# Backing up a Database

## About Backups

You can back up the system database

- to the hard drive of the System Administration Tool client PC, or

- to an external FTP server or an external FTP server that supports FTP over SSH (SFTP)

In addition, if the MiVoice Business system belongs to an SDS Administrative Group that supports Multi-Node Management applications, you can choose to back up the databases of all elements that are members of the Administrative Group (see About MNM Backup and Restore and MNM Backup and Restore - Conditions for details).

A scheduling option is available, enabling you to back up the local node's system database automatically. You can schedule backups to be performed once, on a particular date and time, or repeatedly, on a daily, weekly, monthly, or yearly basis.

NOTES

1. During a system backup, no other users can access any of the web-based tools (5140/5240 IP Phone Online Services, Visual Voice Mail, Desktop Tool, Group Administration Tool, or System Administration Tool), access Visual Voice Mail, or save changes. To avoid blocking other users, we recommended that you perform system backups outside of business hours.

2. When backing up system information on a single MiVoice Business system that shares data through the System Data Synchronization feature, the backup applies only to the element you are logged in to. During a system backup, the network element rejects all data update distribution attempts. See Performing Backups and Restores for more information on performing and managing backups on SDS network elements.

3. During the first minute of the backup process, the voice mail system is not accessible (Ring-No Answer). Voice mail will remain in Ring-No Answer state until all voice mail users are disconnected from the system. Ensure that no one is connected to voice mail before you begin your backup.

4. You can also perform a backup from the Server Manager (Administration > Backup). The backup data includes both the system data from the MiVoice Business System Administration Tool and the system data on the Server Manager. This applies to all platforms except Container-based MiVoice Business (cMiVB).

5. For Container-based MiVoice Business (cMiVB), you can perform a backup from Solution Manager > Backup. The backup includes Solution Manager data and the following applications' data:

6. MiVoice Business

7. MiCollab

8. Mitel Border Gateway

9. Internal solution applications

The backup does not include MiCC-B and WFO data.

## What Data is Backed Up?

For MiVoice Business controllers, a backup includes call control data, system data (COR, COS, System Options, etc.), and voice mail settings (with or without messages). For hospitality systems, a backup includes the following additional data:

- Wakeup data

- Room status data (occupancy and condition)

- Call Restriction data (internal, local, long distance, etc.)

- Number of calls

- Message Registration data

- Credit Limit

- Message Waiting status

For the AX controller, you cannot include voice mail messages in a system backup.

NOTE: Depending on the amount of free space available on the AX controller, messages must be deleted to reduce the voice mail file size to this amount before attempting a backup. To determine amount of free space available, see Software > Backups and Restores > Determine whether there is enough space for backup (AX controller).

## Database Verification

As part of the backup process, the system performs a database verification to prevent backing up incomplete or corrupted data.

NOTES

- You can also Schedule Database Audits or perform a manual audit at any time using the DATABASE AUDIT command.

- Only the file structure, not the content, is verified.

The following system databases are verified: Management Layer (ML) System, ISDN, Applications, IP Networking, and Voicemail (excluding the EMEM data). The audit does not include the Call Control database.

The verification is performed on a copy of the database files, which is auto-deleted once the verification is completed. However, after a reboot, the verification is performed on live databases, so that any corrupted or missing files can be recreated with their default data.

If a corrupted file is found, the process continues until all databases are verified. Only then is a list of all corrupted files generated and an Audit Failure alarm is raised. Only one alarm will be generated for any number of audit failures.

If the verification fails during a backup, the whole backup process fails and a Backup Failure alarm is also raised.

To clear the Audit Failure alarm, perform a system Restore, ensuring that you are restoring an uncorrupted database. Otherwise, the alarm will not clear and it will be regenerated during system start up.

NOTE: Fixing or removing corrupted files and running a clean DATABASE AUDIT does not clear an active Audit Failure alarm.

Once the Audit Failure alarm is cleared, you can perform a successful backup, which will clear the Backup Failure alarm.

## Backup Failure Notification

If for any reason a system backup fails, the user is notified with the "Backup process has failed" popup message and a Backup Failure alarm. An SNMP trap event is also sent to all applications registered with MiVoice Business. The alarm persists after a system reboot; it clears only after a system restore OR once the Audit Failure alarm (if present) and other issues are cleared and the backup process completes successfully. See Database Verification for more information on the audit process.

The most common reasons for a backup failure are:

- An Audit Failure alarm already exists.

- Database verification fails during the backup.

- There is not enough disk space.

- Failure to copy files during the backup.

- Failure to create a .tar file during the backup.

