Running command files during a backup
You can use command files (.exe, .cmd, .bat) during a backup. You can use command files to integrate Arctera System Recovery with other backup routines that you might be running on the computer. You can also use command files to integrate with other applications that use a drive on the computer.
Note: You cannot run the command files that include a graphical user interface, such as notepad.exe. Running such command files causes the backup job to fail.
You can run a command file during any of the following stages during the creation of a recovery point:
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Run before snapshot creation
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Run after snapshot creation
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Run after recovery point creation
When you use command files (.exe, .cmd, .bat) during a backup, stop and then restart non-VSS-aware databases.
To use a Visual Basic script file (.vbs) during a backup, you can create a batch file (.bat) to run the script. Arctera System Recovery runs any script using a high privilege account. When the command files are to be located at a place other than the default location, the
Command Files folder specifies the location of these files.
Note: Arctera recommends that only high privilege users or an administrator have the permission to modify a backup script and access theCommand Filesfolder.
For example, you can create a batch file called Stop.bat that contains the following syntax:
Cscript script_filename.vbs
Make sure that
Cscript precedes the file name of the Visual Basic script.
Warning: The command files cannot depend on any user interaction or have a visible user interface. You should test all command files independently of Arctera System Recovery before you use them during a backup.
When the backup begins, the command file is run during the specified stage. The backup is stopped if an error occurs while a command file is running. Or, the backup is stopped if the command file does not finish in the time you specified (regardless of the stage). In either case, the command file is terminated (if necessary), and the error information is logged and displayed.
Related information
Table: Command files options
| Option | Description |
|---|---|
| Command files folder | Lets you specify the location of command files. You can also specify a location on a per-job basis, as well as specify a location that can be shared among several computers. If you specify a network location, you are prompted for network credentials. |
| Note: All command files must exist in the specified folder. | |
| Browse | Lets you browse to locate a folder for any command files that you want to use. |
| User name | Lets you specify the user name to a command file folder that is located in a network path. |
| Password | Lets you specify the password to a command file folder that is located in a network path. |
| Run before snapshot creation | Indicates that you can run a command file after a backup has started and before a recovery point is created. You can run a command during this stage to prepare for the recovery point creation process. For example, you can close any open applications that are using the drive. |
| Note: If you use this option, be sure that the command file has an error recovery mechanism that is built into it. If the computer has one or more services that must be stopped at this stage, and the command file does not contain any form of error recovery, one or more of the stopped services may not be restarted. For example, stopping a non-VSS aware database or a resource-intensive application. An error in the command file can cause the recovery point creation process to stop immediately. No other command files can run. SeeHow to use Arctera System Recovery. | |
| Run after snapshot creation | Indicates that you can run a command file after a snapshot is created. Running a command during this stage is a safe point to allow services to resume on the drive while continuing the recovery point creation. |
| Because the snapshot takes only a few seconds to create, the database is in the backup state momentarily. A minimal number of log files are created. | |
| Run after recovery point creation | Indicates that you can run a command file after the recovery point file is created. You can run a command during this stage to act on the recovery point itself. For example, you can copy it to an offline location. |
| Timeout (applies to each stage) | Lets you specify the amount of time (in seconds) that a command file is allowed to run. |