CommServe Disaster Recovery Tool

Topics | How To

The CommServe Disaster Recovery Tool restores the metadata (stored in the CommServe SQL database or SRM Server database) from the Disaster Recovery Backup file. The Disaster Recovery Backup file gets created when a Disaster Recovery backup is performed from the CommCell Console.

The CommServe Disaster Recovery Tool can be used to restore data in the following situations:

Rebuild the CommServe/CommNet/SRM on the same computer
Rebuild the CommServe/CommNet/SRM on a different computer
Change the name of the CommServe computer
Create and maintain a CommServe in the hot-site
Update license. (This involves using the Microsoft SQL Server (Enterprise Edition) instead of Microsoft SQL Server Desktop Engine (MSDE) as the database engine.)

Migrate the CommServe database either from a clustered environment to a non-cluster enviornment, or from a non-clustered environment to a clustered environment.

If you change the name of the CommServe computer, be sure to Perform Post-Recovery Operations.

Disaster Recovery Backup files are located in the SET_XXX folders (where XXX is replaced by a sequential number and the folder with the highest number contains the latest Disaster Recovery Backup set). The SET_XXX folders, which are located in the File System directory chosen during the installation of the CommServe, contain a number of files, including a .dmp file. Refer to the following table for the types of .dmp files that can be restored using the CommServe Disaster Recovery Tool.

Disaster Recovery Backup Files

File	Description
commserv_FULL.dmp	This full .dmp file represents a full backup of the CommServe database. This full backup was backed up using Disaster Recovery backups.
commserv_DIFF_xxx.dmp	This differential .dmp file represents a differential backup of the CommServe database. This differential backup was backed up using Disaster Recovery backups. xxx is a sequential number for the file. The highest number is associated with the latest Disaster Recovery backup.
commserv_hive.reg	The CommServe registry full backup file.
commserv_hive_xxx.reg	The CommServe registry differential backup file. xxx is a sequential number for the file. The highest number is associated with the latest Disaster Recovery backup.
QNet_<cs_sitename>_FULL.dmp	This full .dmp file represents a full backup of the CommNet Server database. This full backup was backed up using Disaster Recovery backups.
QNet_<cs_sitename>_DIFF_xxx.dmp	This differential .dmp file represents a differential backup of the CommNet Server database. This differential backup was backed up using Disaster Recovery backups. xxx is a sequential number for the file. The highest number is associated with the latest Disaster Recovery backup.
SRM_<cs_sitename>_FULL.dmp	This full .dmp file represents a full backup of the SRM Server database. This full backup was backed up using Disaster Recovery backups.
SRM_<cs_sitename>_DIFF_xxx.dmp	This differential .dmp file represents a differential backup of the SRM Server database. This differential backup was backed up using Disaster Recovery backups. xxx is a sequential number for the file. The highest number is associated with the latest Disaster Recovery backup.
Other Files	Depends on the software module installed, e.g., firewall configuration files.

You can also restore any other full backup that does not have the <cs_sitename>_FULL.dmp naming convention. However, if you need to restore a differential file, then it must follow the above naming convention.

Before using the CommServe Disaster Recovery Tool, ensure that you have the correct version of the Disaster Recovery Backup files (SET_XXX), which you want to restore, on the local computer. You can find the Disaster Recovery Backup Job ID and the time when the backup job completed by viewing the version.txt file in the SET_XXX folder. It is also necessary to backup the CommServe database before using this tool; this will ensure no loss of current activity. Note that Disaster Recovery Backup files (.dmp) are portable between CommServe computers running Microsoft Windows Server 32-bit and x64 edition operating systems.

Disaster Recovery Backup data can be restored at any production site or a hot-site any time using the CommServe Disaster Recovery Tool; however, the operation must be run on a CommServe machine that does not have any other platforms installed, e.g., MediaAgents, iDataAgents. Running the restore on a CommServe-only machine ensures that conflicts caused by mismatched product versions or dynamic-link library (DLL) files are avoided. The backup data can be restored from the Export Destination (Disaster Recovery Backups on disk) or the Backup Destination (Disaster Recovery Backups on media).

Disaster Recovery Backup data can be restored to a disaster recovery server (or computer that has the disaster recovery server IP address.) Note that the reverse is not possible. e.g., you cannot perform a disaster recovery backup from the hot-site and restore it in the original production CommServe. To perform this operation you must obtain a license and an IP Address Change license from your software provider.

Users can be notified via e-mail once the restore operation has completed. This must be set during the configuration of the restore operation. For more information, see Restore a Disaster Recovery Backup.

Note that the CommServe Database can be restored with a different name for viewing purposes. Functionality of the database requires it to be restored with the same name. You can change the name of the database using the Restore as DB field in the SQL Restore tab.

If you have the Disaster Recovery Backup files on the local disk, follow the procedure to Restore a Disaster Recovery Backup.
If you have the Disaster Recovery Backup files on the network drive, copy the files to the local disk and then follow the procedure to Restore a Disaster Recovery Backup.
If you have the Disaster Recovery Backup files on a media, use Media Explorer to retrieve the data from the media to the local disk and then follow the procedure to Restore a Disaster Recovery Backup.