backing up server from command line

[md9000]

Hi,
I was needing to do a nightly backup of all the user accounts, settings, mail, etc. and know how to do this manually.
Is there any way to do a backup automatically, say, from the command line (batch files or scripts)?
Can I just copy the folders, or is this more involved?
TIA

[rob]

Currently our backup system cannot be automated (something to be added in the future) but you can indeed just backup the files. Basically, if you haven't changed any of the file paths, you need only copy the installation folder, but it may be better to use real third party backup software. Now I should note that when the mail server is live, the files will be accessed regularly so the backup is not guaranteed to be 'perfect' every time, but so far many users have implemented such a method and we have no reports of problems caused by this.

[robertlee]

Have a look at Novabackup workstation, for AMS running on 2000/XP (non servers), it will handle open files so your email server can run 24/7 while it does teh backup to CD/DVD/Tape/Disk, we use this for small business/home business customers and works a treat for $50.

http://www.novastor.com

[waterman34]

Personally I wouldn't use the novabackup, I tested it on my backup mail server and it wouldn't even work properly on that, my personal opinion being that I could never trust it to backup my servers if it can't work on a simple system!

I use Acronis True Image 9.1 Server for Windows from here - http://eu.acronis.com/

It might be a little expensive but it's the stuff. I've had a couple of 'moments' in the 8 months since I've been running it and it's restored whatever nessaccary without any problems at all. My advice if you want a real good backup solution is to use this.

[alanj]

We use robocopy a free command line backup tool from Microsoft. We schedule this command to run at 3am and a full back is done of all email and folders to a network drive using the mirror command /MIR only the changes are copied over and any mails that have been deleted are also removed for the backup. takes less the 20 minutes to complete after the initial (first backup) is done.

I don’t have it with me now but will be happy to share the command line combination we use if anyone wants it .

Regards

Alan

[m1byo]

Alan,

I have been using this Robocopy application for approximatley 3 months without too many issues. however I am sure that this backing up has caused the mail server to crash on 2 occasions in this 3 months.

Have you had any problems with the backups causing AMS to crash for you?

Thanks

Ian