HP OpenVMS Systems Documentation

$ BACKUP MTA0:SAVE.BCK/SELECT=[SAVE...] [SAVE...]

You can also affect BACKUP operations by specifiying qualifiers. BACKUP has five types of qualifiers:

• Command qualifiers modify the default action of a BACKUP command. You can place command qualifiers anywhere in the command line. Command qualifiers act upon every file in the input or output specifier.
• Input file-selection qualifiers select files from the input specifier. Place them immediately after the input specifier.
• Output file qualifiers change the way output files are restored. Place them immediately after the output specifier.
• Input save-set qualifiers affect the way BACKUP handles an input save set during a restore or compare operation. Place them immediately after the input specifier.
• Output save-set qualifiers affect the way BACKUP processes an output save set during a save operation. Place them immediately after the output specifier.

It is important to understand the differences between the types of qualifiers. The position of qualifiers in the BACKUP command line affects the results of the command. Although command qualifiers can be placed anywhere in the command line, input- and output-specifier qualifiers are position-dependent. That is, input-specifier qualifiers must be placed immediately after the input specifier, and output-specifier qualifiers must be placed immediately after the output specifier.

Additionally, several BACKUP qualifiers are both input-specifier qualifiers and output-specifier qualfiers. To achieve the results you want from a BACKUP command, ensure that you place position-dependent qualifiers correctly. For example, use the /SAVE_SET qualifier as an output save-set qualifier in a BACKUP save operation and as an input save-set qualifier in a BACKUP restore operation.

Appendix G contains more information about valid combinations of BACKUP qualifiers. Table 7-2 summarizes BACKUP qualifiers by type.

By duplicating files or volumes of files, the Backup utility (BACKUP) protects data from loss or corruption.

BACKUP is intended for use primarily by system managers and operators to protect public media. However, anyone can use BACKUP to make personal BACKUP copies and to transport files between OpenVMS systems.

The two ways to back up your system disk are:

• If you have access to the CD-ROM of the current version of OpenVMS Alpha or Integrity servers, you can use a menu-driven procedure to back up your system disk.
• If you do not have access to the CD-ROM of the current version of OpenVMS Alpha or Integrity servers, you must use standalone BACKUP to back up your system disk.

Format

BACKUP input-specifier output-specifier

Parameters

input specifier

Specifies the input for the BACKUP operation. The input specifier can be a standard OpenVMS file specification, a BACKUP save-set specification, or a device name. If the input specifier is a save-set specification on disk, it must include the input save-set qualifier /SAVE_SET.

DECnet node names are allowed only in save-set specifications.

Wildcards are permitted in standard OpenVMS file specifications and in save-set specifications if they are on magnetic tape.

output specifier

Specifies the output for the BACKUP operation. The output specifier, like the input specifier, can be either a standard OpenVMS file specification, a BACKUP save-set specification, or a device name. If the output specifier is a save set on disk, it must include the output save-set qualifier /SAVE_SET.

DECnet node names are allowed only in save-set specifications.

You can use wildcard characters if the output specifier is a Files--11 volume. You cannot use wildcard characters if the output specifier is a BACKUP save set or a volume created by a BACKUP/PHYSICAL or BACKUP/IMAGE operation. For restrictions on the use of wildcard characters in BACKUP commands, see Section 7.3.2.

Description

To invoke online BACKUP, enter an appropriate BACKUP command at the DCL prompt. For instructions on invoking standalone BACKUP, refer to the HP OpenVMS System Manager's Manual.

When you enter a BACKUP command, BACKUP evaluates the input and output specifier and qualifiers to determine the type of operation to perform. BACKUP uses the input specifier to locate the input to the utility and directs output to the output specifier, which can be a file or a save set on disk or a save set on magnetic tape.

After executing the command, BACKUP returns to DCL command level. If you want to halt the execution of a BACKUP command prematurely, press Ctrl/Y. If BACKUP is creating a file when you press Ctrl/Y, the file is closed immediately and only partially created.

You need the user privilege TMPMBX to send messages to operator terminals when using BACKUP in batch mode. If you are performing a save operation to a volume set of sequential disks, you must have the user privilege PHY_IO or LOG_IO to write to a continuation volume. The use of several BACKUP qualifiers also requires privileges; these are noted in the appropriate qualifier descriptions.

Command Qualifier

Specifies that the previous behavior of multiple processing of alias and primary file entries be maintained.

Format

/ALIAS save-set-spec (default)

/NOALIAS

Description

The /ALIAS qualifier maintains the previous BACKUP behavior of treating alias file entries the same as primary file entries. Therefore, a primary file may be processed multiple times by BACKUP if one or more alias file entries reference the same primary file entry.

