Experience Zmanda 4.0: Intuitive UI and Enhanced Scalability – Part 2

Schedule plan

For daily work files, databases, and mission-critical systems and data, the more frequent the backup, the better. The scheduler In Zmanda is a functionality that helps schedule a backup or vault job to a specific date/time of the days, weeks, months, year. To create a new schedule user needs to click on the Add Schedule button which opens up a drawer containing various options to create a schedule.

The user has various types of schedules to select which are :

  1. Daily: This type of schedule is for the type of jobs that are to be repeated based on a daily basis as specified by the user.

  2. Weekly: This type of schedule is for the type of jobs that are to be repeated based on a weekly basis as specified by the user.

  3. Monthly by Weeks: This type of schedule is for the type of jobs that are to be repeated based on a monthly basis and on specified weeks as selected by the user.

  4. Monthly by Days: This type of schedule is for the type of jobs that are to be repeated based on a monthly basis and on specified days as selected by the user.

Backup Set

Amanda Backup server configuration is done in terms of backup sets. The backup set is a grouping mechanism that simplifies and optimizes backing up many systems with different backup requirements. It allows an administrator to define and select a set of backup policies (what, how, where, and when) for different backup runs.

In this new version, all ZMC actions (backup, restore, reporting, and monitoring) are performed in the context of backup sets. Backup sets cannot share target media volumes. For example, two backup sets can use the same tape changer simultaneously, but each should have a separate set of slots. The Backup Set page lets you configure and update backup sets.

Vault

Vaulting is the strategy of sending critical data out of the main location (off the main site) as part of a disaster recovery plan. Zmanda gives your essential data an extra layer of protection with vaulting a licensed feature that requires a license to be installed on the Amanda server.  Once the license is installed on the Amanda server you can configure Vault jobs from the Zmanda Management Console(Amanda Enterprise 3.3.4 or later version is required). There are three types of backup level options and a backup run range for vault jobs.

Restore

Data restore makes a usable copy of the data available to replace your lost or damaged data ensuring consistent data backup with the state of the data at a specific point in time before the damage occurred.

Zmanda allows users to configure the conflict resolution policies during the restoration of the file system. Users can select a different option for directory and file name conflicts. Further, on the Restore what page you can choose a single file or a single directory or all directories/ files under a single directory to restore. There are other options like  Restore to and Restore Now to restore your vital data.

Reports

Zmanda automatically generates backup reports after the backup run is completed (or if it fails for some reason). This backup summary report shows statistics about the backup and summarizes any error, warning, or informational messages that were generated during the backup. 

If the Amanda server is configured to send mail, reports can be automatically e-mailed after every backup run.

The Report page is divided into two panels. 

  • A page shows a calendar control from which you can select report dates, a dropdown from which the user can select the required backup set, and a dropdown from which the user can select the category.

  • A panel displays the report for the date selected on the calendar and a legend that explains the report icons. 

Custom Reports

The  Custom Reports tab allows you to create custom reports for a backup set and save them. It also displays the results of backup set runs. In addition to the standard reports, you can configure and save your custom report configurations. The results can be saved as a Comma Separated Value (CSV) file for use in other applications and to generate graphical reports.

Wrapping Up!

Zmanda's latest release provided a much neat user interface and also builds in enhancements to security, data deduplication, centralized multi-site cluster management, Azure storage support, and AWS Glacier storage with archival rules. Are you ready to upgrade to Zmanda 4.0? Do take a demo of Zmanda 4.0 or request a free trial to learn the pace of our new release.