NOTES

- A Backup Failure alarm is generated only when a failure occurs within the local MiVoice Business node; it will not be generated for failures that occur on a remote node. However, you can use the Admin Group Alarm Summary form to view possible Backup Failure alarms on the remote nodes.

- Only one alarm will be generated for any number of backup failures.

- The alarm will not be generated for failures associated with the client PC's browsers or applications. For example, if for a manual backup the "Local hard drive" is selected as the location of the backup file and the ftp process fails, the alarm will not be generated. Similarly, if the client application - MiVoice Enterprise Manager - fails to download the .tar file, the alarm will not be generated.

- A Backup Failure or Audit Failure alarm will prevent a software upgrade from proceeding.

## Backing Up a Single System

To perform a backup, you will need to install a security certificate which allows the FTP or SFTP server to write to your hard drive. The certificate is in a file called identitydb.obj. Use the links provided in the Backup form to obtain and install the file.

NOTE: You can also schedule the backup to be performed at a later date and time. Click Schedule Backup and refer to Scheduling Backups.

To back up the database of a single system:

1. If System Data Synchronization is enabled, resolve all pending updates and errors.

2. Select Maintenance and Diagnostics > Backup.

3. Click Selected Node only. This option allows you to back up the database of the currently accessed element (that is, the local element or the element that is selected in the Show form on field).

4. Choose the location of the backup file:

5. Choose FTP server configured on node to save the database to an FTP or SFTP server in the network. Configure the FTP or SFTP server parameters in the External FTP Server form ( ) before you use this option.

6. Choose Local hard drive to save the database backup to the client PC. Click Browse to launch the Save As dialog box, then navigate to the folder on your local drive where you want to save the backup file (for example C:\MCD\backup). Click Open.

NOTES

- To browse to a folder for the backup file and to perform a backup, your current user account on the computer must have Java Plug-in version 1.6.0_01 or later installed.

- Choose a location other than the 'Program Files' folder or the root of the C drive which are protected areas in Windows Vista and Windows 7. C:\users\<your name> or c:\users\Public are good choices.

5. In the Backup file(s) prefix field, enter a prefix to apply to the database file names. The databases will be saved to the FTP or SFTP server using filenames in the following format:

<prefix>_<node name>_<release version>_<timestamp>.tar

The prefix should be all lowercase and should contain only letters and numbers. Spaces are not allowed.

NOTE: Any uppercase letters used in the prefix will be automatically converted to lowercase once the operation is executed.

6. Check Call History records and/or Voice mail messages if you want to include them in your backup. Including these messages and records can increase the backup time significantly.

NOTE: The Voice mail messages check box is disabled for AX controllers.

7. Do one of the following:

   - To perform the backup immediately, click Start Backup and proceed to the next step.

or

7. To schedule the backup to be performed at a later date and time, click Schedule Backup and see Scheduling Backups.

8. Click Start Backup.

A message box appears to indicate that the backup is underway and is followed by another when the backup is complete. The backup file is downloaded to the default folder in your PC.

NOTES:

- Closing the progress message box (by clicking the X button) does not cancel the backup. Once the backup is started, it continues to completion.

- To schedule the backup to be performed at a later date and time, click Schedule Backup and see Scheduling Backups. Ensure that you have selected FTP server configured on node.

9. Verify the presence of the backup on the local drive.

## Backing Up Databases from an Administrative Group

To back up the databases from all the member elements of an SDS Administrative Group:

NOTE: The Administrative Group must support Multi-Node Management applications (that is, the group must contain 20 elements or fewer and all MiVoice Business elements in the group must have MCD Release 4.0 or later software):

1. Ensure that an external FTP or SFTP server has been configured in the External FTP Server form ( ). The databases are saved to the external FTP or SFTP server that is specified in this form.

2. Resolve all pending updates and errors.

3. Select Maintenance and Diagnostics > Backup.

NOTE: You must be logged into the System Administration Tool of the local element to perform a backup of the Administrative Group databases (that is, the Show form on field must be set to the local node that you are logged into).

4. Click All reachable nodes (only possible from <local node>).

5. Enter a prefix to apply to the database file names. The databases will be saved to the FTP or SFTP server using filenames in the following format:

<prefix>_<node name>_<release version>_<timestamp>.tar

The prefix should be all lowercase and should contain only letters and numbers. Spaces are not allowed.

6. Check Call History records and/or Voice mail messages if you want to include them in your backup. Including these messages and records can increase the backup time.

7. Click Start Backup.

System will display progress and then a back-up complete message. The backup file is downloaded to the default folder in your PC

8. After the operation is finished, you receive a dialog indicating that the backups are complete. Verify the presence of the backups on the FTP server.

Related Topics

- About Multi-Node Management

- About MNM Backup and Restore

- MNM Backup and Restore - Conditions