Feature - Minimize Open Files by Elliott Defer Processing
Release Date: 7/14/2023
Version: 8.63.714 & Up
Background
The primary purpose of this enhancement is allow XCOPY to back up Elliott's data. Some users may choose to accomplish this by using XCOPY at nighttime through Task Scheduler. See below:
The following is a sample of BAT file content executed by the backup schedule. It will copy the content on D: drive to E: drive for archive purposes. E: drive can accommodate a large volume with "compression" turned on to allow more space to archive.
@Echo Off
REM the monthly AWS backup is on 1st Sunday of every month of 1:00AM
REM It will create an AMI image of each AWS server
REM This bat file is to for DB1 D: drive executed on DB1 server at 11:00PM
REM It will first copy some files from company 1 to company 3
REM Then it will copy the entire D: drive to E:\Backup\D\? folder
REM Where ? is 1 - 5 represent Monday-Friday or 1ST or 15TH represent the day of the Month
If .%1.==.. Goto Help
d:
cd \acct\elliott7
xcopy data\arcusfil.btr data_03 /c /y
xcopy data\syatrfil.btr data_03 /c /y
xcopy data\syattrib.btr data_03 /c /y
xcopy data\syusridx.btr data_03 /c /y
e:
cd \backup\d\%1
rd start
md start
xcopy d:\*.* e:\backup\d\%1 /s /d /c /y
rd end
md end
Goto End
:Help
Echo . db1backup.bat format
Echo .
Echo . db1backup day
Echo . where day = 1-5 (day of the week) or 1ST or 15TH (day of the month)
Echo .
:End
@Echo On
The XCOPY backup is different from the regular backup. A regular backup may work with VSS (Volume Shadowing Copy Service) and hence can successfully complete a backup even if there are open files. On the other hand, XCOPY can copy the entire directory and file structure to a different destination, thereby allowing users to access archive copies easily through Windows Explorer.
In older operating systems, when you use XCOPY to copy an open file by the PSQL engine, you may be able to copy. However, if the file was in the middle of being updated, the copied file may be corrupted. In newer Windows operating systems, when you use XCOPY to copy an open file by the PSQL engine, you may receive a "Sharing Violation" message and the open file will be skipped. From our observation, it seems Windows server 2019 or after will receive a "Sharing Violation." However, we have observed that some Windows 2019 servers won't receive a "Sharing Violation" when copying open files, while others may receive a "Sharing Violation." We still don't know the exact conditions under which the "Sharing Violation" message occurs.
We advise Elliott users to logout at nighttime. For Elliott users that do not logout at night, this will leave Elliott files open and hence cause the backup process to skip those open files. On the other hand, if users use Defer Processing, the defer user has to open some Elliott files.
Defer Processing Before This Update
The Defer Processing function before this update opened the following Elliott files:
- DEFEREML.BTR: Defer Processing Email File
- DEFERWIN.BTR: Defer Processing Queue File
- NOTE.BTR: Note File
- PRINTDTL.BTR: Printer Detail File
- ROOTNOTE.BTR: Root Note File
- SYACTLOG.BTR: System Activity Log File
- SYATTRIB.BTR: System Attribute File
- SYCONREL.BTR: System Contact Relationship File
- SYCONTCT.BTR: System Contact File
- SYEVENT.BTR: System Event Master File
- SYEVTACD.BTR: System Event Action Detail File
- SYEVTACT.BTR: System Event Action File
- SYEVTHST.BTR: System Event History File
- SYEVTQUD.BTR: System Event Queue Detail File
- SYEVTQUE.BTR: System Event Queue File
- SYLNKFIL.BTR: System Link File
- SYUSERS.BTR: System Users File (Security Related)
Defer Processing After This Update
The Defer Processing after this update (8.63.714 & after) will open the following files:
- DEFEREML.BTR: Defer Processing Email File
- DEFERWIN.BTR: Defer Processing Queue File
- SYUSERS.BTR: System Users File (Security Related)
While we can't eliminate all open files with Defer Processing, we can significantly eliminate most of the open files by using Defer Processing. Note the above open files are those files open when Defer Processing is in the waiting mode. If Defer Processing is actively processing a task, then a lot more Elliott files will be opened to process that task. Therefore, you should make sure your Defer Processing schedule does not conflict with the XCOPY backup schedule.
EMK
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