[Zope] Backing up Zope's database?

[Martijn Faassen]

Jim Fulton wrote:
> 
> 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'm not sure yet, but Ronald Offerman's post on arcserve is quite
enlightening:

> BTW, arcserve HATES doing backups of open files even when files are opened > O_RDONLY.

I suspect it's this then.

> > 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. :)

Well, one never knows. :)
 
[snip]
> > * 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.

Okay, I'll just make a copy then, and try to get arcserve to do a backup
of that. As arcserve apparently has good scripting capabilities this
shouldn't be a problem.

Thanks!

Martijn