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[UPDATE 7.2] e-smith-backup with dar

Offline jpl

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Re: [UPDATE 7.2] e-smith-backup with dar
« Reply #30 on: September 01, 2007, 09:44:07 PM »
I'm using SME Server 7.2 and the clients are using XP Pro SP2.
Any help would be welcome... I'm lost looking at the connection types (cifs, nfs,...yes total nood).   :?

smbfs or cifs should be OK.

Offline raem

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Re: [UPDATE 7.2] e-smith-backup with dar
« Reply #31 on: September 02, 2007, 02:06:07 AM »
jpl

Quote
e-smith-backup with dar is an upgrade of current e-smith-backup sme core rpm which provides panels for daily full or incremental backup on LAN workstation (via nfs, smbfs or cifs) or local usb disk, and full or selective restore with use of dar program.

Good job, an impressive add on.

What is your longer term goal with this rpm ie is it still in beta stage, are you going to continue to support it with each sme update/release etc ?

Have you or do you plan to submit it to the sme developers for possible inclusion in the base code ?

Regards
...

Offline jpl

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Re: [UPDATE 7.2] e-smith-backup with dar
« Reply #32 on: September 02, 2007, 11:36:02 AM »
jpl

What is your longer term goal with this rpm ie is it still in beta stage, are you going to continue to support it with each sme update/release etc ?

Have you or do you plan to submit it to the sme developers for possible inclusion in the base code ?


I have done the first release of this package about one year ago, following creation of the very lively bug 1880 on the bugtrack. Code is stable for about nine months. I had in mind inclusion in the base code and tried to develop dar integration in respect of core e-smith-backup code. It seems to me that I have asked about the question of submiting it for inclusion (and how to submit it) but had no response.

I think the question of inclusion is still very topical, but I don't know the correct way to ask about it.

I know that releasing a modified core package is not satisfactory... but doing a contrib from my work before getting sme team point of view is not a better choice and I have not given up inclusion.

But if things don't go further (or if core team doesn't want an inclusion) I think the viable solution is making a contrib permitting use and update of unmodified core e-smith-backup. But it leads to add another specific panel to existing backup panel, and I don't like this idea. I think at least core team should modify backup panel to provide (and specify) the way to plug other backup solutions, but it is not so trivial.

Opinions and suggestions are welcomed...

Offline Karsa

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Re: [UPDATE 7.2] e-smith-backup with dar
« Reply #33 on: September 02, 2007, 03:26:52 PM »
smbfs or cifs should be OK.

Thanks, but something isn't working, I don't get any backup file...
Probably my shared directory because I get "ERR_NO_HOST_DIRteste.teste.local" when trying to verify the backup (that doesn't exist but I should be able to log to workstation.

My settings:
Backup is enabled.
Backup is made on LAN workstation 10.1.1.7 via cifs
Destination backup share folder is backup
Login is admin
Password is *******
Number of rotating backup sets is 2
Number of daily backups contained in each set is 7
Compression level (0-7) of backup is 5
Daily backup occurs at 22:30
Each daily backup session is cleanly timed out after 10h
Full backup session (new backup sets) is allowed only on Saturdays

My SME server IP's 10.1.1.6. Any ideas?

Offline jpl

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Re: [UPDATE 7.2] e-smith-backup with dar
« Reply #34 on: September 02, 2007, 04:36:18 PM »
"teste.teste.local" seems a strange UNC name. Are you sure it is resolved by your SME WINS ?
You should try to use the IP of your backup workstation in place of his workstation name.

Before, you could try to mount your cifs share directly from the shell as a debugging way.

Verify you have no mount left on /mnt/smb and enter :

# /bin/mount -t cifs smbhost/backup /mnt/smb -o username=admin,pass=*****

Use first IP of your workstation as smbhost, and if succeeds, then try UNC host name (it is possible than only ip is ok).

Same tests could be done with smbfs and command :

# /bin/mount -t smbfs //smbhost/backup /mnt/smb -o username=admin,password=*****,fmask=777,ip=ip_of_smbhost

Don't forget to umount /mnt/smb when mount succeeds.

Offline Karsa

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Re: [UPDATE 7.2] e-smith-backup with dar
« Reply #35 on: September 02, 2007, 05:02:09 PM »
Tried smbfs command and it didn't work, with cifs I managed to made the mount. But I still fail to get any backup file and I get the same error message.

"teste.teste.local" is the SME server name.  :-(

Offline jpl

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Re: [UPDATE 7.2] e-smith-backup with dar
« Reply #36 on: September 02, 2007, 10:04:42 PM »
Are you able to write and create directories on /mnt/smb after the cifs mount ?

If not perhaps admin has not appropriate rights on the share.
« Last Edit: September 02, 2007, 10:10:13 PM by jpl »

Offline Karsa

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Re: [UPDATE 7.2] e-smith-backup with dar
« Reply #37 on: September 02, 2007, 10:59:10 PM »
No problem with that, I made directories both in the client and the server  :???:

I must be missing some step... probably a obvious one :roll:

Offline jester

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Re: [UPDATE 7.2] e-smith-backup with dar
« Reply #38 on: September 03, 2007, 04:28:17 PM »
JPL,
I'm working with an Iomega REV drive (USB) that uses cartridges, that need to get mounted before a backup and unmounted afterwards preferably even ejected after an backup if possible. Is there a possibility for this?

