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Interbase Backup Validation

We have a custom backup solution utilizing the ibx controls in Delphi to perform nightly automatic backups. As part of our current validation for a successful backup, we read the output logs generated by the backup looking for the "closing file, committing and finishing" verbiage that's last in the log file. Additionally we perform a full restore to a separate area to ensure the ibk file is valid. That's turning out to be problematic in terms of available drive space so looking for other ideas to make sure the backup is successful.

How else might we ensure that our ibk file is valid?

Solution

  • Jeff, Not sure what your database size or backup file size is, and if they are too big for the remaining disk space. Can you share the database and backup size details?

    Older InterBase (2017 and earlier) had a way for the command line tool, gbak, to pipe the output from the backup to another gbak process restoring from the backup. This would allow you to save the disk space on the backup file. But, since you are using the IBX backup/restore service, this is not possible. Also, InterBase 2020 has a different backup format which requires random (not sequential) write access to the backup file, thereby not allowing any pipe output even via the 'gbak' command line tool.

    Here are a couple of ways to "reduce" the disk storage requirements that may work for you.

    ** Backup file **

    1. You can have the InterBase backup service (from your application) store the target backup file in an external storage medium (HDD, USB stick etc., or a SAN disk/network file share). The backup/restore service can read/write backup file(s) from network shares/external medium.

    ** Restored database **

    1. When restoring the database you can use the service parameter option UseAllSpace (http://docwiki.embarcadero.com/Libraries/Sydney/en/IBX.IBServices.TRestoreOptions), equivalent to gbak option "-use_all_space". This will save you about 20% space on restored data pages.
    2. Turn off index creation, thereby reducing page consumption (possibly quite a bit depending on your index definitions). But, you will lose index validation because of this. "DeactivateIndexes" option (gbak option "-inactive") in the same page above.
    3. Restore the database to a remote InterBase server with its own storage medium, or, to an attached USB stick or SAN disk. Since you are using the restored database only for validating the backup file, you can have this restored database on a slower I/O medium or a slower server over the network.