Backup-Suite v1.1 for WinNT 4.0

welcome to my "backup-suite" ;-)

i have done this backup suite, because NTBackup is cheap but very insufficient when used as an automatic backup system. the major problem starts with the tape - if it is not inserted, a dialog-box will appear on the server. but the users usually don't turn the monitor from the server on - so for them it looks like the tape was ejected after a completed backup. until someone checks if everything is ok with the backups, no backup will be made (DISASTER!). the second problem is - you can make a backuplog but the normal user wont be able to analyse it (not realy dangerous, but still bad).

i have solved both problems (the missing tape problem complete, the failed backup more or less) in two ways:

• first, i don't start the backup when the tape is missing and after the backup is send an overview of the backup to the user via e-mail. this is done completely in the bin folder.
• second, i still don't start the backup when the tape is missing, but i inform the user via intranet that the tape is missing and/or the backup failed every time he starts an internetbrowser. this is a combination of the folders asp (active server pages for the intranet) and the bin folder.

I will give you only a brief overview and no complete installation guide. This is because i don't know what is realy important and what is obvious (the usual problem when you program on your own). But if you have any questions please write an e-mail and if my time allows it i will try to help you.

backup

The easiest way to install the backup is to extract the zip and alter the path in the backup-scheduler.bat file (right now it is "c:\backup\backup.bat") and start it. Please be sure that the scheduler is running before you start the batch-file. This can easily be verified via services in the control panel. The service Task Scheduler must be running, the startup type must be automatic and it must have the right to interact with the console.

Measure how long your backup including verify takes (in minutes) and alter the file bin\backup.bat at the two rows which look like "baklogX /f 10 /m 200". The first parameter /f says how many files are allowed to be different after the verify and second /m says how many minutes should the backup including verify take at the maximum.

Change the e-mail adress in the file bin\backup.bat (it is located at the bottom of the script).

backup.bat calls the file bin\backup.bat. This Batchfile is does:

• A little bit "cleaning up the mess"
• Is a tape inserted?
  • YES - start the backup.
    • Analyse the backup
    • Analyse the analyse of the backup ;-)
    • Is the backup OK?
      • YES - Everything is ok
      • NO - Create error message
  • NO - Create tape-missing message
• Eject the tape
• Send the short protokoll to an e-mail adresse
• Get the current date
• Copy the logfiles into a directory like bin\oldlog\2001-1-16\

The whole output is piped into the file %systemroot%\backup-log.txt (%systemroot% is usually c:\winnt\).

The logfile from NTBackup is temporarily in %temp% - usually c:\temp.

asp-page extension

these asp pages can be used to view on the intranet/internet the state of the tapedrive and the state of the last backup. they can only be used when you have installed the IIS4 with ASP.

in both asp-files are path-variables please set them to the correct path where the backupsystem is stored. please note that you cant use a path like \\server\bin - but i am working on it ;-).

further you must have installed Aspexec (i use it for the execution of my exe-files). details about the installation are stored in the aspexec directory. for more information please visit the homepage http://www.serverobjects.com. For the license from Aspexec please read the file license.txt in the Aspexec-directory.

You are allowed to use this suite free of any charges (but please send me an e-mail for every tape-drive you use it). This suite is delivered AS IS. The author cannot be held responsible for any damages caused by using this suite.

This suite is a not supported software. Correspondence about problems with the usage to the authors may never be answered (but i dont think that i won't answer your mails :).