Tivoli Storage Manager FastBack for Workstations, Version 6.1.2

Considerations for scheduled backups

Protect appropriate files on a schedule, and prepare the files for backup.

Files that are appropriate to protect on a schedule

Large or frequently saved files can consume considerable computing or network resources when they are backed up. You can schedule periodic backups of these files when the burden on computing or network resources are least inconvenient.

Some files are not often closed and saved, but must be backed up periodically. Files protected by schedule are backed up even if they are open, but you can try to schedule the backup for a time when the files are closed.

Scheduled backup can yield fewer backup versions than continuously protected files. Fewer backup versions use less storage space, but offer fewer opportunities when you want to restore a file.

When does a scheduled backup occur

The files that you select for scheduled protection are backed up at the scheduled time, if they change during the scheduled interval. If a file changed several times during the schedule, only the last version of the file is backed up at the scheduled time.

If the remote storage area is not available at the scheduled backup time, the files that have changed at that time are noted and are backed up when the remote storage becomes available. If a noted file changes after the scheduled backup time, and before the remote storage becomes available, only the last version of the file is backed up.

If the computer is powered off or Tivoli® Storage Manager FastBack for Workstations is not running at the schedule time, the scheduled backup runs when the computer is powered on and Tivoli Storage Manager FastBack for Workstations is running.

If you shut down a computer or stop the Tivoli Storage Manager FastBack for Workstations client when a scheduled backup is running, the backup resumes when the client is running again and the remote storage is available.

If you forced a backup of scheduled files during the 30 minutes prior to the scheduled time, the scheduled backup does not occur.

Closing applications before a scheduled backup

Tivoli Storage Manager FastBack for Workstations backs up all files that have changed during the schedule interval, including files that are still open at the time of backup. The backup copies of files that are backed up while open can be corrupted. So it is suggested that you close applications before a scheduled backup. Tivoli Storage Manager FastBack for Workstations offers an opportunity to close applications before a scheduled backup.

At the beginning of a scheduled backup, Tivoli Storage Manager FastBack for Workstations attempts to close all files that are listed in a text file called closeapps.txt in the installation directory. Each line in the file must be a program name, with name and extension, but no folder path. Tivoli Storage Manager FastBack for Workstations sends a close command to each instance of every program named in the closeapps.txt file. Note that Tivoli Storage Manager FastBack for Workstations does not send a start command to any of those programs when the scheduled backup is finished.