CP 7.5.X Multi-Site and Backups
The Multi-Site scripting program makes internal back-ups of the Hub/Remote transmission files and zipped copy (what used in the actual transmission process) of the same files.
By design, Multi-Site can be configured to do a rotational backup cycle on theses file at each site. As a general rule, CCS sets this to be the maximum (14 Days) that the actual scripting is set to support. However, if someone else was originally involved in configuring and maintaining your system, it may not be set-up this way. The only caveat related to setting this at the maximum would be whether or not there is sufficient disk space available on the server to support these operations.
Ideally, your system data and program backups (e.g. tapes, removable, or external media, etc.), or other system utilities (defrags, file purges, etc.), should be scheduled such that all of the processes are complete, BEFORE the actual overnight processing starts. Doing this insures that you have a complete snapshot of the system before both the End of Day posting and actual polling process starts. Subsequently, this gives us a way to go backwards in the event that something goes wrong. Some examples of things that can happen when this situation isn’t being properly addressed:
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The backup is running at the same time that the polling operation is running. – Files open and locked by the polling operation will not be backed-up. Further, if a file needed by the polling process is locked by the backup utility, it could cause the polling operation to hang and/or crash. This could result not only incomplete data transfer, but in damaged supporting data files.
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The backup process may not give you a proper restore point. – If the backup is was after the posting or polling process had finished, the restoration of the tape from the previous night, would cause the loss of an entire days worth of data. (e.g. Polling starts at 10:00 PM, nightly, but the backup starts at 11:00 PM nightly).
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User input. – In a panic, in an attempt to recover staff runs various Multi-Site menu tasks out of sequence. This may overwrite or delete Multi-Site log files, and transmission files. This may mean that overnight session data permanently lost. At this point we are not in a good position to recover from the data loss.
If you are concerned about your systems current status in this regard, please contact the CCS Retail Systems Support Department to schedule a review.