Table of Contents

Taking a backup using a symbolic link to another drive

The procedure below shows you how to take a DataMiner backup to a drive other than C:\ by creating a symbolic link to another drive (e.g. D or E).

Requirements

  • Remote access to the server(s).

    • This access can be either through a VPN connection or a host computer, fully or partially dedicated to the execution of this procedure.

  • Permission to run CMD commands.

Procedure

Check the requirements

Prerequisites

  • Remote access to the system
  • User credentials with administrator rights
  • Permission to run the necessary CMD commands to create symbolic folders
  • Permission to rename folders

Steps

  1. Connect to the system via the designated VPN or host PC.
  2. Check the drive that you will be using.

Create a symbolic folder pointing to another drive

Prerequisites

  • Permission to rename folders
  • Permission to create a new folder on the drive that you will be using
  • Permission to run CMD commands

Steps

  1. Check and modify the name of the original folder that DataMiner uses to take backups: C:\Skyline DataMiner\Backup. The folder should have a different name (e.g. "backup_old").

  2. Copy all the XML, EXE, BKS, JS and DLL files from the old (original) folder to the new (symbolic) folder. If necessary, you can also copy the TXT log files. You should see at least the following files:

    • BackupSettings.xml
    • DataMinerBackup.bks.xml
    • DataMinerBackup.js
    • DataMinerBackup.bks
    • Nest.dll
    • Elasticsearch.Net.dll
    • TakeBackup.exe

  3. Create a new folder on the drive that you want to use. You could, for example, create a folder named Temp-Backup on the E drive.

    • Check whether the new folder has been created.

  4. Open a command window and run the following command:

    mklink /J "C:\Skyline DataMiner\Backup" "E:\Temp-Backup"
    • The following message should appear: Junction created for C:\Skyline DataMiner\Backup <<===>> E:\Temp-Backup
    • In C:\Skyline DataMiner, you should see a new shortcut to a folder named "Backup".

  5. Take the backup and verify that DataMiner is writing to the folder located on the other drive. In the example above, that would be "E".

    • You should see the files in the folder that was created on the other drive.
Note
  • Adapt this procedure to match your local drives. In most cases, you will only have to modify the folder on the "other" drive, not the folder that DataMiner uses as a temporary folder (C:\Skyline DataMiner\Backup).
  • This procedure can be performed at any time. Nothing will be affected on a production system.

Time estimate

Item Activity Duration
1 Check the local folder structure. 5 min.
2 Rename the existing folder, create a new folder, and copy files to the new symbolic folder. 5 min.
3 Run the necessary commands. 5 min.
4 Check the results. 5 min.
Propose changes