Offline jpl

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Re: [UPDATE 7.2] e-smith-backup with dar
« Reply #39 on: September 04, 2007, 08:16:52 AM »

I must be missing some step... probably a obvious one :roll:

Maybe...

I think the best way should be to trace and debug the perl script /etc/e-smith/events/actions/workstation-backup-dar whick does the effective backup. You could get some useful information about what is wrong.

Offline jpl

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Re: [UPDATE 7.2] e-smith-backup with dar
« Reply #40 on: September 04, 2007, 08:28:22 AM »
JPL,
I'm working with an Iomega REV drive (USB) that uses cartridges, that need to get mounted before a backup and unmounted afterwards preferably even ejected after an backup if possible. Is there a possibility for this?

Two events, launched by daily SME backup, are available to customize such things : pre-backup and post-backup events. I think you could add actions scripts to these events for your specific needs.

Look for example at /etc/e-smith/events/actions/S50rewind-tape, lauched by pre-backup event, for such a script which rewind tape if the backup is a tape backup.

Offline Jim Holland

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Re: [UPDATE 7.2] e-smith-backup with dar
« Reply #41 on: September 06, 2007, 06:14:05 AM »
Hi jpl

You  wrote to another poster:

The first goal of e-smith-backup with dar is to backup the server on an Lan smffs, cifs or nfs workstation share. A bug is always possible, specialy on usb backup which is not frequently used.

e-smith-backup with dar always do backup to /mnt/smb.

The question is : is the usb drive mounted on /mnt/smb, and if not why ?

Can you make some tests about it

I appreciate your contribution as it is exactly what I am looking for.  However I also find that it is not quite ready for use for backups to USB.  My understanding of SME Server is that when you connect a USB drive, the HAL daemon will automatically create the directory usbdisk in /media, but will not actually mount the drive in that directory (you have to do that manually).  The directory is removed when the USB drive is disconnected.  When configuring e-smith-backup with dar to backup to USB (using "Configure workstation backup") the software seems to get confused if the USB drive is connected but not mounted: it sees the usbdisk directory and allows you to select it, but when the backup is run it creates the backup in "/media/usbdisk " where a trailing space is added to the target directory.  That directory is of course on the local server and not on the USB drive.

If the USB drive is connected and manually mounted when configuring the backup then the first backup is successful, and is created in /media/usbdisk/hostname on the USB drive.  However the next backup attempt then fails, with error:

FATAL error, aborting operation
Badly formatted terminator, cannot extract catalogue location
Dar error during backup : 2
Backup terminated: backup failed - status: 7424

If the /media/usbdisk/hostname directory on the USB drive is renamed then successive backups work OK.

My conclusion is that there are two issues: the software needs to understand how to mount/unmount/test for mounting of the USB drive correctly, and it also seems to have a minor bug involving adding a space to the directory name in some situations.  The "Backup share" selection in the configuration screen is also a little misleading as it is a misnomer - when backup is to USB then it is a mount point.  However as the user does not have any options to change the default of usbdisk, it would be preferable to change the wording slightly and make this read-only, eg: "Mount point usbdisk".

I think that the /mnt/smb directory is used for the temporary files.  That means that the full capacity of the USB drive is available for storing the backup.

On my wish list would be a request for an option to restore files to a new location, eg in an i-bay - ideally with a picklist for the final directory.  This would give the user the option to check the files before doing a restore to original location.

Thanks again for this great contribution.


Offline raem

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Re: [UPDATE 7.2] e-smith-backup with dar
« Reply #42 on: September 06, 2007, 06:25:05 AM »
Jim Holland

Quote
FATAL error, aborting operation
Badly formatted terminator, cannot extract catalogue location
Dar error during backup : 2
Backup terminated: backup failed - status: 7424

The Dar exit code is:
2 - Error due to a hardware problem or a lack of memory.
...

Offline Ptah

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Re: [UPDATE 7.2] e-smith-backup with dar
« Reply #43 on: September 06, 2007, 04:43:47 PM »
Quote
Follow the directions at the start of this post. That's it.

Then go to the "Backup or restore" tab on the SME Server Console. That's it. The new options are in the drop down list on the bottom.

I did all of that, installed the rpm's and confirmed the installation and did the signal-event post-upgrade // signal-event reboot but still no extra options in the server management panel and I am running SME server 7.2..

Any ideas?
...light travels faster than sound. That's why some people appear bright until you hear them speak.
:)

Offline raem

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Re: [UPDATE 7.2] e-smith-backup with dar
« Reply #44 on: September 06, 2007, 05:53:48 PM »
Ptah
Quote
...no extra options in the server management panel...

No extra panels are aded to server manager.
Extra options are added to the existing Backup or restore panel.
Read Reply #23 and
http://wiki.contribs.org/Backup_with_dar
...