Archive:Schedules 4.2

THE CONTENT OF THIS PAGE IS OUTDATED

SEP AG has discontinued support for obsolete SEP sesam versions. Instructions are still available for these SEP sesam products, however, SEP AG accepts no responsibility or liability for any errors or inaccuracies in the instructions or for the incorrect operation of obsolete SEP sesam software. It is strongly recommended that you update your SEP sesam software to the latest version. For the latest version of SEP sesam documentation, see documentation home.

Schedules

This window shows an overview of the configured schedules and the events that are connected to them. Using the buttons in the toolbar you can configure the chronology of all processes in SEP sesam. Either create a new schedule or edit an existing one. In this schedule create a new event and define its job. The job is then done at the desired time and, if needed, forwarded to the next time of execution in the calendar.

Schedule properties - create new schedule

Name

Name of the schedule

Execution

(De-)Activate all events that are connected to this schedule

Cycle

Options for cyclical behaviour of a schedule

once

No repetition, single run

daily

Repetition in days, hours or minutes

weekly

Repetition in weeks or weekdays

monthly

Repetition on absolute or relative dates: 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, last day, weekday, weekendday, Mon, Tue, Wed, Thu, Fri, Sat, Sun of the month. Optionally a positive and negative day offset is possible.

yearly

Same as monthly; absolute and relative dates are possible

user specified (Option)

List of absolute and relative dates

Period of validity

Range of time for the execution of a schedule. The date can be entered with a graphical calendar which pops up when clicked.

Begin

Start time of the repetition cycle. The schedule is only valid after the day that's entered in this field. There can be no execution prior to this date.

End

If the checkbox next to End is selected the schedule will not be executed after the date that's specified in the field. If this field isn't activated the schedule is repeated indefinitely

Start time frame

the event can only be started within this defined time frame

Start

Designated start time of the event. The actual start time depends on the processor load of the system. Every event is forwarded into the queue at its starting time. Depending on the workload and job limit of this queue and the schedule priority the execution has to wait until jobs with higher priority are finished. For jobs with the same priority there is the FIFO rule (first in first out).

Duration

The user can define a start time frame by setting its duration. If the execution isn't possible within this time frame the job won't be started. This is entered in days, months, and minutes.

New Backup Event

The button 'New Backup Event opens the following window:

Sequence Control

Priority

see Setting Event Priorities

Blocking Date

the event only works within the prioritization concept as a block for other backups with the same name when schedules are overlapping; see Blocking Events

Execution parameter

Backup Type

Select between the backup types FULL, DIFF, INC, COPY

On/Offline

Execution parameter e.g. for database backups

Media Pool

Target for the backup files. The exact label of the target medium is determined by the last prior media event or by the end of media (EOM)

Drive Group

the drive group that's specified in the media pool (not editable). This field changes depending on the media pool selection

Drive (opt.)

Selection of a drive from the drive group mentioned above

Interface (opt.)

Selection of an alternate (configured) name of the TCP/IP-name of the client. This can be used to direct the data flow over a particular network connection in order to enable smooth execution of backups or restores without blocking another network activities.

Object

the backup task or task group

Task

Selection of the backup task

Task Group

Selection of the backup task group

New Restore Task Event

The button New Restore Task Event opens the following window with the second resister selected. The first register is the same as New Schedule and is already predefined correctly.

New Restore Task Event - Source

Restore Task

Selection of a restore task

fix Restore

When selecting Fix Restore the restore is executed exactly as defined in the task. The selected saveset is restored according to the set criteria and the selected files.

Selection

The restore task is used as a template. This way the backup task and the restore type (full, selective) are preset. The exact saveset however is selected dynamically by using the following entries.

Parameters

Saveset Limitation

indication of the time frame:

• View: oldest selection: first, second, third, and so on
• View: recent selection: last, penultimate, antepenultimate, and so on

backup day

set a time frame for the backup day: from date ... to date

relative backup day

from - to as a relative indication of the number of days that have passed since the backup

Example : 2 weeks ago until now: from date = -14, to date = 0

FDI-Type

Only savesets with the according FDI-Type are selected (Copy, Full, Diff, Inc):C, F, D, I.

Selection

A dynamic selection of the according saveset is done for the restore. Using the options youngest or oldest the youngest or oldest saveset within the selected time frame (as per the relative backup day and other limitations).

Media Preference

Option to limit the media that are used as the restore source (should cloned media be used?)

• No limitation >> ' '
• Regular medium before clone >> 'media'
• Clone before regular medium >> 'clone'. If no clone is available this selection is ignored.

Tolerance

Option to limit the media that are used for the restore

• Error if medium is not available (Default) >>
• Only select available media >> 'available'
• Only select available media that are eol-protected >> 'eol-protected'

Pool Restriction

Option to limit the possible sources to specific media pools in a selection box.

Status

Possible limitations in regard to the backup result are:

• Successful or with warnings (Default)
• Only successful
• Only with warnings
• partially restorable (cancelled backups)

New Restore Task Event - Destination parameters

Sequence control

Priority

see Setting Event Priorities

Blocking Date

see Blocking Events

Execution parameter

Backup Type

Optionally, the backup type of the saveset can be overridden. The restore is then executed with a different backup type (usually tape backup).

On/Offline

Execution as Online/Offline restore.

Medienpool

Not selectable.

Drive Group

Display of the drive group that's assigned to the selected media pool.

Drive

Selection of the target drive that's to be used. Only drives that are assigned to the drive group are selectable.

