Scheduling automatic backups

You can back up the databases and solutions in an LDD system to a network share. In the event a recovery is necessary, a new system can access the recovery data using Restore Install. You can direct existing servers from a partially failed system to the new load balancer and/or database, or you can install new servers.

When a scheduled backup occurs, the system validates backup database files on the share and sends an e-mail message that indicates success or failure to the address specified for the “Admin email address” setting of the Confirm service. Any failures are also recorded in the system log.

1. Click the System tab.

2. Select Schedule from the System list.

3. Click Add > Backup Restore.

4. Type a description for the task, and then click Next.

5. Type the UNC path of the existing network share (for example, \\myserver\myshare\) where the system should be backed up.

   Note: When storing backup data from multiple LDD systems, make sure to assign a different folder to each LDD system. Assigning a backup folder for each LDD system prevents an existing data from being overwritten by another system. This also helps you identify from which LDD system the backup data belongs to.

6. If the network share requires authentication, then type the user name and password.

7. To back up the jobs list and the log, make sure the Backup Jobs Logs Database check box is selected.

8. To keep previous backup sets, make sure the Keep previous backups check box is selected. If this option is selected, data from each backup is stored in a folder named with the date of the backup within the specified network share folder. If it is cleared, backup data is stored directly in the specified network share folder, overwriting any previous data.

   Note: The database containing the jobs list and the log may be very large. If both Backup Jobs Logs Database and Keep previous backups check boxes are selected, regularly make sure that you have enough space on the network share where the files are backed up.

9. Click Next.

10. Enter a start date and a start time.

11. Configure the frequency of the scheduled event, and then click Finish.

Recovering backup data with a new installation

If you are recovering backup data from a shared folder, a load balancer or both a database and a load balancer can access backup data using Restore Install.

1. Run the LDD installer, and then select the appropriate installation options:

   • If a workgroup system has failed, then perform a workgroup installation.

   • If both the database and load balancer or only the database has failed in an enterprise system, then install the database.

   • If only the load balancer has failed in an enterprise system, then install the load balancer.

2. Before proceeding to the final step of each installation, select Restore Install (RI), and then specify or locate the .ri file.

3. Follow the instructions on the screen to complete Restore Install.

4. If you are using an enterprise system and you just installed the database, then run the installation again for the load balancer.

5. If you are using an enterprise system, then add servers to the system and set them online.

   • If you are installing new servers, then see Installing new servers during recovery.

   • If you are using existing servers, then see Connecting existing servers during recovery.

6. If a new IP address or fully qualified domain name is identified for the load balancer, then do the following:

   1. Recreate any LDD printer ports on software clients. For more information, see Recreating LDD printer ports after an address change.

   2. Change settings for any associated eSF applications that specify the load balancer address using the eSF Configuration task on the Device Groups tab in LMC. For more information, see Configuring an eSF application associated with a solution.

Installing new servers during recovery

1. On computers where you want to install servers, make sure the time is synchronized with existing system components using an NTP server.

2. Perform server installations using the new database and/or load balancer. For more information, see Installing servers.

3. Install any third-party services required by installed solutions on each new server.

4. Perform policy updates as necessary:

   • If the new database and load balancer are identified by the same IP address(es) and fully qualified domain name(s) as the failed database and/or load balancer, then perform a policy update for any device groups that contain e-Task printers, making sure to clear the Only update those devices which are Out of Policy check box.

   • If the backup database or load balancer is identified by a new IP address or fully qualified domain name, then perform a policy update for all device groups, making sure to clear the Only update those devices which are Out of Policy check box.

5. From the System tab in LMC, set the new servers online. For more information, see Viewing and changing server status.

6. If new servers are identified by different addresses than the failed servers, then the failed servers remain in the system and appear as non-communicating on the System Status page. To avoid affecting system performance, remove these servers from the System tab in LMC.

Connecting existing servers during recovery

Do the following after the database or load balancer is recovered:

• If the new database and load balancer are identified by the same IP address(es) and fully qualified domain name(s) as the failed database and/or load balancer, then do the following:

  1. Make sure the time is synchronized among all system components using an NTP server.

  2. Restart the Lexmark Solutions Application Server service from the Windows Services control panel on each server.

  3. Perform a policy update for any device groups that contain e-Task printers, making sure to clear the Only update those devices which are Out of Policy check box.

