Help with creating daily backups in Windows Server 2003 Standard
The organisation I work for have a website. This runs off two servers.
1) Application Server
2) Database Server
Here are the rough specs:-
Application Server
Dell Single Dual Core Xeon
Windows 2003 Server Standard Edition 32 Bit Edition
2 GB RAM
2 x 250 GB RAID 1 SATA Disks
Database server
Dell Single Quad Core Xeon
Windows 2003 Server Standard Edition 32 Bit
Windows 2003 Server Standard Edition 64 Bit Edition
SQL Server Standard 2005 Edition 1 Proc License*
4 GB RAM
2 x 500 GB RAID 1 SATA Disks
The DB server has SQL server installed I have been able to create a scheduled backup routine at Midnight every day which works fine.
However, on the APP server all I am currently using is the standard windows backup which works fine but overwrites every day so unless I log in and take a manual backup and move it to a differerent folder the backup file just keeps getting overwritten. Then if we did have a problem which was not noticed and effectively the backup kicks in and takes a backup of bad data over a healthy backup we end up with nothing.
Can anyone advise me of a good backup solution that will create a fresh daily backup that just doesnt simply overwrite.
I need to create the backup to the server itself in the c:/backup/ directory then our hosting provider takes a scheduled backup of that directory every night for us.
1) Application Server
2) Database Server
Here are the rough specs:-
Application Server
Dell Single Dual Core Xeon
Windows 2003 Server Standard Edition 32 Bit Edition
2 GB RAM
2 x 250 GB RAID 1 SATA Disks
Database server
Dell Single Quad Core Xeon
Windows 2003 Server Standard Edition 32 Bit
Windows 2003 Server Standard Edition 64 Bit Edition
SQL Server Standard 2005 Edition 1 Proc License*
4 GB RAM
2 x 500 GB RAID 1 SATA Disks
The DB server has SQL server installed I have been able to create a scheduled backup routine at Midnight every day which works fine.
However, on the APP server all I am currently using is the standard windows backup which works fine but overwrites every day so unless I log in and take a manual backup and move it to a differerent folder the backup file just keeps getting overwritten. Then if we did have a problem which was not noticed and effectively the backup kicks in and takes a backup of bad data over a healthy backup we end up with nothing.
Can anyone advise me of a good backup solution that will create a fresh daily backup that just doesnt simply overwrite.
I need to create the backup to the server itself in the c:/backup/ directory then our hosting provider takes a scheduled backup of that directory every night for us.
The easiest way is to rename the backupfile after backup finished. Filename could be something like:
backupname_yymmdd.bkf At the next run of the backup task the original file still remains. But you also should delete files older than xx days otherwise your drive may get full after a while. Here's a script example e.g. backup.cmd (replace xxx with your filename and yyy with the extension of your file):
@ECHO OFF
FOR /F "tokens=1,2,3,4,5 delims=/. " %%a in ('date/T') do set day=%%c%%b%%a
ECHO Rename the backup file with actual day... > c:\backup\%day%_xxx.log 2>&1
ren c:\backup\xxx.yyy %day%_xxx.yyy >> c:\backup\%day%_xxx.log 2>&1
ECHO Remove backups older than 7 days... >> c:\backup\%day%_xxx.log 2>&1
forfiles /P c:\backup /S /M *.yyy /D -7 /C "cmd /c del /Q @path >> c:\backup\%day%_xxx.log 2>&1"
:end
If you can't execute a batch file after backup finished inside the standard windows backup tool you could use the "Task Scheduler" and schedule the batch-job maybe one or two hour after the backup finished.
backupname_yymmdd.bkf At the next run of the backup task the original file still remains. But you also should delete files older than xx days otherwise your drive may get full after a while. Here's a script example e.g. backup.cmd (replace xxx with your filename and yyy with the extension of your file):
@ECHO OFF
FOR /F "tokens=1,2,3,4,5 delims=/. " %%a in ('date/T') do set day=%%c%%b%%a
ECHO Rename the backup file with actual day... > c:\backup\%day%_xxx.log 2>&1
ren c:\backup\xxx.yyy %day%_xxx.yyy >> c:\backup\%day%_xxx.log 2>&1
ECHO Remove backups older than 7 days... >> c:\backup\%day%_xxx.log 2>&1
forfiles /P c:\backup /S /M *.yyy /D -7 /C "cmd /c del /Q @path >> c:\backup\%day%_xxx.log 2>&1"
:end
If you can't execute a batch file after backup finished inside the standard windows backup tool you could use the "Task Scheduler" and schedule the batch-job maybe one or two hour after the backup finished.
ASKER
I am happy to use a Windows backup if it lets me create a new backup daily rather than writting over the same file every day. I will look for the append option!
We are backing up the application files, I assume are the live files but they do not seem affected when I take a manual backup.
We would like our own backup about midnight as our hosting company then does their own backup at 3am
We operate 9am until 5pm so out of these hours no changes will be made to the actual website by employees.
Each backup is only about 350mb and only increases in size slowly compared to the DB backup
We are backing up the application files, I assume are the live files but they do not seem affected when I take a manual backup.
We would like our own backup about midnight as our hosting company then does their own backup at 3am
We operate 9am until 5pm so out of these hours no changes will be made to the actual website by employees.
Each backup is only about 350mb and only increases in size slowly compared to the DB backup
ASKER
I have checked my original windows backup and I had not got the APPEND option checked, does this mean I will now get a separate backup file each day?
If that is the case my problem is resolved very easily
If that is the case my problem is resolved very easily
No You have to create a batch file and schedule it to run
http://nitman.com/2010/07/13/how-to-use-ntbackup-create-daily-or-weekly-backup/
See if you can figure out this article. This shows how to do a daily backup or weekly back up.
I will agree with "birgos".
If you need any further help please let me know.
http://nitman.com/2010/07/13/how-to-use-ntbackup-create-daily-or-weekly-backup/
See if you can figure out this article. This shows how to do a daily backup or weekly back up.
I will agree with "birgos".
If you need any further help please let me know.
ASKER
Birgos:
Sorry your post confuses me somewhat:
This looks similar to coding I used for a manual batch file backup a few years ago
Sorry your post confuses me somewhat:
This looks similar to coding I used for a manual batch file backup a few years ago
I am writing the script for you - give me five minutes
ASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION
membership
This solution is only available to members.
To access this solution, you must be a member of Experts Exchange.
Btach file is your answer and create some schedule to automate the process
ASKER
Thank you for the code, have tested on my own PC and works great!
You are welcome
Do you want to use the windows built-in backup?
Do you want to back up live files or database?
What time of the day is non-production hours?
What is the aprox size of data to be backed up?
Morover there is an option which says append data. select that which will not over write your previous backup. Please see the attached Screen SHot
backup.jpg