If you specify /NOALIAS, alias directory and file entries are ignored. Therefore, multiple processing of primary files may be avoided, which saves time and save-set file space. If a restore operation is performed using the /ALIAS qualifier but the save set was created by using the /NOALIAS qualifier, a message is displayed that the /ALIAS qualifier will be ignored.

Command Qualifier

Allows operator or user intervention during a BACKUP operation if a magnetic tape mount request fails or if an operation requires another volume.

Format

/[NO]ASSIST input-specifier output-specifier

Description

The /ASSIST qualifier causes BACKUP to send messages to operator terminals when a failure occurs during a BACKUP mount request or when an operation requires another volume. BACKUP sends messages to operator terminals enabled to receive TAPES and CENTRAL messages. (See the description of the REPLY command in the HP OpenVMS DCL Dictionary for information about enabling and disabling operator terminals.) If a failure occurs, the operator can either abort the operation or correct the error condition and allow the operation to continue.

If no operator terminal is enabled to receive TAPES and CENTRAL messages and to respond to a mount assist request, a message is displayed informing the user of the situation. If a volume is placed in the requested drive, no additional operator response is necessary. Any operator reply to a mount request is written to SYS$OUTPUT. When BACKUP is run interactively, SYS$OUTPUT is the user's terminal. When BACKUP is run in batch mode, SYS$OUTPUT is the batch job log file.

If you specify /NOASSIST, mount messages appear on your terminal and are not sent to the operator.

The default is /ASSIST. The /NOASSIST qualifier has no effect if the logical name SYS$COMMAND points to a device that is not a terminal (as is the case when you run BACKUP in a batch job). Specifying /NOASSIST when BACKUP is run in batch mode has no effect.

Example

$ BACKUP/NOASSIST [PAYROLL]*.*;* MTA1:PAYROLL.BCK/LABEL=WKY101
      

This command mounts the volume labeled WKY101 on the MTA1 tape drive and copies all files in the [PAYROLL] directory to a save set named PAYROLL.BCK. The /NOASSIST qualifier directs BACKUP to send mount messages to your terminal rather than to the operator terminal. The WKY101 label indicates that WKY101 is a weekly BACKUP tape in group 1, volume number 01. (If the volume label of the tape is not WKY101, you can direct BACKUP to write the save set to the tape by choosing the OVERWRITE option at the BACKUP> prompt.)

Input File-Selection Qualifier

Selects files according to the BACKUP date written in the file header record by the BACKUP/RECORD command.

Format

input-specifier/BEFORE=time/BACKUP output-specifier

input-specifier/SINCE=time/BACKUP output-specifier

Description

The /BACKUP qualifier is valid with Files--11 Structure Levels 2 and 5 volumes only and must be used with either the /BEFORE or /SINCE qualifier. You cannot use /BACKUP with the /CREATED, /MODIFIED, or /EXPIRED qualifiers in an image operation or in a physical operation.

The /BACKUP qualifier selects files by comparing the date and time recorded in the BACKUP field of the file header record with the date and time specified with the /BEFORE or /SINCE qualifier. The date and time recorded in the file header record is the date and time the file was last saved or copied using the /RECORD command qualifier.

When you use /BACKUP with /BEFORE, files with a BACKUP date prior to the specified date or time are selected. Files with no BACKUP date (that is, /RECORD was not specified when the file was saved or copied) are also selected.

When you use /BACKUP with /SINCE, files with a BACKUP date equal to or later than the specified date or time are selected. Files with no BACKUP date (that is, /RECORD was not specified when the file was saved or copied) are not selected.

Examples

$ BACKUP/RECORD
_From: [PAYROLL]*.*;*/BEFORE=01-SEP-2002/BACKUP
_To: MTA1:SEP01.BCK
      

In this command, the /BACKUP qualifier combined with the /BEFORE qualifier saves all versions of all files in the directory [PAYROLL] that have a BACKUP date written before September 1, 2002. The command qualifier /RECORD writes the date and time of the save operation to the file header record of each saved file.

$ BACKUP/RECORD [ACCOUNTS...]/SINCE=YESTERDAY/BACKUP MTA1:ACC.BCK
 
      

In this command, the /BACKUP qualifier combined with the /SINCE qualifier saves all files in all subdirectories of [ACCOUNTS] that have a BACKUP date written since yesterday (24 hours before midnight last night). The command qualifier /RECORD writes the date and time of the save operation to the file header record of each saved file.