Backing up Jive Messenger

I’'m using Jive Messenger with the built-in database on a Windows box.

Assuming a worse case scenario, where (for example) the box crashed completely and I had to rebuild or perhaps reinstall onto another box:

a) what files, specifically, do I need to back up that would contain the full configuration and directories of the Jive Messenger server (but without backing up the entire Jive application folder)?

b) can those files be backed while the server is running (i.e. without getting “file is busy” errors or not corrupting the database)? Ideally, I could then just run a little .bat file to backup the files weekly.

I personally do a mysqldump on a daily basis. All the vital information is stored there, I think. You may also want to get a copy of log directory if you use message auditing. Again, this is what I do personaly and haven’'t had any problems.

I back up everything but the JRE directory. I’‘ve not had any “locked open” files or corruption. I’'ve never asked, but assumed, that i really only needed the CONF, EMBEDDED DB and PLUGINS directories. Leaving the JRE directory out was just a question of size. Most of the size on the full installation was that directory and i was trying to squeeze Jive in.

The two things I would backup are: the database and the conf directory. Everything else can just be reinstalled.

I doubt that the database can be backed up while JM is running, so I’'d just add a stop/start to your .bat file when you do the backup:

net stop “Jive Messenger”

backup all your files

net start “Jive Messenger”

I’‘m not an HSQLDB expert (that’‘s the embedded DB), so you’'ll have to get Matt or Gaston to confirm whether or not you can backup the DB while JM is running.

I would assume there to be no problem backing it up when the server is running. Worst case is there are a few scheduled transactions that aren’‘t written before you make the copy (meaning, you don’'t acquire an exclusive lock on the db files) … but you would just pick up those updates in the next scheduled backup.