BACKUPS (from the version 2.2.11 of the ModusAdmin)

Instrukcja do wersji 2.2.10 ModusAdmina i wcześniejszych.

All the inserted data in the Modus system Modus are stored in the database (in files with specified structure, managed by the FireBird database server). Data protection should be the task of the highest priority.

Regular making of the database backups reduces the costs related to the restart of the Modus system dto minimum, after an unexpected server's breakdown.

From the version 2.2.11 of the ModusAdmin (available in version 2.2.0.374 of the Modus) backups are made only in the Firebird's server. Thanks to this solution:

operations of making copies, retrieving the base from copies, and optimization of database will proceed faster (on the linux servers even several times faster);
such operations will be much safer and not vulnerable to the network breakdowns - all is taking place on one computer without the use of network.

COPIES MADE IN THE CONTROL PANEL

Control panel of the ModusAdmin allows you for making a backup of the database at any time at the request of the user. To make the copy, you have to:

in the server-computer (where is the base and the Firebird installed) you should create or choose the folder, where the backups of the Modus base will be created. To increase the safety, this folder should not be available in the network. It should be given rights for recording.
Save or remember a whole access path for this folder, e.g.:
- c:\copies\modus (access path in the Windows format),
- /backup/modus (access path in the Linux format),
run the panel administracyjny ModusAdmin.
Choose the appropriate database and click the button Join.
Go to the tab „Backups”.
In the field 'Folder of copies' enter the access path. Remember that from this version it the path on the server, not the local path. If you enter the path, that does not exist on the server, an error will occur during an attempt of making a copy or restore the database from the backup.
Press the button Make a copy.

During making the backup on demand you do not have to stop the work in the Modus system. Users can normally work.

Apart from the manual mode, the backup is made automatically, always before the update of the database to the new version, as well as during the optimization of database. In such cases, an appropriate description of the copy is added.

FILES OF THE COPY

A name of the files of the backup has got the following format:

originalname_version_date_hour.bak

where:

originalname is an original name of the data base file,
version it a version of the database at the time of creating a copy,
date and hour is a date and time of initiation of making the backup copy, on the workstation where the function of copy was enabled.

As an example, file with a name:

demo.fdb_v1.16.6.0_2009-11-03_15-59-55.bak

is the file of the copy of database demo.fdb, created on the day of 03rd of Novemeber 2009 at 15:59. Data base, at the time of creating the copy was in version 1.16.6.0.

USING THE GBAK PROGRAM

In the Windows systems as well as in the Linux you can use the installed gbak program (along with the Firebird sever), that in the subdirectory bin of the installed server. A command syntax of the copy creation:

gbak -T -V -USER user_name -PASSWORD base_file copy_base

A default user of the Firebird server is SYSDBA, and its password masterkey (watch out the big and small letters). If the password was not changed, then in order to make a copy of the Modus base, you have to run the following commands:

gbak -T -V -USER SYSDBA -PASSWORD masterkey C:\Modus\db\start.fdb C:\Modus\backup\start.fbk

and next

gbak -T -V -USER SYSDBA -PASSWORD masterkey C:\Modus\db\bin_start.fdb C:\Modus\backup\bin_start.fbk

C:\Modus\db\start.fdb is the path to the main base of the Modus, and C:\Modus\db\bin_start.fdb is the path to the base of attachments and photos. C:\Modus\backup\start.fbk and C:\Modus\backup\bin_start.fbk are the files of copies of these bases.

In order to have the whole copy of the database, you should always make operation for both files of the base.

Names of the files of copies are free. In the name you can include, for example a date of making the copy or the version of system, as the ModusAdmin does it (look above). In choosing a localization of the files of copies, take into consideration safety requirements of data storage in the company.

Detailed information about working and options of the gbak program, you can find in the Firebird's documentation.

Due to safety concerns, it is recommended to change a default password of the SYSDBA's user. Details are described in the Firebird's documentation.