SnapBack OTM (Open Transaction Manager)

Back up active databases live! - Eliminate your backup window!

SnapBack OTM allows you to back up the network with all files and databases open and active. Oracle databases, SQL Servers, Lotus Notes, E-Mail servers...all can be in use and running. SnapBack OTM corrects the tragedy of lost data that is only evident after restoring a group of related files that were indeed properly backed up, but lacked relational integrity. Just as the year 2000 problem remained hidden until the press made it an issue, relational integrity will become the keyword in backup operations.

OPEN FILE AGENTS & MANAGERS™ vs SnapBack OTM

In simpler times, Open-File Agents & Managers solved the problem of open file backup by simply insuring that all files were backed up intact, and not skipped because they were open. But as applications and operating systems have become more complex, data loss is once again a major problem facing network administrators due to lack of relational integrity while using OFMs. Snapback OTM solves these problems and also eases system performance problems... here's how!

THE BLAME GAME

Strategic Research Corporation reported that users could not recover a usable, intact dataset from their backup over 35% of the time when they tried to restore. Many times the files were successfully restored intact, but would not operate correctly since they did not match each other's timestamps. The 'backup software' or even the OFM might not have been the culprit here--each worked as designed. With Snapback OTM this can't happen because it is designed to insure that every file and transaction is exactly as it was when the backup commenced.

THE TIMESTAMP PROBLEM

Most of today's applications have multiple associated files that are all updated together. When a backup is done while running an application, the backup copies file 'A' to tape. Now an application subsequently updates file 'A' and another associated file 'B' that must match each other for the dataset to load. The backup now backs up file 'B' to tape, which no longer matches file 'A' on the tape. Everything looks good to the administrator, until restoral is necessary. Convinced that the file restore must have gone awry, he tries again and again, but it just won't load the data after 'restoring'. With OTM, all files are timestamped concurrently and precisely match those from when the backup commenced.

DISAPPEARING BACKUP WINDOW PROBLEM

Most of today's most critical applications such as email, web-servers and transaction-servers, can no longer be shut down for backup and are running 24x7. This makes backup integrity a virtual impossibility when utilizing OFM. With Snapback OTM, these applications are no longer improperly backed up or need to be shut down to do a proper backup.

CONFIGURATION INDUCED DATA LOSS

When using OFM, the only way to overcome this limitation is for the administrator to learn each applications' file structures and directories, then configure groups of all the associated files together

in the OFM, and finally test to make sure that no files were missed in the grouping.

Since many applications write these files in multiple directories, the chance for error is high. With Snapback OTM, all files and even hidden system transactions are all automatically grouped together across the entire server, so there is no chance of data relational integrity loss due to improper configuration.

HOW YOU CAN BE SURE

Using OFM, there is no way to properly test each applications' datasets relational integrity. With Snapback OTM, since it is an 'all or nothing' approach on every sector of the whole server, one simple test is all that is necessary to insure dataset relational integrity.

IMPROVE YOUR SERVER'S PERFORMANCE

Since OFM's must operate at the file level, they can seriously degrade the server's performance by consuming huge amounts of CPU bandwidth. Snapback OTM can be operational without seriously impacting system performance as it acts at the disk sector level, bypassing the operating system, and thus CPU overhead.

Since OFM's consume vast system resources like most backup software, users and vital processes are left out and can't run at the same time as the backup in this virtual 'musical chair' performance game.
With Snapback OTM, which consumes less than 4% of the CPU utilization, you are much more likely to be able to still operate while performing your backup.

THE 'DAILY' UPGRADE

Dedicated OFM's and open-database agents must have intimate knowledge of the underlying database to work correctly. So anytime the database vendor makes a change; the OFM vendor must make a corresponding change. So the customer must always be playing catch-up, installing new software and then going through extensive testing to insure that it is working and configured properly. Some OFM vendors are now grouping all files together, which improves the odds of a good backup. Unfortunately, if server activity is high during the first 60 seconds, all the grouping goes away, and so does your dataset relational integrity. "Do you feel lucky" that you won't blow the file groupings, and how will you know? With Snapback OTM, it works perfectly the first time and every time the same way because it requires no knowledge of what is on the hard drive or where it is--like a camera.

HIDDEN DATA LOSS

As more and more hidden structures in the operating system are suddenly 'discovered', file-based OFMs must constantly change to accommodate these new objects--and they may not be allowed by the underlying OS to properly protect them. Snapback OTM will protect any and all hidden structures that reside on the drives, such as FATs, Directories, NDS, registries, partition tables, NDP's, sparse files, deleted unpurged files, or even hidden application copy-protected raw sector writes.

Snapback OTM is an integral part of SnapBack Live, which has been shipping since 1996.

• No degradation of performance during backup
• No freezing of volumes
• No problem backing up and protecting any open transaction
• No need for 3rd party products to back up open files

*Open File Manager and OFM are trademarks of St Bernard Software

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