Interface

optional indication of the interface that's to be used for the data transfer on the target node.

Migration Task Event

New Migration Task Event

As with executing the other SEP sesam tasks first you need to create a new schedule in Scheduling -> Schedules.

Then, create a new migration task event in this schedule by clicking New Migration Task Event. Select the desired migration task from the drop-down-menu in the field Name and click OK.

Alter a Migration Task Event

Migration Task

Select a previously created Migration Task

Source

Set the parameters as in New Restore Task Event - Source

Select Parameter

Saveset Limits

Input for the time management:

• View: Oldest selection: first, second, third, etc.
• View: most recent selection: last, next to last, second next to last, etc.

Backup Day

Limiting choices for a fixed time period : from date, to date.

Relative Backup Day

from - to as relative input for the number of past days. Example of relative backup day: from -1 to +1 copied as a dataset, set to the previous SEP sesam day for the selected media pool.

FDI Type

Selection possibilities in relation to CFDI type (Copy, Full, Diff, Inc): C, F, D, I and G

Selection

Instead of the saveset selected in the restore task a dynamic selection of the saveset to be restored from the time of the restore is made. Selections are newest or oldest', i.e. the newest/oldest saveset out of the selected interval (according to the relative backup day) is selected.

Media Preference

Limiting selection of the media to use as the restore source / Should a cloned medium be used

• No limitation >> ' '
• Regular medium before clone >> 'media'
• Clone before regular medium >> 'clone'

If no clone is available the selection is ignored.

Media availability

Limiting selection of the media to use as the restore source taking their availability inside the loader into account

• Errors if media not available (Default) >>
• Selection of available media >> 'available'
• Selection of available media with EOL-block only >> 'eol-protected'

Pool Limitation

Enables the backup source to be limited to specific mediapools by selecting a check box.

State

Limitation according to backup results.

• Successful or successful with warnings (Default)
• Only successful
• Only with warnings
• Partially restorable (broken/stopped backup)

Destination Parameter

Essentially as in New Restore Task Event - Destination Parameter

Sequence Control

Priority

see Setting Event Priorities

Blocking_Events

see Blocking Events

Performance Parameter

Backup Type

Not Selectable.

On/Offline

Not Selectable.

Media Pool

Enter the target Media Pool, e.g. "LTO4".

Drive Group

Shows the chosen Media Pool from the delegated Drive Group

Drive

Selection field for the target Drive from the Drive Group.

Interface

optional Input of the Interface where the data transfer should occur.

New Media Event

Succession Parameters

Priority

Priority

Blocking event

The event is only in effect to block other media events for the pool when schedules overlap

Execution Parameters

Media Pool

Grouping of media by certain criteria (e.g. by types of media etc.)

Media Strategy

Indication of strategy OLD defined in the media pool

Drive Group

Selection of a drive group. Advantage: Sesam uses the drives belonging to a specific group independently

Drive

Selection of a certain drive

Tape Label

Selection of a pre-set tape label (tape identification) from the media pool

Spare Label

Selection of a pre-set spare label from the media pool

A media event from the point of its activation defines a specific media of a pool onto which the backups write their data. The contents of the media are deleted by the event.

If the expected media is unavailable at the start of a backup or end of media is reached during data-transfer then SEP sesam creates an internal media event which provides the next media for the backup. If no media event is configured in the calendar only the internal one is in effect at the EOM.

New Command Event

The switch New Command Event opens following window:

Parameter

Sequence Control

Priority

Blocking event : The event is in effect (Prioritizing concept) only to block other command events with exactly the same command when schedules overlap

Execution parameter

select already defined command events

Name

Identification of the command event

Command

complete command

Client

Selection of computer, on which the command should be executed

User

pre-defined user name at the client (access restriction), which may execute this command

The switch List opens the following window:

New

Set new command schedule

Change

Change existing schedule

Copy

Copy existing schedule

Delete

Delete existing schedule

Save

Saves new schedule

Access restriction of command events

An event starts any executable command on the chosen client. Since there are certain security issues to consider not every command can be implemented by each user on specific clients. Without additional entries only commands entered in the system directory at <SESAM_ROOT>/bin/sesam are allowed. Within these commands, e.g. a Shell Script, any desired commands can be released to selected users. If a command should be started from another directory before the regular backup tasks, this must be entered/permitted at the target client.

UNIX External commands are only executed when the user name and the command are entered into the file /etc/sesam_cmdusers.allow at the client computer.

Format: 'user command|* ( * = all commands )

          is started with su - user

Windows External commands are only executed when the user and the command are entered in the registry of the client computer, in key text: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE/SOFTWARE/SEP Elektronik GmbH/sesam/ HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE/SOFTWARE/SEP Elektronik GmbH/sesam/CommandEvents/user/command

command           execution
*                 all commands
specific command  this command only
cmd /c            all DOS commands ( dir, etc. )
DOS-Command       this command only

Additionally on the client computer the entry

CTRLD_Path=ID/bin/sesam;ID/bin/sms in the file

ID/var/ini/sm.ini in section [CTRLD_Server] must be extended with the directories where the desired programs reside.

command	Run
*	all Commands
Specific Commands	only these
cmd /c	all DOS Commands ( dir, etc. )
DOS-Commands	only these

Note

Many errors are made when setting up the desired user permissions and allowed commands: The necessary entries are not entered in the target client directories, not entered in the server or entered incorrectly. Instead of entering the command as a key it is entered as a character string.