How to backup NDS Netware 5.1 1

[FCF]

My client has experienced a NDS crash just recently, and we have to remove and install back the NDS. So, creating all those user account and print server has taken so much time and really a tedious job.

Currently, they do not have any good backup s/w to backup the NDS, is there any tools in Netware that enable to backup the NDS, in case get corrrupted again?

 

[Beaghler]

Most SMS backup solutions (ArcServe, Veritas, etc)have an option to backup NDS. I have neve used the option to restore from tape, although I faithfully back up NDS. I prefer using multiple replicas as a first line NDS safety measure. This, of course, requires multiple servers, but ideally, you would have a master and 2 R/W copues of each partition. There have been times where a replica has been messed up. All I have had to do is remove the replica from the affected server and reinstall it. (Oversimplification, but that is the essence)

Faithful use of DSRepair will help head off NDS problems. See Novell's site for recommendations on DS Health and maintenance. Use the advanced options, not the unattended repair.

 

[FCF]

Thanks Beaghler. They really don't have the backup s/w, so I thought Netware 5.1 has certain tools to backup it. At the moment, they has only one Netware server. No replica can be made. Guys, any idea?

 

[Provogeek]

Create a CRON job to executer DSREPAIR -RC every night if the tree is dynamic, one a week or month if it is static.

This will create a copy of the DIP set on the SYS volume; you can then copy this to a workstration, and if small enough you can backit up on a floppy.

Also, every time you execute DSREPAIR and perform an Unattended Repair a backup copy is made of the DIB set. So by using the above DSREPAIR command you can effectively have three copies of your DIB set on your server.

You can also do the NDS backup by running DSREPAIR, go to ADVANCED OPTIONS and you will see a backup NDS menu option.

And in NWCONFIG - NDS Opertations; you can run a backup of NDS before a hardware upgrade. This will place a copy of the DIB set on your DOS partition (but it also locks NDS on the server until you restore DS). Brent Schmidt CNE, Network +
Senior Network Engineer

Why do user go into a panic when a NetWare server goes down, but accept it as normal when a Windows server goes down?

 

[FCF]

Thanks a lot Provogeek. I will try that.

 

[VinitK]

I think creating a DIB set using DSREPAIR -RC does not help because Novell has to dial in to restore the database. A user backup/restore is only possible by a backup utility.