How do I backup root folders such as /var/spool/imap/ ?

[zimbakin]

I need to backup IMAP accounts on a server, however, Retrospect does not appear to allow me to see core root folders such as /var/spool/imap/user etc. Any ideas on how to back these up would be greatly appreciated.

[waltr]

hi andr07,

 

there is no /var directory on OS X. /var is a symbolic link to /private/var.

 

try backing up /private/var

[rhwalker]

In addition to waltr's [correct] observation, there's also the issue of trying to backup a live server's (Cyrus?) database, and trying to get a self-consistent snapshot. You may want to set up a Retrospect "trigger script" in your Retrospect Event Handler for taking a quiescent snapshot (duplicate) of the mail database with the Mail Services turned off (via AppleScript) before doing the snapshot and then back on after Retrospect has completed the snapshot. That keeps the mail server down for a minimum amount of time and gets a consistent snapshot that can then be backed up to tape as a part of the backup of selected portions of the server's disk. You may instead (with a little more work) have the mail snapshot taken by some of the mail backup scripts at AFP548.com (which stop/start the mail services), and then have Retrospect back up the mail backup snapshots.

 

Think a bit about it and you will come to realize the difficulty of trying to back up a live server. If the backed-up Cyrus database is inconsistent (made while the mail services are active), then you will have a corrupt mail database when you try to do the restore.

 

Hope this helps,

 

Russ

[waltr]

hi russ,

 

yes, this is spot on. good advice.

 

here's a Cyrus wiki on backup:

 

http://cyrusimap.web.cmu.edu/twiki/bin/view/Cyrus/Backup

[zimbakin]

Thanks all for your great help and advice.