How to backup IMG / GCEMS

Introduction   

 It is highly recommended to have a current backup of the GCEMS server and configuration at all times. This article provides an overview of the considerations customers should take into account when designing their backup strategy.

If you are planning an upgrade of the IMG software, please see How to correctly backup GCEMS files when upgrading IMG software versions

What to back up   

Broadly speaking, there are two choices when deciding what to back up: Either create a backup image of the whole server hard drive, or back up the IMG configuration and licenses only. A combination of both of these can also be considered.

1. Back up the server hard drive

If you decide to generate an image of the whole hard drive as your backup, make sure you take new configuration backups each time you make a configuration change. When you need to restore a backup, restore the complete image first, then replace the /opt/dialogic/common/config folder with the one from you newest configuration backup.

2. Back up the IMG configuration

The minimum you should back up are the following:

• IMG configuration: back up the whole 

/opt/dialogic/common/config folder and all subfolders

• IMG licenses: located in 

/opt/dialogic/common/license

Before generating the configuration backup, either save the configuration in ClientView by selecting File -> Save Configuration File, or close ClientView and select "Yes" when asked if you want to save the configuration. Either of these steps will save the current IMG configuration to a file with a .csa suffix. Otherwise the .csa file will not be updated automatically after making configuration changes and will contain an outdated config.

After backing up the license files, further backups are not necessary unless a license upgrade is purchased. Note that there are no licenses associated with the GCEMS server. The licenses apply to the IMGs controlled by that particular GCEMS.

Other considerations

1. If a complete hard drive back up is not taken, it is a good idea to back up any Linux system files that may have been modified, including dhcpd.conf, ntpd.conf and /etc/hosts. Alternatively, keep a record of the information entered in these files (IMG MAC and IP addresses, host names,etc) so that  the files can be modified quickly if the need arises.

Additionally, if you are running Cacti, MRTG and/or RADIUS on the GCEMS server, back up the data related to these applications too.

2. If only the configuration has been backed up, and you have to reinstall the whole server in case of a failure, you will need the installation media (CDs or DVD) of the Linux Operating System (these are not provided by Dialogic), the IMG software (GCEMS, ClientView and IMG firmware files), the license files and the contents of the 

/opt/dialogic/common/config folder. Ensure that all of these available before any failure.

3. You cannot import a configuration on an IMG software version that is older than the version that the configuration had been created with. If you try and do so, the import will fail. Ensure that you have the IMG software installer files of at least the same version as the configuration has been created with. There is no problem importing an older configuration into a newer IMG software version.4. The folders 

/opt/dialogic/common/backup and /opt/dialogic/common/zipfiles on the GCEMS server are NOT full backups and should not be used as a back up of your system. These folders contain archived log files, and logs of configuration changes that Dialogic Support can use to investigate problems.

Product List:

Dialogic IMG 1010 Integrated Media Gateway