Backups on v11.0.1

[kluss0]

For my v10 servers, I used to use the sxbackup script to make an LVM snapshot of /var/opt/scalix and rsync it to another system. On the other system, I had a script that did an omcpoutu for each user, which was then dumped to tape.

Is this still possible with v11.0.1? What is stored in postgreSQL? How is that data backed up? Is there a prefered method of doing backups on v11.0.1 vs. v10?

Kenny

[kanderson]

That's still possible, and if you switch from omcpoutu to sxmboxexp, the user dumps will be more complete, including rules and stuff like that.

PostgreSQL can be backed up using pg_dumpall, but it's really just cache data, so you can safely ignore it, as it would simply be rebuilt, it's certainly not vital data.

sxmboxexp will also dump the public folders, and using the -F switch, you can dump it while the user is logged into the server. If you use a command like the one below, it'll compress it on the fly, and accept a mailbox bigger than 2 gigs.

sxmboxexp -u kanderson -F -a -| gzip -c > kanderson.mbox.gz

Also, if you're licensed, the Premium users now have a feature called a recovery folder, so if they accidently delete something, you can enable the recovery folder and they'll see it again. Think of a hidden recycle folder for email. This is enabled/disabled via SAC using a button next to where you'd change the user's password. Note that this requires a license or this feature is unavailable.

Kev.

[kluss0]

I had planned on re-writing my script to use sxmboxexp. I don't have to worry about using -F, as the user can never be logged into the server when I do the individual user dumps. I do an LVM snapshot of my server, then rsync everything to a second server. The second server is where I do the user dumps. This gives me several layers of backup:

1) An identical server with all of the data

2) Dumps of each user on the backup server

3) Tape backups every night

My concern was that I might be missing essential data held in the postgres by doing an rsync backup. Apparently, that is not the case.

I have looked at the recovery folder option. I think that it is a great new feature. My backup strategy plans more for if/when a users mail store gets corrupt and needs to be re-created. I have had that happen all too often in the past to not plan for it..

Thanks,
Kenny