Backing Up Server

[DrZeddy 9]

Well I think I have finished my app to back up the server.

I'm just performing scheduled back ups on a once daily basis using the app.

Once I am happy that the backups are performing successfully then I will post the app in case other server owners would like to use it.

I did notice in the logs that the occasion BIN file failed to back up.

I resolved this by increasing the wait/delay before trying again.

Once the current phase of testing is complete,

that will leave only the multiple/repeat backups, once every user defined interval (minimum interval 1 hour up to maximum interval of 8 hours).

 

I would welcome any feedback since its my first attempt at this sort of thing.

 

Photos follow.

PS. I do not know how to package the app for distribution yet (installation package).

But I will address that once the last bit of testing is complete.

 

Home Tab

Spoiler

This is the home page if you can call it that.

Whilst on the home page, monitoring is active.

 

If your server files are not in the program files folder, then you can see if the program files server files have been updated and compare it to your server version (bottom right of photo)

 

My Settings Tab

Spoiler

The global settings applicable to all tasks (backup jobs) created

 

 

My Tasks Tab

Spoiler

The tasks tab is where you create and manage your back up jobs

 

 

My Completed Back Ups Tab

Spoiler

The my completed backups tab lists all the completed back ups made using the app.

 

 

Active Task Tab

Spoiler

The active tasks tab shows the currently in progress back up job as it is occurring, the details are also logged to the DayzBak.Log logfile

Depending on your settings the amount of files backed up can range from tens of files to hundreds of files.

 

[John Mccalum 0]

so I say bravo !!!! I can not wait for it to be available

[ItsJonnyB 0]

I guess this software is away soon because you used a lot of pictures you don't have the rights for.

We use this sofware. It's amazing and can do everything <3

 

 

[__RaDaR__ 2]

DrZeddy,

Looks good do you have an option to only retain backup files for X number of days? otherwise you could have months worth of backups bloating the server.

Good work man, I am looking forward to having a look at this.

 

[DrZeddy 9]

16 hours ago, ItsJonnyB said:

I guess this software is away soon because you used a lot of pictures you don't have the rights for.

We use this sofware. It's amazing and can do everything <3

 

 

 

The images used are only place holders, there are no more 4 images in the app (those you see on the home tab)

I have replaced them already with newer images created by myself and not anyone's else's copyright.

[DrZeddy 9]

Thank you for the feedback, both positive and negative, even though its only photo's right now.

 

Thank You Radar for the Idea of saving the back ups for a limited amount of days.

I never paid any attention to the space taken since I use a 1TB SSD on the dedicated server.

None the less it is something that will add value and make it beneficial for the end users.

So this weekend will be busy while I try to implement the changes.

 

For the time being I will disable the REPEAT backup feature which enables the app to make back ups every N Hours

and instead will leave it at once daily until I get to package the app for others to try and test and use and hopefully receive more feedback.

I'm hoping to get all this done for Sunday (tomorrow). And after that I will work on the repeat feature once again.

 

So fingers crossed lol.

 

By the way, just to clarify a point,

The app does not do anything else aside from back up your server files (a specific folder is copied from source folder to dest folder).

It will not re-start the server or pause the server or anything else, nor will it interact with the server.

Its just a dedicated and simplified scheduler for copying files from folder A to folder B.

This is done by using a timer object in the form.

 

[DrZeddy 9]

I'm happy to say my app is finished.

Version 1.00

 

I have uploaded it to my dayz server website.

http://www.jd-uk-dsf-gaming.co.uk/ServerBackUpTool.Aspx

If you get redirected to the home page,

Please scroll to the bottom and in the footer you will see a link titled DayzBak Tool

 

Thank you for trying it and remember it's FREE!

 

PS
I notice that I forgot to state that it is only for the local machine (your own pc)
The tool does NOT work over the internet and cannot backup remote servers.

 

Edited January 21, 2019 by DrZeddy
Added footnote for usability clarification

[KILLJOY13 2]

Works perfectly, Thanks for sharing!

