Source:FAQ - Backup Configuration

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How do I set up UNC path backup from a CIFS share?

This example assumes that the SEP sesam Server or Client is installed on a Windows system. Not all rights of the backed up files and ACLs are considered. For a NetApp CIFS share backup, see NetApp CIFS Backup.

Services on Windows (and therefore the SEP sesam processes) usually run under the special SYSTEM account. This account has all local access rights, but due to security reasons no access rights for non-local or network drives.

To access the network drives (CIFS share), you have to adjust the following settings:

  • For SEP sesam Client to which the backup task is assigned, the SEP sesam service should run under an administrator account with full read and write privileges for the network drive (services.msc -> SEP sesam Server -> log in as administrator).
  • Share the network drive without a requirement to log in. Check the access to the CIFS share by opening the shared path on the SEP sesam Server in Windows Explorer. If the content of the share is displayed without a user and password request, the UNC path can be used as a source for the backup task.

To configure the UNC backup, in the SEP sesam GUI specify the source path using UNC notation, e.g.:

\\servername\sharename\filepath

You can also exclude a UNC directory in the Exclude list field. The excluded UNC path in this example is \\servername\sharename\subfolder1\subfolder2.

  • UNC path exclude syntax using / (slash) is: //servername/sharename/subfolder1/subfolder2.
  • UNC path exclude syntax using \ (backslash) is: \\\\servername\\\sharename\\\subfolder1\\\subfolder2.
Information sign.png Note
When backing up the UNC paths, disable the option Backup with VSS. You can only specify one UNC path for each backup task.

Testing with the command line

As described above, you have to run the SEP sesam service under an administrator account. In the command line, enter the following command for a backup:

C:\Programme\SEPsesam\bin\gui>sm_ctrlc -l system rmpc1(host name of the system) sbc -b -s @test.save
-v 2 \\fileserver\pub\customers

For the restore, enter:

C:\Programme\SEPsesam\bin\gui>sm_ctrlc -l system rmpc1(host name of the system) sbc -r -s @test.save
-v 2 -R \\fileserver\pub\customers_restore

This saves the files from \pub\customers to the file (saveset) test.save, i.e., it restores them from the saveset test.save to the folder \pub\customers_restore.

For more details, see also How to use CIFS share (NAS) as data store and how to back up data from CIFS share.

How can I configure a backup using another network or interface?

You must first establish an IP address for the new interface. The IP address is then automatically entered to the properties table of the SEP sesam RDS in the SEP sesam GUI under Components -> Topology -> Clients -> Interfaces field.

In the backup event properties, you have to select the IP name under the Parameter tab -> Interface. For example, the computer testme has a second interface module with the name testmeb. From Main Selection -> Scheduling -> Schedules -> double-click the backup event to open its properties and select testmeb in the Interface field.

How do I get backups to ignore archive bits and use creation/modification time?

Archive bits are used for full and copy backups.

To set the use of creation/modification time for full backups, go to the <SESAM_ROOT>/bin/sesam directory and call:

sm_db "INSERT INTO defaults (key,user_name,value) VALUES ('with_archive_bit','sesam','no');"

The full backups are executed without consideration of the archive bits.

Optionally, you can reset the archive bits of the backed up files by entering the following command in the backup task properties (Options tab -> Backup options field):

-o clear_archive

How do I set up a backup to disk?

SEP sesam uses a data store to back up data directly on one or several configured storage locations. The default data store type is Path, also available are SEP Si3 deduplication store and (depending on version) NetApp Snap Store, HPE StoreOnce and HPE Cloud Bank Store.

Data stores are easily configured. Note that prerequisites differ depending on the selected data store type. For details, see Data Store Overview.

How do I perform a file backup of a Linux/Windows cluster?

To perform a file backup of a Linux/Windows cluster, proceed as follows:

  1. Depending on your operating system, install the SEP sesam Client on each physical node, as described in SEP sesam Quick Install Guide.
  2. Make sure that the DNS names of every node and every resource of the cluster are correctly resolved (forward and reverse DNS lookup). For details, see How to check DNS configuration.
  3. Add each physical node and each cluster resource as a client to SEP sesam environment, as described in Configuring Clients.
  4. After the clients have been successfully configured, create separate backup tasks for each cluster resource in the SEP sesam GUI. During backup, the data is automatically transferred from the active node. For step-by-step procedure, see Standard Backup Procedure.

How do I include a large number of files/folders for backup?

If you want to include several directories or files in the backup (or exceed the character count limit of the Source field with the allowed length of 1024 characters), you can create a text file on the client on which the backup will be executed.

In this file, list all the paths that you want to include as backup source. Each file or directory that you want to include in backup must be specified in a separate line (one entry per line).

