Deployment Solution

Hi,

I have a Altiris DS server and the running database on a sql server.

My question is how are you guys backing up the Altiris DS server?

Regards

All the jobs are exported to a bin file and saved monthly.
Security setting can't be exported, so I take screen shots of the groups and members.
Express folder. IMG files and custom scripts for Post builds.
A screenshot of the Computer directory folders.
I don't see a real need to backup the database unless you want to keep historically information on history for auditing purposes.
Filters are stored in the database, it's would be quicker to recreate the filters when needed then find the information inside the database.


If the DS server crashed, here are the steps I would take.

Installed new DS and use the old IP address.  Ensure agent setting are correct.
Restore express/IMG files.
Recreate filters/ folders if necessary.
Depending on your update interval if checked, the computers will start re-appearing.

We have about 20 DS servers with on box SQl 2005 Express and a handful that connect to an x64 remote SQL 2005 Standard box.

With the SQL Express unless you have a backup software that has a "sql/open file agent" you need to script the SQL service to stop and back up the database.  So our back up agent kicks off a script to stops the SQL service then backs up the database folder then starts the SQL service again.

For SQL 2005 Standard you can just set up a back up maintenance plan through the SQL Studio Manager.





 

  

 

Here is a sample job.

1. Create a local DS admin user
2. Configure the script (/f) to match the jobs you want to backup
3. Schedule the job on your own PC with a re-occurring schedule.
4. For the script run location on the second tab of your job, make sure to change the script run location to "Locally on the deployment server" and uncheck "run when the agent is connected"

Now your normal file backup on the server (assuming you have one) will grab the bin files. If you don't back the server up, you could change the DEST path to some remote location.

I would also have a DB maintencance plan as recommended. More info:
https://kb.altiris.com/article.asp?article=1317&p=1
https://kb.altiris.com/article.asp?article=22953&p=1


Now if you need to do a complete server restore you have the DB, and if you just need some jobs you have the bin files to extract to a test server or back to production.

 

REM Backup Jobs to Server
set DEST=d:\DS Jobs Backup
set DSUser=DSBackup
set DSPass=mnypassword

if not exist "%DEST%" md "%DEST%"
".\axExport.exe" "%DEST%\%DSSERVER%-%DATE%_My Folder 1.bin" /f "My Folder 1" /s /y /lu %DSUser% /lp %DSPass%
".\axExport.exe" "%DEST%\%DSSERVER%-%DATE%_Images.bin" /f "Images" /s /y /i /lu %DSUser% /lp %DSPass%
".\axExport.exe" "%DEST%\%DSSERVER%-%DATE%_Software.bin" /f "Software" /s /y /lu %DSUser% /lp %DSPass%
".\axExport.exe" "%DEST%\%DSSERVER%-%DATE%_Test.bin" /f "Test" /s /y /lu %DSUser% /lp %DSPass%

F:\>axExport.exe /?
Altiris Deployment Server Job Export Utility version 6.9
Copyright 2008. Altiris, Inc. All rights reserved. Usage:
     axExport <filename> (options) Options:
     /f <folder-name>         Job folder to be exported
     /e <job-name>            Job to be exported
     /s                       Process all subfolders also
     /i                       Include the Initial Deployment Job
     /y                       Suppress confirmation prompts
     /dsn <odbc-dsn-name>     ODBC data source name
     /d  <db-server>          Database server name
     /u  <db-user>            Database user name
     /db <db-databaseName>    Database name
     /p  <db-password>        Database user password
     /lu <login-user>         Deployment Server login user name
     /lp <login-password>     Deployment Server login password
     /ulu                     Use the logged on user to login to Deployment Serv
er

Hello,

You may consider the DSEXP utility provided by Altiris. It saves and imports the security settings on pc groups and job groups.


Best regards,

David