[Zope] Backing up Zope's database?

[Jim Fulton]

Martijn Faassen wrote:
> 
> Hi there,
> 
> We're running Zope on an NT server here and the backup system (Arcserve)
> apparently gives an error when it tries to backup Zope's 'var'
> directory.

What is the error?

> I would like to have this succeed (and end up with a non
> corrupted database, of course :), so here are some questions:
> 
> * is this perhaps fixed by Zope 1.10?

Without knowing the error, it's hard to say. :)

> I read something about Zope 1.9
> not doing proper file locking on NT yet, so there is some difference
> here.

Right.  Zope 1.9 does not lock the file on NT.  Zope 1.10 does.
I don't think that this should interfere with backing the file up.
It doesn't interfere with copying.
 
> * Is copying a database while Zope is running a good strategy? (probably
> not)

In 1.10 and later, yes.  If the database is being written while the 
file is being copied, then the Zope may discard the last transaction when
reading the copy, if the last record is incomplete.  Zope 1.9 reported
a corrupted database if the last record was incomplete.
 
> * What other options are there? For instance, NT seems to be able to
> copy the var dir just fine, so perhaps a copy could be made that
> Arcserve could backup. Still, that database would be backuped while Zope
> is running, so perhaps this isn't a good idea.

With Zope 1.10, that should be fine.

Jim
 

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