Virtual Server: File Level Backup Policy

The following information is provided to help virtual server customers of Information Technology Services (ITS) Managed Services understand the nature of the backup procedures if they choose the ITS offered backup service.

Virtual servers are required to have backups.

See more information at Data Center Services for pricing information.

To use a non-ITS backup solution, please see: Virtual Server: ITS Customer Backup Policy (non-ITS Backup Solution)

Important information to consider:

  • Bacula takes file-level backups, and cannot perform system restores.  
    • Should a catastrophe occur, essential data that was backed up would be recoverable, but the operating system, settings, and any applications would need to be reinstalled and configured.
       
  • Windows files that are open while a backup is being made will be backed up by Volume Snapshot Servers (VSS). VSS allows for files to be backed up when in use.
     
  • Linux does not have VSS, so files should be closed prior to the backup window to ensure they are backed up.
     
  • Bacula will not backup databases live.  If you are running a database server, you will either need to stop or pause your database services during the backup window, or export your database and store the copy in a location that's being backed up.
     
  • Please refer to the Virtual Hosting SLA on retention period for your backup. Backups that are beyond this retention period are automatically expired. Recovery is not possible after that, and neither the backup window nor retention period can be modified.
 

Backups are performed nightly, and are scheduled to start after work hours. The backup times vary based on load and amount of data to backup, so we cannot guarantee a specific backup time.

Upon request, we can initiate one test restore per year to ensure the integrity of the backups.  Customers do not have direct access to the backups, and restore requests are initiated through ITS Managed Services (itscs@hawaii.edu).  At this time, there are no additional fees to request a restore, pending availability.

To request a backup, we will need the following information:

  1. The name of your virtual server hosted by ITS Managed Services
  2. Which directories need to be backed up
  3. An estimate of how much storage space the backup will require

 If there are any questions, please email itscs@hawaii.edu.  

 

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Article ID: 1727
Created: Fri, 10 Feb 2017 8:50am
Modified: Thu, 01 Feb 2024 9:43am