Backing Up Databases - On Premise

Barracuda RMM uses Microsoft SQL Server databases for its data repository. Backing up your databases daily lets you respond quickly to failures and maintain high-availability for your customers. Back ups should also be created before upgrading, applying hotfixes or Barracuda RMM Feature Packs to your production servers. Database backups should be done using a method that results in the SQL engine backing up the database (creating a checkpoint). Windows file level backups (backing up .mdf or .ldf files) is not recommended and can cause problems.

The Barracuda RMM databases that must be backed up are shown in the table below.

Configuring the Database to use Simple Recovery Model

1. Open SQL Management Studio and connect to the database server.
2. Right-click the database and select Properties.
3. Select Options and choose Simple from the Recovery Model list.
4. Click OK.

Back Up Strategy for Databases

It is not recommended to shrink the database file as this can be a timely operation, can cause fragmentation and it won’t release any space if there isn’t any white space available.

The maintenance plan below is an example of a way to backup the Service Center databases when Simple Recovery model is being used for the databases. The frequency of backups and backup retention (how long to store the database backups) is your choice. Consider the following for deciding how to proceed: if there is a hardware failure what is the acceptable data loss period (is it one day, one week, etc), if the target is to have it within a day, performing backups once a week will not cover that requirement. Keep in mind that to minimize potential data loss the trade if is the requirement for more disk space to store backups.

The example below keeps the data loss to 1 day at most and provides a way to restore back to any day within the last 2 weeks.

The overview of the backup strategy is that differential database backups will run daily and a full database backup will run on Saturday. The last step of the maintenance plan will be to delete files older than 3 weeks (3 weeks is suggested).

1. Launch SQL Management Studio and connect to the Service Center database server.
2. Expand Management and right-click Maintenance Plans. Select Maintenance Plan Wizard. Click Next.
3. Enter a name for the plan and select the Separate schedules for each task option button. Click Next.
4. Select the tasks you want to schedule and click Next. We recommend including the following:
   • Back Up Database (Full)
   • Back Up Database (Differential)

    

   The Back Up Database (Transaction Log) is only applicable if you are using the Full recovery model.

5. Use the Move Up and Move Down buttons to adjust the order in which the maintenance tasks will execute. Click Next.
6. Configure each task as described below.
7. Optionally, choose to write a report to a text file (suitable for monitoring with a Barracuda RMM custom log monitor) or supply an address to which an email will be sent. Click Finish.

To configure a back up database (full) task

1. Select SCData_Default and click OK.
2. Choose a location (Disk or Tape) and to Overwrite existing back up files.

3. Click Change to open the Job Schedule Properties. Set a schedule that suits your needs. Click OK and then Next if it appears.

   We recommend a full back up at least once a week.

To configure a back up database (differential) task

1. Select SCData_Default and click OK.
2. Choose a location (Disk or Tape) and to Overwrite existing back up files.

3. Click Change to open the Job Schedule Properties. Set a schedule that suits your needs. Click OK and then Next if it appears.

   We recommend differential back ups every day when a full back up does not take place.

Creating Backups of the Barracuda RMM Databases

Beyond scheduling regular backups, you must also take manual backups prior to upgrades or migrations.

1. Launch SQL Management Studio and connect to the Service Center database server. Expand Databases.
2. Right-click the database you want to back up and select Tasks > Back Up.
3. Note the location where the back up file will be created, and click OK. When a dialog box appears advising the back up completed successfully, click OK.
4. Copy the database back up file to a secure storage location.

Backing Up the Reporting Services Encryption Key

The contents of the Reporting Services databases are encrypted. You must back up the encryption key as part of the back up process.

1. From the system where SQL Reporting Services is installed, open the Reporting Services Configuration tool from the SQL program group on your start menu, and select Encryption Keys from the left-hand pane.
2. Click Backup.
3. Enter a strong Password then click Browse [...] and select a name and location to store the encryption key file. Click Save. Click OK.
4. Copy the encryption key file to a secure storage location.