Microsoft Word Hardware Reconfiguration Methodology V final2

Multivolume restoration

Multivolume backups will require multivolume restorations. It is therefore important that any backup script(s) used also be capable of handling multivolume restorations otherwise user intervention will be required in order to perform these restorations. It is also a good notion to place these scripts onto any alternate boot devices so that they are readily available.

5. Miscellaneous

1. Errors

Errors can and always will occur at any time; sometimes predictably and other times randomly. Some errors are caused by human intervention (or lack of it) and others by software and/or hardware errors. An exhaustive list cannot be provided here since there are so many potential types of errors that can occur that a list could not possibly cover them all. Nevertheless, both the backup and restoration process should always be performed by someone knowledgeable of the computer system, the operating system, the applications and services used, the users, and the network layout – the system administrator. This individual is generally best suited to performing these vital tasks and functions.

In addition, the tools used for backing up and restoring data should be capable of dealing with and handling errors various types of errors. Unfortunately, most of them can only handle the most basic types of errors and therefore human intervention is usually required at one point or another when performing complex backups or restorations. Only very complex and costly backup tools can deal with errors that are more complex; however, no single tool could ever deal with all of the various problems that could potentially be encountered.

Errors can also occur in the backup media, not just during the actual phase of the backup or restoration. Media errors can be encountered when periodic media tests are conducted. The tools examined thus far can generally deal with bad blocks on the backup media. When these errors are found in the backup’s archives, the tools can be used to make reasonable efforts to extract the data and if necessary skip to the next available backup file. In the worst case, DD can always be used to forcibly extract data from the backup media. However, portions of missing data from the archive(s) due to bad blocks may result in a partial or complete loss of data. Different tools will handle damaged archives differently. However, in general, all the tools examined are all able to deal with damaged archives and skip on to the next valid portion of the archive.

2.