How do I back up the main database from the client GUI?

Purpose

Perform this procedure to initiate an on-demand main database backup using the client GUI. You can perform a full backup, which includes the entire database, or a partial backup, which excludes accounting statistics data.

CAUTION 

CAUTION

Service Disruption

The disk partition that is to contain the database backup must have sufficient space for the database backup file set.

Ensure that the backup directory is at least five times as large as the expected database backup size. For more information, contact technical support or see the NSP Planning Guide.

Note: The NFM-P backs up the Oracle encryption wallet during a database backup, and restores the wallet during a database restore. In a redundant deployment, the NFM-P automatically replicates the encryption wallet from the primary to the standby database after the standby database reinstantiation.

Note: If the NFM-P system is not part of a shared-mode NSP deployment, a main database backup performed using the NFM-P client GUI also backs up the local Neo4j and PostgreSQL databases; a backup performed from a CLI does not.

The Neo4j and PostgreSQL backup files are stored on the standalone or primary main server in the /opt/nsp/os/backup directory.

Note: During a database backup, the performance of GUI or XML API operations may be affected. It is recommended that you perform a database backup only during a period of low NFM-P activity.

Steps
 
1 

Choose Administration→Database from the NFM-P main menu. The Database Manager form opens.

2 

Click on the Backup tab.

3 
CAUTION 

CAUTION

Data Loss

Before the NFM-P performs a database backup, it deletes the contents of the specified backup directory.

Ensure that the backup directory that you specify does not contain files that you need to retain.

CAUTION 

CAUTION

Data Loss

The Manual Backup Directory path must not include the main database installation directory, or data loss may occur.

Ensure that the directory path does not include /opt/nsp/nfmp/db.

Note: The Oracle management user requires read and write permissions on the backup directory. The user and group names are specified during database installation; the default is ‘oracle’ in the ‘dba’ group.

Configure the following parameters:

  • Manual Backup Directory

  • Enable Backup File Compression

4 

Perform one of the following.

  1. Click Partial Backup.

  2. Click Full Backup.

5 

Click Yes. The full or partial backup operation begins, and the Backup State indicator reads In Progress.

Depending on the database size, a backup may take considerable time.

6 

If required, monitor the Backup Status information, which includes the following:

  • Scheduled Backup—whether scheduled backup is configured

  • Backup State—state of current backup operation; dynamically updated

  • Next Scheduled Backup Time—time of next scheduled backup

  • Last Successful Backup Time—completion time of latest successful backup

  • Last Successful Backup Type—type of latest successful backup

  • Last Attempted Backup Time—when latest attempted backup began

  • Last Attempted Backup Type—type of latest attempted backup

  • Directory of the Last Successful Backup—location of latest successful backup

  • Host Name of the Last Successful Backup—hostname of station that performed latest successful backup

7 

Close the Database Manager (Edit) form.

The database backup creates the following summary file in the same directory as the backup files:

BACKUP_SUMMARY.INFO

The summary file contains detailed backup information that includes the backup completion time, and the name and size of each backup file.

End of steps