[DrZeddy 9]

*** IMPORTANT ***

Please note... 

Looking through the logfile DayzBak.Log in the application folder, I noticed that occasionally one of the. Bin files fails to be backed up, because it is in use by the game. 

When I get home from work, I will be looking at resolving this issue. 

Therefore, for the time being, please do not rely on this as your sole backup, 

Please keep a contingency plan B. 

 

Thank You for any and all feedback. 

Jaan Doh. 

 

[mrwolv 46]

looks great is there a way to run a backup every 30 mins ?

Edited January 28, 2019 by mrwolv

[DrZeddy 9]

On 1/28/2019 at 1:31 PM, mrwolv said:

looks great is there a way to run a backup every 30 mins ?

Hiya mrwolv,

 

Thanks for your question,

I will try to implement that into the next build.

 

In the meantime, I have tried to create some basic information for the app.

And more importantly, I have fixed the issue where already open files (files in use by the game) were not being copied.

So since I have resolved this it is advisable to download the updated version.

 

Additionally, I have taken some of the settings out of the global settings and moved them in to the task settings.
This means that when selecting which files to back-up, rather than being global settings that affect all tasks,
The user can set different options for each task.

Finally, I moved the back up tool out of my dayz server website into its own website

http://www.jaandohs-dayzbak.co.uk/

 

Thank you for any feedback and hopefully with more feedback I can progress the tool as time allows.

 

[DrZeddy 9]

I've now completed the changes necessary to backup some of the serve files on 15 minute intervals.

 

Please Note:

When a file cannot simply be copied because it is open in the game,

The file copy action is retried the amount of times you have set in the global settings field Max File Write Retries

There is a 1 second delay between each retry, therefore only files of a specific format can be backed up and not the whole server when using backup repeat intervals of less than 1 hour.

To be specific, the files types highlighted in the image above in red ellipses.

 

Finally:

Please let me have your feedback and if you come across any issues,  please let me know so I can resolve them.

Since the last update, the persistence files seem to have increased in number.

Please keep this in mind.

On my server, each partial backup of all of the files highlighted in red above consumes just under 90Mb

 

 

 

 

Edited February 16, 2019 by DrZeddy
corrected typo

[mrwolv 46]

new versions dont work for me just crashed the program or it wont load 😞

Edited March 1, 2019 by mrwolv

[DrZeddy 9]

On 3/1/2019 at 8:09 PM, mrwolv said:

new versions dont work for me just crashed the program or it wont load 😞

 

 

Hiya mrwolv,

 

Please try to delete the settings and tasks files then run the app again.

I guess because I have amended the settings and tasks they  either need to right or not there at all.

The file names are:

Settings.Cfg

Tasks.Cfg

 

I have found a bug where, when saving the tasks after deleting one of the tasks, the remaining tasks are NOT re-indexed from 0 upwards.

This caused an issue and I am waiting to get some free time to make the bug fixes.

 

The work around for the bug I mentioned above is to delete the tasks and settings files then amend your settings and define a new task.

 

 

 

 

 

[mrwolv 46]

22 hours ago, DrZeddy said:

 

 

Hiya mrwolv,

 

Please try to delete the settings and tasks files then run the app again.

I guess because I have amended the settings and tasks they  either need to right or not there at all.

The file names are:

Settings.Cfg

Tasks.Cfg

 

I have found a bug where, when saving the tasks after deleting one of the tasks, the remaining tasks are NOT re-indexed from 0 upwards.

This caused an issue and I am waiting to get some free time to make the bug fixes.

 

The work around for the bug I mentioned above is to delete the tasks and settings files then amend your settings and define a new task.

 

 

 

 

 

i reinstalled the new latest version and it just gives me memory errors and crashes it there is not settings or tasks there and i cannot even load the program    http://prntscr.com/mt8kbm      http://prntscr.com/mt8lgk

Edited March 4, 2019 by mrwolv