Backups and Restores
Engineering Computing mostly relies on Unix (FreeBSD and Linux) servers, but also has a Windows Server component, particularly for maintaining our Chorus active directory.
ZFS Snapshots on Unix
Engineering Computing makes extensive use of ZFS file systems on Unix with their online snapshots of the live file systems, and network backups.
User Restores on N: Drive
Users can restore their own files at any tmie using the Previous Versions of their File Explorer in Windows.
System Backups
Engineering Comptuing only backs up servers. Workstations are non-essential and easily rebuilt or replaced using Tuque and notably should contain no important data - users are instructed to use server-based storage for all data.
On our Unix systems, ZFS allows for efficient local and network backups.
Systems are backed up frequently. Most servers are backed up at least daily or sometimes weekly, depending on various operational critera. The process is CRON’d (Unix) or Schedule Task’d (Windows Server).
Backups go to physically distributed (across multiple buildings and elevations for fire, water, etc. sitautions) and encrypted backup systems which have no other significant purpose other than to backup data - ie. no users or web applications.
System Resores
Usually ZFS snapshots are sufficient to satisfy user restore requests as they are mapped into the user file space, and can be done either through self-service or by request.
However, network based backups are occasionally used to restore files from a more distant past.
Network backups primarily function to restore existing data to new or fixed hardware after significant system failure. In most cases, it’s due to damaged hardware (electrical issues, water, smoke, etc. though theft would be similar).
Restore scripts are used to restore backups as needed.