Backup
This topic explains how to back up data in FlowForce Server. There are two possible options:
•From the Web administration interface. This type of backup includes only configuration data: jobs, credentials, deployed MapForce mappings and StyleVision transformations, resources, AS2 certificates, AS2 partners. It does not include application settings or users. Any FlowForce Server user can import and export configuration data if their permissions on the respective object allow it.
•Administrative backup of the application data directory. This approach requires access to the FlowForce Server instance-data directory on the machine where FlowForce Server is installed. The application data directory includes all the data from the previous point as well as users and roles, including users and roles imported from a Directory Service such as Active Directory. The application data directory also includes application-level settings, such as email or LDAP server settings, password policies, cluster settings
Note: This topic does not cover backup and recovery of data external to FlowForce Server, such as files or directories that are input/output to jobs, FlowForce resources or local file-based databases. You will need to back up this data separately. It is recommended to keep all such external data (if possible) in the same directory for easier backup and maintenance.
Useful tips
In case you want to migrate data to a new machine in the future or restore it from a backup, the tips below will help you carry over data more easily:
•It is recommended to configure LicenseServer to have a fallback second server. For details, see the LicenseServer documentation (https://www.altova.com/documentation).
•It is recommended that all jobs should use standalone (not inline) credentials. If you are using local (inline) credentials in jobs, all such jobs will have to be edited on a new server machine to match the user credentials linked to that operating system. By contrast, if you are using standalone credentials, you will only need to edit the standalone credentials on the new server machine.
•If you are running mapping functions deployed from MapForce, consider referring to file and folder paths and databases using resources instead of absolute references.
•As an alternative to creating and maintaining users and roles directly in FlowForce Server, you might want to use Windows Active Directory or another LDAP Server with support for Directory Services. For details, see Changing the Directory Service Settings.
Partial backup from the Web administration interface
To perform a backup of selected objects, log in to the FlowForce Web administration interface, and use the Export functionality. To restore data, use the Import functionality.
Note: You can import configuration data into a FlowForce Server instance that is of the same or later version than the one from where data was exported. Importing configuration data into an earlier version of FlowForce Server may work but should be avoided.
Backup of all FlowForce application data
The backup of all application data involves creating a copy of the FlowForce Server database (INSTANCEDIR) in a safe location from which you can later restore it, if necessary. To save time and disk space, you will want the INSTANCEDIR directory to be as compact as possible. You can achieve this by performing the following optional steps before the actual backup:
1. Archive the old log records by creating a job that runs the archive-log function.
2. Delete old log records by creating a job that runs the truncate-log function.
3. Delete unused files by creating a job that runs the cleanup-files function.
4. Run the FlowForce Server executable with the compactdb function.
You can now proceed with the actual backup as follows:
1. Stop both the FlowForce Server and FlowForce Web Server services. Depending on your operating system, the instructions vary. For details, see Set Up FlowForce Server.
2. Create a copy of the INSTANCEDIR in a safe directory (preferably on a different machine or disk). By convention, we will call this copy INSTANCEDIR_BACKUP in subsequent steps (see Data Restoration and Migration).
The private.db file in the INSTANCEDIR contains sensitive information, such as passwords and private keys. Ensure that the backup is stored in a secure location.