          is started with su - user

Windows External commands are only executed when the user and the command are entered in the registry of the client computer, in key text: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE/SOFTWARE/SEP Elektronik GmbH/sesam/ HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE/SOFTWARE/SEP Elektronik GmbH/sesam/CommandEvents/user/command

command           execution
*                 all commands
specific command  this command only
cmd /c            all DOS commands ( dir, etc. )
DOS-Command       this command only

Additionally on the client computer the entry

CTRLD_Path=ID/bin/sesam;ID/bin/sms in the file

ID/var/ini/sm.ini in section [CTRLD_Server] must be extended with the directories where the desired programs reside.

command	Run
*	all Commands
Specific Commands	only these
cmd /c	all DOS Commands ( dir, etc. )
DOS-Commands	only these

Note

Many errors are made when setting up the desired user permissions and allowed commands: The necessary entries are not entered in the target Client Directories, not entered in the Server or entered incorrectly. Instead of entering the command as a key it is entered as a character string.