  4. From the System tab in LMC, set the servers online. For more information, see Viewing and changing server status.

• If the new database or load balancer is identified by a new IP address or fully qualified domain name, then do the following on each server:

  1. Make sure the time is synchronized among all system components using an NTP server.

  2. From the Services control panel, stop the Lexmark Solutions Application Server service.

  3. In the file \‍Lexmark‍\‍Solutions‍\‍apps‍\‍wf-ldss‍\‍WEB-INF‍\‍classes‍\‍adaptor.‍properties where the server is installed, change each of the properties adaptor.address and adaptor.canonicalhostname to the IP address or fully qualified domain name of the new load balancer.

     Note: If the setting is currently an IP address, then use the IP address of the load balancer. Likewise, if the setting is currently a fully qualified domain name, then use the fully qualified domain name of the load balancer.

  4. Change the URL for the desktop shortcut to LMC on the server:

     1. In the folder \‍Lexmark‍\‍Solutions‍\‍apps‍\‍wf-ldss‍\, right click the shortcut lmc, and then click Properties.

     2. Change the IP address or host name part of the URL to the new IP address or host name of the new load balancer. The complete URL should be http://hostname:9780/lmc/, where hostname is the host name or IP address of the new load balancer.

  5. If you are using a new database, then locate the file \‍Lexmark‍\‍Solutions‍\‍apps‍\‍wf-ldss‍\‍WEB-INF‍\‍classes‍\‍database‍.‍properties where the server is installed, and then change the property database.hostname to the fully qualified domain name of the new database.

     Note: If you are using an IP address for this setting because the network does not have a reliable DNS, then you can use the IP address of the new database.

  6. From the Services control panel, start the Lexmark Solutions Application Server service.

  7. Perform a policy update for all device groups, making sure to clear the Only update those devices which are Out of Policy check box.

  8. From the System tab in LMC, set the servers online. For more information, see Viewing and changing server status.

Recreating LDD printer ports after an address change

If the new load balancer is identified by a new IP address or fully qualified domain name after a recovery, then you must recreate any LDD printer ports on software clients.

1. In the printers control panel in Windows, right-click an LDD print queue, and then click Properties.

   Note: For more information about accessing the properties for the Lexmark Document Server port, see Configuring a Lexmark Document Server port.

2. Click the Ports tab > Add Port > Lexmark Document Server Port - Enterprise > New Port.

   Note: The port name must be 75 characters or fewer.

3. Add the new Lexmark Document Server:

   1. Click Manage List.

   2. From the Server Setup dialog, click Add.

   3. Type the fully qualified domain name or IP address of the load balancer, and then click OK.

   4. Select the old load balancer from the list, then click Remove, and then click Yes to confirm removal.

   5. Click OK to exit the Server Setup dialog.

4. Make sure the new server is selected from the Document Server list, and then click Next.

5. Select a profile on the server to use with the new port, and then click Next.

   Note: If the server is currently running a large number of jobs, then profiles on the server may not appear in the list. Wait until the server is not as busy, and then try adding the port again.

6. Click Finish to add the new port.

7. If you are using pooled ports, then add additional ports using the same server and profile.

8. If the Printer Ports dialog is still open, then click Close.

9. Make sure only newly created ports are selected, and then click Apply.

10. Do the following for each port associated with the failed load balancer:

    1. Select the port from the list.

    2. Click Delete, and then click Yes to confirm deletion.

       Note: If a port cannot be deleted, then it may still be associated with the print queue. Make sure only newly created ports are selected, then click Apply, and then try again.

11. If necessary, select newly created ports again.

12. Click Close.

Manually backing up databases

You can back up the LDD databases using any normal Firebird backup procedure. For manual backups, you can use GBAK.exe, located in the \Lexmark\Solutions\firebird\bin\ folder within the folder where the LDD load balancer or database is installed.

The following databases, located in the \Lexmark\Solutions\firebird\data\ folder within the folder where the LDD database is installed, should be included in the backup:

• EFORMS.FDB

• FRAMEWORK.FDB

• LICENSE.FDB

• MONITOR.FDB

• QUARTZ.FDB

• SOLUTIONINFO.FDB

• WEBAPPCONFIG.FDB

The user name for each database is framework, and the password is rivet.

The following command is recommended for each file:

LDD_folder\firebird\bin\gbak.exe -v -t -user framework -password rivet "DB_IP_address:LDD_folder\firebird\data\source_db" "backup_db"

where:

• LDD_folder is the folder where the LDD database is installed. This folder typically starts with a prefix C:\Program Files\Lexmark\Solutions\.

• DB_IP_address is the IP address of the LDD database.

• source_db is the file name of the database file to back up.

• backup_db is the path and file name of the backup database file, which uses the extension .fbk.