[Zope] Backing up Zope's database?

Martijn Faassen M.Faassen@vet.uu.nl
Wed, 24 Feb 1999 14:58:33 +0100


Paul Everitt wrote:
> 
> Martijn wrote:
> > * What other options are there? For instance, NT seems to be able to
> > copy the var dir just fine, so perhaps a copy could be made that
> > Arcserve could backup. Still, that database would be backuped
> > while Zope
> > is running, so perhaps this isn't a good idea.
> 
> Congratulations, you've prompted me to make the world's stupidest
> suggestion!

Was this because I asked the world's stupidest question or what? :)

> Did any of you folks out there know that the Pack operation makes a
> backup copy of your database file?  (Did any of you know there was a
> Pack operation? :^)

I briefly saw the pack operation but I had no clue that it could be used
for backup purposes. Generally things that say 'remove' as in 'remove
object revisions that are older than X days' don't associate with
'backup' in my mind.

What does removing object revisions older than X days *mean*? Does that
mean only previous revisions get removed, but the current state of the
object is saved? I presume this is so, but my suggestion is we need some
clear documentation on this, as right now it baffles me (of course this
may be because I'm not a native speaker of English :).

> Anyway, you could automate a pack that says something ridiculous, like
> pack anything older then one thousand days.

I saw some references to the Zope scheduler..would this be the thing
that I'd use to automate backups?

> Pack will create a
> Data.bbb.old backup copy of your file before packing.  This Data.bbb.old
> will have no processes that have it open so you should be able to back
> it up just fine.

I see. So the hack would be to write an ineffective pack operation that
runs every day (preferably before the external backup starts but not too
long before it starts..hmm), so that Data.bbb.old is created (as a side
effect).

> Or possibly, none of the above will work and it's total hogwash. :^)

Before I start implementing the backup procedure I'd like some more
washing of this hog, I think. An alternative strategy that occured to me
(for Zope 1.10.2, I think..I haven't installed that one yet) would be to
use file system export.

It would also be nice if this backup could somehow be synchronized with
the external tape backup procedure, so that the tape backup doesn't
backup while Zope's still creating a backup, and such.

I'm sure I'm not the only one trying to make a proper backup of the Zope
database. How is this done by other people?

Regards,

Martijn