There are a couple of options for backing up your Concordance databases. Before backing up your Concordance database, you need to determine how long the backup process may take, given the size of the database files. The backup process could take many hours, so having a solid estimate helps you plan backup maintenance schedules.
Research the network’s automatic server backups and how it may impact Concordance database files. Database files automatically backed up in this manner often take longer to restore, therefore, they are probably not a practical method to rely on as your sole source for database copies.
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Do not perform live backups if you are using backup software that locks files, even briefly. This has been known to cause read/write functions to the database files to fail, and can cause file synchronization or corruption issues. Check with your IT group and/or backup solution provider to verify that no file locking occurs before scheduling any backups on Concordance, Concordance Image, and FYI files that are in use. Be aware that anti-virus, firewall, and backup software can often interfere with network traffic and the locking of files, and in effect, could cause Concordance, Concordance Image, and FYI Server software to crash. |
It is best practice to use the following methods for routine backup procedures:
•Verify that you are not backing up your databases while they are in use either by tape or by manually making a copy. Any locking of files while users are updating those same files can produce erroneous results. Using snapshots on your data storage devices can reduce these effects because they do not lock the files.
•To create a backup of a Concordance database, use the Export Wizard provided in Concordance. Exported databases do not include security or tag history. To retain security in your back up, you can also replicate the database. To include tag history, run the TagSaver.cpl and TagHistoryandStoreIt.cpl. Either way, you are storing a backup of your database files in the event they need to be restored later.
When backing up databases, you should also consider the following:
•Replication of your database files within Concordance has a longer processing time, but this method retains security settings.
•If security is applied, back up the .sec files
•Back up tags using the TagSaver.cpl and TagHistoryandStoreIt.cpl
•Do not forget to copy over your list files, queries, exported security, and .gat files, etc.
•Verify that your antivirus does not scan any of the following file types: .trk, .key, .dct, .dir, .fzy, .layout, .sec,
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Backing up tags may take days for some databases, and loss of tagging information can jeopardize a case review. Please make time to research and test this process so you understand how to best schedule this task regularly. |