/lib
/usr/share
/usr/bin/a2ps
/srv/Dos6.22.img
/var/opt/sesam/var/ini

Then enter the backup option >tt>-f <list_source> in the backup task properties -> tab Options -> Backup options field, for example:

-f C:/sesam/backup_file_list.txt

The SEP sesam Server reads this file during backup and stores the additional files and directories listed in the source directories.

Information sign.png Note
An include list, introduced by option -f, behaves differently on different platforms.

On Windows

The -f <list_source> option overrides the backup source specified in the backup task. For example, creating a backup task with source g:\x and specifying an SBC option -f C:/sesam/backup_file_list.txt will back up only the data from the backup_file_list.txt while ignoring the directory g:\x, which was specified as a backup source.

On Linux:

Both, the source and the data from the backup_file_list.txt are considered for backup. At least one item must be entered in the Source field. It is therefore recommended that the specified <list_source> file is specified as a source in the Source field (to be included in the backup set, for example, etc/sesam/backup_file_list.txt) and entered again with a -f switch in the Backup options field: -f C:/sesam/backup_file_list.txt.

How can I exclude a directory from a backup?

You can permanently exclude a directory from all backups on the client by creating a special (nosbc) file in the directory itself, see Creating a special file nosbc to permanently exclude a directory.

How can I specify a longer exclude lists?

You can create a separate file with excludes when the number of files or directories to be excluded for backup exceeds the allowed length for exclusion (max. 1024 characters). Such a custom exclude list takes precedence over any exclude list specified in the GUI (the latter is ignored if both are specified).

The exclude list is a text file created on the client on which the backup will be executed. For details, see Create a custom exclude list.

Once you have created the exclude file, for example, exclude_list.txt, enter it in the backup task properties -> Options tab -> Backup options field as follows:

-X C:/sesam/exclude_list.txt

The syntax for the exclude entries is platform/OS dependent. For details on custom exclude lists on Linux, Windows or Micro Focus OES, see Create a custom exclude list.

How can I set the SBC so that the exclude list always uses the file pattern (?,*) instead of regular expressions?

Exclude by using regular expressions is the default setting. To use the file pattern (?,*) instead of regexp, you have to modify the configuration file <SESAM_VAR>/var/ini/sm.ini on the SEP sesam Client.

In the config file sm.ini, change the entry EXCLUDE_MATCH= REGEXP to EXCLUDE_MATCH= PATTERN.

Can I exclude specific VSS writers from a backup?

Yes. For step-by-step procedure, see Manually excluding a VSS writer from backup.

How do I exclude files and folders during TSA-based backup?

You can simply exclude files and folders in the SEP sesam GUI by using the Exclude list field when creating a backup task (or in its properties), see Exclude list in GUI. If you want to exclude several directories or files in the backup task, it can happen that the character count limit of the field (max. 1024 characters) is exceeded. In this case, use a text file to create a custom exclude list. For details, see Create a custom exclude list.

Which mode should I use for TSAFS backup of OES Micro Focus file systems?

The TSAFS should generally be loaded in Linux mode. The Netware mode and Dual mode are only intended for mixed environments (backup of native Netware servers) or for a Micro Focus (previously Novell) cluster in mixed mode.

  • On cluster nodes of a pure Linux OES cluster, use the TSAFS ONLY in Linux mode.
  • On a mixed cluster (OES Netware and OES Linux nodes), the TSAFS must be loaded in Netware or Dual mode. For the backup of the cluster volumes, the Netware Cluster filesystem target must be used.

How can I set or modify a retention time (EOL) for backup

When configuring SEP sesam environment, you set up media pools and define retention time. The retention time period starts with the date a saveset is written to the medium (at the end time of the first backup) and thus defines the expiration date of the saveset (saveset EOL). The EOL property can be managed for three object types: Saveset EOL (the expiration date for each saveset), Backup EOL (the expiration date for all data that belongs to the same backup), and tape media EOL. If a saveset is part of a backup chain, its EOL follows the rules of dependency-based retention to retain the consistency of backed up data and ensure successful restore.

However, you can check or modify the expiration date (EOL) manually by setting the exact expiration date; for this, you can use the calendar function to extend or shorten the saveset's/backup retention under all media-related views, e.g., in the Media, Media Pools and Data Stores properties. You can also directly expire the saveset or backup by clicking the Expire -> Saveset EOL/Backup EOL button. You should only expire the saveset (individual EOL) or backup (EOL of the entire backup set) if you know what the Expire function does and are aware that the expired savesets and backups are irrevocably lost! For details, see Managing EOL.


Usage

This template is included in the FAQ and other sections describing backup configuration info.