Configuring the DS-Client : Managing system activities : Managing administrative processes
 
Managing administrative processes
The DS‑Client software is designed for unattended operation, which requires regular administrative processes to back up the DS‑Client database, create statistical data, and verify backup sets with the DS‑System online storage.
You can schedule the daily and weekly administrative processes or run them on demand. You can also update statistical data on demand.
The types of administrative processes are as follows:
• Local Admin — Performs activities that do not require a connection to the DS-System. The Local Admin process runs every time the DS-Client service starts, once every 12 hours from the previous Admin, or every 24 hours. This process cannot be disabled.
• Daily Admin — Performs all Local Admin activities, verifies backup sets, and transfers the DS‑Client database dump to the DS‑System. The Daily Admin process can be disabled or configured to run at a specific time.
• Weekly Admin — Performs all Daily Admin activities and a low-level synchronization of backup sets. The Weekly Admin process can be disabled or configured to run at a specific date and time.
The following table describes the administrative process activities in the order that they are performed. The DS‑System column indicates whether a connection to the DS‑System is required for that activity.
 
Administrative process activity
Local
Daily
Weekly
DS‑System
1. Prepare database dump
For Microsoft SQL Server databases, this activity depends on the Keep DS-Client database dump file setting (see “Configuring the parameter settings”):
• a) Do not delete – Saves the previous dump, dumps the DS‑Client database and dsdelta database, and runs database consistency checks (DBCC). If a fatal error occurs, it restores the previous dump. Otherwise, it deletes the previous dump and only keeps the current dump in the DS-Client buffer.
• b) Delete after successful backup – Saves the previous dump (if it exists), dumps the DS‑Client database and dsdelta database, and runs database consistency checks (DBCC). If no errors occur, it removes the previous database dump (if it exists) from the DS-Client buffer before connecting to the DS-System. If step 6 (Transfer Database Dump) is successful, then it removes the current database dump from the DS-Client buffer.
• c) Always delete – Dumps the DS‑Client database and dsdelta database and runs database consistency checks (DBCC). After the Daily Admin or Weekly Admin finishes, it deletes the database dump.
Note: This step is not performed for PostgreSQL databases.
X
X
X
 
2. Clean database
• Deletes old history logs (activities, events and statistics), drops unused tables, and deletes unused records.
X
X
X
 
3. Update statistical data
• Updates statistical information for each backup set (number of files and online amount).
• Updates statistical information used by the storage summary.
X
X
X
 
4. Expand database (if necessary)
• Updates statistical information for each backup set (number of files and online amount).
• Updates statistical information used by the storage summary.
X
X
X
 
5. Verify backup sets
• Sends a list of all backup sets to the DS‑System. The DS‑System sends back a list of backup sets that either:
(a) do not exist on the DS‑System storage, or
(b) exist on the DS‑System storage but are not in the DS‑Client's list.
• Updates the information required to recover backup sets falling into category 'b'.
 
X
X
X
6. Transfer database dump
• For Microsoft SQL Server databases, transfers database dumps to DS‑System if Activity 1 was performed successfully. Deletes database dumps if activity 1 is configured for Delete after successful backup or Always delete.
• For PostgreSQL databases, performs backup of the database to DS-System via pipe.
 
X
X
X
7. Synchronization (normal)
• Performs synchronization check for all backup sets that are not in category 'a' or 'b' of activity 5. (This is the same as a 'Normal' synchronization, however any synchronized files retain an 'active' backup status.)
 
 
X
X
8. Send daily email notification
• If the DS‑Client is configured for email notifications, sends a summary of backup activities to the administrator showing what occurred since the last admin process. (For more information, see “Configuring the notification settings”.)
X
X
X