Ibac Open Volume Sync (OVS)

Open Volume Sync (OVS) is a value added module for iBac 4.0 that can be used to backup open databases. OVS is a technology that creates a stable, consistent, point-in-time image of a Data Set or Volume, without impacting system performance while the system is in use. iBac OVS is designed for database backups and for providing relational integrity for the database when the backup is complete.

Due to the 24x7 nature of business today, there are many applications that are in use at all hours and backup administrators simply can’t schedule around them. OVS allows administrators to backup systems with all files and databases open and active. Unlike today’s popular backup applications and open file agents, iBac OVS prevents data loss due to lack of relational integrity at the end of the backup. With the growing complexity in operating systems and applications, maintaining the relational integrity of the restored data is becoming a challenge for administrators. Open-file agents and managers only solve the problem of backing up open files but do not ensure that the related files are in sync. OVS solves this problem, at the same time does so using minimal system resources.

According to Strategic Research Corporation administrators could not recover a usable dataset from their backup over 35% of the time when they tried to restore their data. This happens even though the files are restored intact. This problem primarily occurs when restoring databases. Open file agents do not work properly, since they cannot match each files relational data. The open file agent is not the culprit here—since it works as designed. With iBac OVS this can't happen because it is designed to ensure that every file and transaction is exactly as it was when the backup finishes.

Most of today’s applications have a multiple of associated files that are all updated together. A good example is Microsoft Exchange where the log files are as important as the database. When an Exchange server backup is complete the backup application copies log file '1' and then starts to copy the database, however e-mail flows in and log file”1” is updated. Now for exchange to be restored properly and mount, the database log file ‘1’ must match the database. Though the restore looks good, this is not the case. Thinking that the restore must have gone wrong, the administrator tries again and again, but it just won't bring up Exchange after the restore. With OVS, all files precisely match those from when the backup is finished eliminating failed database restores and the guessing game that is played when restoring these these critical files.

In today’s global economy critical applications such as email, web-servers, and database servers can no longer be shut down for backup and are running constantly. This makes backup integrity of data virtually impossible for administrators using just open file agents or managers. With OVS, these applications are no longer improperly backed up or required to be shut down to do a proper backup.

With open file agents, managers or open database agent, the administrator needs to learn each application’s file structure and directories, and other nuisances before they group all the associated files together or configure the agent before they get a good backup. OVS is data agnostic and does not care what is being backed up, be it system binaries or a specific database.

Since open-database agents need intimate knowledge of the underlying database to work correctly. Anytime the database vendor makes a change, the open database agent’s vendor needs to make changes to ensure that the agent works. Hence pushing the administrator to play catch-up, installing new software, and then going through extensive testing to ensure that it is working and configured properly. With OVS, it works perfectly all the time since it requires no knowledge of what is on the hard drive or where it is.

Open file agents and managers use up most of the system resources, preventing users and vital processes from running at the same time as the backup. OVS, utilizes minimum resources letting both users and other processes to still operate while performing your backup.