Restoring NSF databases to an alternate server

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Instructions for how to restore NSF databases to an alternate server are described.

About this task

This procedure describes how to use an alternate server to restore logged databases.

Production Server Domino® Environment
  • Installation directory: D:\Lotus\Domino
  • Data Directory: D:\Lotus\Domino\Data
  • Database to be restored: restoredb.nsf
Alternate Server Domino Environment
  • Installation directory: E:\Lotus\Domino
  • Data Directory: E:\Lotus\Domino\Data

Procedure

  1. Install Domino server on a separate system.
    1. The level of Domino server that is installed must be the same as on the production server. Do not configure this Domino server.
    2. If you are using an existing Domino server, make sure that the server is stopped.
  2. Install Data Protection for IBM® Domino on the same system. Run the following tasks:
    1. Update the dsm.opt file so it contains the same settings as the one on the production server.
    2. Verify that you can successfully run the domdsmc q adsm command.
  3. Create the following directories on the alternate server:
    1. A directory to contain the restored databases. If you are using an existing directory, make sure that the directory is empty.
      For example:E:\Lotus\Domino\Data\restoredb
    2. A directory to contain the restored log files. If you are using an existing directory, make sure that the directory is empty.
      For example: F:\alternatelog
  4. Create a notes.ini file on the alternate server with the following values: [Notes] Directory=<directory for restored databases> KeyFilename=<directory for restored databases>\server.id TRANSLOG_Status=0 TRANSLOG_Style=1 TRANSLOG_Path=<directory for restored transaction logs> TRANSLOG_MEDIAONLY=1. This notes.ini file can be stored in any directory of your choice.
    1. If you place the notes.ini file in the alternate server data directory, save a copy of the existing notes.ini file.
      For example:rename notes.ini notes.save
    2. If you place the notes.ini file in a directory other than the alternate server data directory, update the Data Protection for HCL Domino preferences file, domdsm.cfg, to point to the location of the notes.ini file: DOMDSMC SET Notesinipath=<directory for notes.ini>
    3. This notes.ini file is used only during this alternate server restore process. Note, transaction logging is disabled.
      For example, E:\Lotus\Domino\notes.ini[Notes] Directory=E:\Lotus\Domino\Data\restoredb KeyFilename=E:\Lotus\Domino\Data\restoredb\server.id TRANSLOG_Status=0 TRANSLOG_Style=1 TRANSLOG_Path=F:\alternatelog TRANSLOG_MEDIAONLY=1
  5. Place a copy of the server.id file, from the production Domino server, on the alternate server in the directory that is created for restored databases.
  6. Run an archive of the transaction log on the production server.
    For example: domdsmc archivelog To use the Data Protection for HCL Domino GUI, run the domdsm command, archive the transaction log, and then close the GUI.
  7. Restore one of the following on the alternate server:
    1. The last archived transaction log file is the transaction log file to be used in the log recovery procedure.
      For example: domdsmc restorelogarchive. To use the Data Protection for HCL Domino GUI, run the domdsm command, restore the transaction log, then close the GUI.
    2. A transaction log file to be restored from an old Logger ID. This might be necessary if you are trying to restore and apply transactions for a logged database that used an old Logger ID. Run the restorelogarchive command with the pick option, and choose the wanted log extent.
      For example: domdsmc restorelogarchive logname /pick=showall
  8. On the alternate server, modify the notes.ini file to enable transaction logging: TRANSLOG_Status=1. This is the notes.ini file that is created in Step 3 for the alternate server restore process only.
    Note: The HCL Domino server must be restarted and then stopped so that it can recognize the changes that are made to the notes.ini file.
  9. On the alternate server, restore but do not activate the databases that you want to recover to their latest state.
    Activation at this step triggers the Domino transaction log recovery process, which requires considerable processing time. For example,domdsmc restore restoredb.nsf. To use the Data Protection for HCL Domino GUI, run the domdsm command, restore the restoredb.nsf database, then close the GUI.
  10. On the alternate server, activate the databases you are recovering and apply transaction logs.
    For example, domdsmc activate /applylogs. To use the Data Protection for HCL Domino GUI, run the domdsm command, activate, and apply logs to the restoredb.nsf database, then close the GUI.
  11. Now you can do the following tasks:
    • Copy the recovered databases to the production Domino server, or
    • Access the recovered databases through a remote Notes® client to copy individual documents.
    Do not attempt to open or access the restored databases with the alternate Domino server if the databases are to be copied to the production Domino server. If you access them with the alternate Domino server, they require corrections to resolve inconsistencies on the production Domino server.
  12. If the Domino server used for the recovery is a configured server and you saved the notes.ini file, copy that notes.save file back to notes.ini to be able to start the server.