Replication Using Warm Database Restore

Table of Contents

Replication Using Warm Database Restore

Pre-Requisites

Backup All the Subclients on the Primary Server

Restore the MySQL Server to the Standby Server

Schedule Log Backups on the Primary Server

Schedule Log Restores on the Standby Server

Perform Disaster Recovery Operations for the Primary Server Database(s)

This type of restore is also called Hot Server Restore. You can keep up-to-date copies of the production databases on alternate servers, thus minimizing down time in cases where the production database server has failed.

The advantages of Warm Database Restore over a traditional restore scenario is that the database is always kept in a near ready state. In the case of disaster, users do not need to wait for the time it would take to restore the database in its entirety. Only the latest backup may need to be applied to the target database before turning the application over to use it.

Pre-Requisites

Review the following requirements before performing a Warm Database Restore:

• The primary MySQL server and hot standby server must be clients of the same CommServe and have the MySQL iDataAgent installed on each computer.
• The primary MySQL server must be able to communicate with the hot standby server with one of the following network configurations:
  • Local Area Network (LAN) in the same domain
  • Local Area Network (LAN) in a different domain
  • Wide Area Network (WAN)
• Two licenses for MySQL iDataAgent is required.

Backup All the Subclients on the Primary Server

From the CommCell Browser, navigate to Client Computers | <Client> | MySQL| <Instance>. Right-click the <subclient> and select Backup. Click OK.

Restore the MySQL Server on the Standby Server

Once you have taken a full backup of the Primary Server, perform a restore from the latest full backup on the Standby Server.

From the CommCell Browser, navigate to Client Computers | <Client> | MySQL|. Right-click the <Instance>, point to All Tasks, and select Restore MySQL Server. Select the Recurring Restore checkbox. In the Staging Location box, type the location where the logs will be recovered. Alternatively, click Browse to select the staging location. Click OK.

Schedule Log Backups on the Primary Server

In order to bring up the Standby Server, you need to schedule regular log backups of the MySQL databases on the primary server.

From the CommCell Browser, navigate to Client Computers | <Client> | MySQL| <Instance>. Right-click the <subclient> and select Backup. Click Logs Only. Click Schedule, and click Configure. In the Schedule name box, type a schedule name. Click Schedule to schedule the backup for a specific time. Click Configure to set the schedule for the backup job. The Schedule Details dialog displays. Select the appropriate scheduling options. For example: Click Weekly. Check the days you want the run the backup job. In the Start Time box, select the schedule time. Click OK to close the Schedule Details dialog. Click OK to close the Backup Options dialog.

Schedule Log Restores on the Standby Server

From the CommCell Browser, navigate to Client Computers | <Client> | MySQL. Right-click the <Instance>, point to All Tasks, and select Restore MySQL Server. Clear the Data checkbox. Select the Recurring Restore checkbox. In the Staging Location box, type the location where the logs will be recovered and applied. Alternatively, click Browse to select the staging location. Click OK.
Click the Job Initiation tab. Click Schedule to schedule the restore for a specific time. Click Configure. In the Schedule Name box, type a schedule name. Select the appropriate scheduling options. For example: Click Weekly. In the Select date and time of one job box, set the date and time for the restore job. Click OK.

Perform Disaster Recovery Operations for the Primary Server Database(s)

In case if your entire primary server is lost or corrupted, you can directly use the standby server until the primary server is online. When using the standby server, perform regular backups of the database, and use those backups to perform a full system restore on the primary server.

Once the full system restore has completed, you will need to set up the hot standby server again by repeating the steps outlined in this procedure.