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12.01 Backing up

Protecting your Work from Loss…

As with all databases, backing up (making copies for safety) is absolutely essential. Computers DO FAIL, but by systematically backing up your database the likelihood of losing data is greatly reduced.

NOTE:   Each time you choose to backup the LibCode Suite, you are backing up everything you have done up to that point in the whole suite.  So any one Backup Set contains ALL the information entered into the whole suite.

For more information on our Backup Policy and using the Backup/ Restore menu in Utilities click here.

There are three ways to create backups of critical information:

Backup (Main Backup) – System Maintenance and Data copy:

  • Done at the end of each day.
  • Packs and Re-indexes the entire database.
  • Updating used thesaurus records.
  • Cleaning up loans.
  • Checking for orphan records.
  • Adjusting copy number to match number of active barcodes.
  • Backing up all data and index files.
  • Makes a copy of important files into a BACKUP folder under the software working folder.

Click here for instructions on how to do the Main Backup.

Alternate Backup – Local copy as Network failsafe:

  • The fail safe copy or CMESafe is a mirror image of the working folder and can be updated regularly throughout the day.  Unlike the the Backup option, the alternate backup does not need exclusive use of the database (as it does not perform the housekeeping tasks).
  • A standard setup would see P:CMEPlus as the working folder (shared from a File Server) and D:CMESafe on a partition of the local hard drive on the Main Circulation computer… if the whole network failed this is the computer that you would like to see keep running until all is made well again.
  • CMESafe normally exists on either the main library computer or the server, depending on the installation option chosen.  If you’re using a peer to peer network within the library the CMEPlus folder (Or main copy of LibCode Suite) will be installed on the circulation computer and the CMESafe (fail safe copy of LibCode Suite) is located on the C: of another computer (possibly the data entry machine).
  • The locations stated above are the usual setups run by the majority of organisations, however they may vary from time to time depending on hardware and intended use.
  • Use Folder CMESafe on D: Drive for MOE.

Click here for instructions on how to do the Alternate Backup.

External Backup:

  • Use external backup to copy data only to flash drives (at least two).
  • Use the add date folder here only .. places backup in e.g. 20070402
  • Delete some older folders when drive is full.

Click here for instructions on how to do the External Backup

Error Messages During Backup

What happens if LibCode becomes ‘Locked’?

If LibCode is locked go to help and remove the lock option – this happens because LibCode was terminated during a back up.