Source:FAQ - SEP sesam Specific

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What is SEP sesam Newday?

SEP sesam Newday is a predefined SEP sesam daily event that resets the backup event calendar and is managed by SEPuler. A Newday event is used by SEP sesam to reorder its database and enable the uninterrupted activity of SEP sesam processes, therefore it must never be completely deactivated or it will cause SEP sesam to stop working properly. It also gives system administrators the flexibility to extend backup routines to run after midnight and retain the backup date of the prior day. This is very useful when the clients requiring backup exceed the time allotment between the end of the day and midnight. For details, see Newday Event.

Is there an overview of SEP sesam services?

There are different services depending on whether you are dealing with a SEP sesam Server, a SEP sesam Client or a SEP sesam Remote Device Server (RDS).

The services can be found in the SEP sesam installation directory <SESAM_ROOT>/bin/sesam. To check the status of the services, use the following commands:

Linux/UNIX

./sm_main status

Windows

sm_main status

SEP sesam Server services

sm_qm_main   SEP sesam main processes, provides also the qm service
sepuler      SEP sesam event calendar to control all tasks
db           SEP sesam database services
qm           Queue manager, administers backups, restores and devices
rmi          server part of the graphical user interface (GUI)
sms          read/write of SEP sesam media
stpd         linking protocol from the SEP sesam Client to the SEP sesam Server
passd        security administration for SEP sesam
ctrl         linking protocol from the SEP sesam Server to the SEP sesam Client
sshd         secure linking protocol from the SEP sesam Server to the SEP sesam Client

SEP sesam Client services

sm_qm_main    SEP sesam main processes
ctrl          linking protocol from the SEP sesam Server to the SEP sesam Client
sshd          secure linking protocol from the SEP sesam Server to the SEP sesam Client

SEP sesam RDS services

sm_qm_main  SEP sesam main processes
ctrl        linking protocol from the SEP sesam Server to the SEP sesam Client
sms         read/write of SEP sesam media
stpd        linking protocol from the SEP sesam Client to the SEP sesam Server
passd       security administration for SEP sesam
sshd        secure linking protocol from the SEP sesam Server to the SEP sesam Client

In Backups by state, what do the flags in the column Level mean?

The first letter shows the backup level/type:

(G)F/D/I/C: Backup level (full, differential, incremental, copy); with the prefix G in case of a group backup 
N:        SEP sesam Newday
S:        SEP sesam startup
X:        SEP sesam command event

The second letter is used when a database backup is performed. It has no significance for the regular Path backups.

H:  Hot - online backup of a database
C:  Cold - offline backup of a database

Backups by state levels.jpg

What happens when I set a profile?

By setting a profile:

  • the <SESAM_ROOT>/bin and <SESAM_ROOT>/var/db/ directories (and their subdirectories) are added to the "$PATH" environment variable so that SEP sesam commands can be executed globally,
  • you do not need to be in the actual run directory.

To set a profile, depending on your operating system, proceed as follows:

On Linux/UNIX

Go to the directory <SESAM_VAR>/var/ini and call:

. sesam2000.profile

Do not forget the dot and the space at the beginning!

Alternatively, use:

source sesam2000.profile
Information sign.png Note
This sets the profile only for the current session. To set it permanently under Linux, see How do I configure SEP sesam profile to run automatically during login?

On Windows

Open a command window, then go to the directory <SESAM_ROOT>\var\ini and call:

sm_prof.bat

Alternatively, use the link <SESAM_ROOT>\var\ini\sm_prof.bat.lnk.

Why does the SEP sesam GUI create so many Java processes under Linux?

On some Linux systems, the threads created by the SEP sesam GUI are shown in the process table. These are not real processes but only threads. There is a large number of processes because Java creates threads for all objects with Listener functionality.

Why does SEP sesam Server use so much disk space on the local hard disk?

One of the essential advantages of SEP sesam is that not all information is filed in a database but, instead, in simple text files. The largest files are usually the *.lis files which contain information about the backup's unique files and are used by the restore wizard to select and restore unique files. *.lis files are stored in the following directories:

Linux/UNIX

/<SESAM_ROOT>/var/lis

Windows

C:\<SESAM_ROOT>\var\lis

You can compress the files as follows:

  1. Set the SEP sesam profile, as described in the section What happens when I set a profile?
  2. Use the sm_newday command to run file compression immediately. The files will be compressed directly by the Newday schedule. As predefined in the command, *.lis files are not compressed immediately but three days after they are created. This is because most restores are triggered within three days after a backup.

All *.lis files are converted into a compressed file format and are uncompressed by SEP sesam automatically whenever necessary.

How to protect SEP sesam environment from malware attacks?

Since malware attacks (e.g. ransomware) can be devastating for organizations, it is recommended to apply best practices for SEP sesam Server or RDS in addition to regular system updates, storing backups on a separate device, protecting personal data, etc. For details, see Ransomware Protection Best Practices.

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Any form of reproduction of the contents or parts of this manual is allowed only with the express written permission from SEP AG. When compiling and designing user documentation SEP AG uses great diligence and attempts to deliver accurate and correct information. However, SEP AG cannot issue a guarantee for the contents of this manual.