Developing a Backup Plan

Using the appropriate hardware and media, a backup plan is essentially a thorough media rotation schedule. A backup schedule helps ensure data recoverability over time and covers the maximum number of data loss contingencies. Your backup plan must be consistently implemented and tested. You should regularly check the backup logs and perform scheduled test restores to ensure backups are being completed successfully.

It is also recommended that you regularly store complete backups off-site. This protects the company’s data in the event of a fire or other natural disaster. It is important to rotate the media that you store off- site as part of the backup plan.

When you are planning a backup and recovery strategy, you need to consider the following factors:

• Database availability

What is the database availability requirement for business operations? Is it required for 7X24X365 availability or only during standard business hours? You can adopt different database backup methods and frequencies according to the availability requirement.

• Data loss tolerance

How much data can you afford to lose due to a database crash? Can you afford to lose one day or one week’s worth of data in the event of a database crash? Can you re-enter user data if there is a database failure? If your database cannot tolerate data loss due to failure, then a good data protection backup method needs to be adopted.

• Recovery time

How much time can you afford to spend recovering a database in the event of a crash? Different backup methods have different recovery times. Physical methods for backup and recovery are much faster than logical backups, and backups to disk are much faster than to tape. Recovery is also much faster from disk than from tape.

• Technical skills

What are the technical skills of your database or systems administrator? Some backup methods require more database knowledge than others.

• Hardware or software investment

How much hardware or software investment do you want to put into to the system? Some advanced features, such as high availability, require more of an investment in hardware and software. You can determine the safest backup method for your environment based on database requirements, database running mode, and your recovery scenario. However, the final decisions about the backup and recovery strategy you use is beyond the scope of this document.

For best backup results, follow these guidelines:

• Schedule online backups when there is minimal database access.
• Have a fixed schedule for online backups so users can plan for database slowdowns.
• Test your backup strategy to see if it is effective; make changes if any area is weak.
• Plan to save several versions back; retain enough versions for your business needs.
• Perform database consistency checks before export or after import.
• Back up the master database before and after it is altered; if you save the original database creation scripts, you can use the same scripts to recreate it.
• For a distributed system, plan on coordinating backup procedures so each site can be backed up individually without destroying the integrity of the data at other sites.
• Some databases recommend that you export and re-import the database on a monthly basis to maintain optimum performance.

The following procedure walks you through a complete database backup operation for SQL Server using the SQL Server Management Studio. This procedure is provided as a guideline only. The procedure for your operation may differ based on the type of backup you are performing and your backup storage (Destination) media type.

1. Start SQL Server Management Studio.
2. Expand the tree under Console Root until you get to the Databases folder.
3. Select the database that you need to backup.
4. Right click on the database and navigate to Tasks > Backup.
5. Make sure the correct database is selected in the Databasefield.
6. In the Name field, enter a name for the backup (Description is optional).
7. Make sure the Backup type is set to Full.
8. If the filepath highlighted in the Destination area is not satisfactory, click Remove… then Add… to select a new name and path for the .bak file.
9. Choose Database from the backup component.
10. Click Add… in the Destination area to set the folder and name for the backup file.
11. Choose the appropriate Overwrite method (Append or Overwrite existing).
12. Click OK to begin the backup process.

Information in the Aras Innovator database is used to manage physical files that are stored in a separate vault location. To maintain system integrity and reliability, you must back up the vault storage files when the database is backed up. Vault storage files are stored in a directory tree structure on a file server.

If you do not perform the backups in tandem, it is possible for a restored database to point to files that do not exist.

Aras Innovator is a web-based application running on a web server. The Aras Innovator program files are stored in a directory tree structure on a web server. These files do not contain data, and therefore do not change unless the version of the application is updated. It is recommended that you back up the application when new versions of the software are installed. It is not necessary to back up the program files on a frequent basis.

There are a small number of configuration files that are used to control Aras Innovator operation. These files are critical to the proper operation of Aras Innovator. These files do not change unless some aspect of the configuration is changed, such as a new database being added. However, the files are quite small, so you may choose to back up the files as part of your regular backup procedures. The files that need to be backed up are Configuration Files