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Database backup and restore

Data backup and restore

Remote Access Plus holds complete information on the remote troubleshooting operations performed using Remote Access Plus such as a remote desktop sharing or a system management. Creating a periodic backup of the Remote Access Plus server becomes crucial to prevent the data loss and for reporting purposes. This can be achieved in two ways and can be restored any time based on your requirements.

  1. Schedule a database backup task and automate
  2. Manually acquire a backup file whenever required

Database backup - Best practices

Here are a few best practices recommended while creating / restoring a Remote Access Plus database backup.

  1. Ensure to add exceptions for antivirus. Else while scanning the PqSQL / MSSQL directories for viruses, your antivirus application may consider the files as intrusions and interupt the data backup. Refer the following links to help you in adding antivirus exclusions.
  2. Schedule the backup scheduled during non-productive hours to avoid functionality discrepancies.
  3. Ensure a minimum of 5GB space in the respective backup drive.
  4. Ensure you specify a valid destination folder path with read/write access.
  5. If you have configured your database in a remote location, then ensure that the machine is up during backup.

Scheduling data backup

With Remote Access Plus, you can schedule a task to generate a database backup at regular intervals. To achieve this follow the below steps,

  1. From your Remote Access Plus web console, navigate to Admin tab -> Database Settings -> Database Backup.
  2. Specify the time at which you would prefer to initiate your backup everyday.

    The time should be specified in 24 hour format [hh:mm:ss].

  3. Specify the maximum number of backup files you would like to retain.

    Only the number of files you mentioned will be saved while the older ones will be deleted. For instance if you choose to retain 7 backup files, the last successful 7 backup files will be retained and the others will be removed.

  4. Specify the path were you would want your backup files to be stored.

    It is highly recommended to have your backup stored at a remote location. So that you could restore your backup even if your Remote Access Plus server fails.

  5. Enable the check box to get notified if the database backup fails and specify the e-mail address to which the notification on the task should be sent.

    Ensure to configure your mail server settings to receive notifications.

  6. If you want to encrypt the backup file, then enable the check box to Secure the backup by setting password and provide the password and save.

    The password you provide here, will be required while restoring the backup.

Manual data backup and restore

You can manually backup and restore Remote Access Plus database. This can be achieved using the Backup-Restore Utility GUI. Follow the steps given below to manually backup the database,

Open the Backup-Restore Utility GUI

  1. From the computer in which your Remote Access Plus server is running, navigate to the Remote Access Plus server installation directory i.e; <Remote Access Plus Home>/bin directory. This invokes the database setup wizard.
  2. Execute backuprestore.bat

You have now opened the Backup-Restore Utility GUI

Creating a backup file

  1. From the Backup-Restore Utility GUI, navigate to Backup tab and specify the location where you would like to have your backup file saved.
  2. Now, click on the Backup option.
  3. You could also choose to encrypt your backup file with a password.

Once you do this, a backup file will be created and stored at the specified location. The file name will be in the following format: buildnumber-date-time.zip

Restoring the backup file

  1. Stop the Remote Access Plus service.
  2. From the Backup-Restore Utility GUI, navigate to Restore tab.
  3. Browse to select the required backup file and choose to restore.
  4. If you have encrypted your backup file with a password, you'll have to specify the same to restore the backup.

Note : The build number of your current Remote Access Plus server should match the build number of the backup file you are restoring. Ensure that you choose the correct architecture of your Remote Access Plus server installation (32 bit / 64 bit). This can be verified from your Remote Access Plus web console -> Support Tab.