NovaNET-WEB Open File Manager

The Open File Problem
Do you find that the most critical data in your organization (such as email, databases, accounting, technical support information, intranet applications, etc.) are usually "open" when the backup program is running? When this happens, the result is usually that:

• Files are skipped. Some backup packages will come back later and retry, but most open applications will still be open and, therefore files will get skipped again.
• Users get locked out of their applications. (Clearly, this is not the way to run a business.)
• The backup could get forced. If any changes occur to a file during the backup of that file, parts of the changes might get captured by the backup software while other parts may be in areas of the file that have already been read for the backup. The data will be corrupt.

NovaNET-WEB's Open File Manager Solution
Open File Manager is a utility that enables the NovaNET-WEB backup program to capture open files - even if the files are changing. Users are able to continue using their software, hardware and operating system. The single server license supports Windows 2000/NT 4.0 Servers. The 5 and 25 Workstation licenses support Windows NT 4.0 Workstation and Windows 2000 Professional.

Benefits to Administrator
• Files won't get skipped.
• Users won't get locked out of their applications or chased off the network.
• The copy of data is solid, even if the file was changing during the backup.
• No need to worry about grouping files. Files that need to be "synchronized" are handled simultaneously.
• You can run "verifies" with your backup software program.

How It Works
Open File Manager monitors the file system for read requests coming from a backup software program. When the backup application accesses the file for backup, OFM determines whether the file is in good state. At this point it then begins maintaining a dynamically allocated pre-write cache (in the form of a standard disk file) for all open files in the system. Any file write operation from another application goes directly to the proper file on the system, while a copy of the data that will be overwritten is placed by OFM in the prewrite cache. (Only changed data is cached, not the entire file.) When the backup application's read gets to a part of a file that has been changed during the backup of that file, OFM substitutes the original (pre-write) data to fulfill the read request. The backup copy of the file is consistent with the time at which the backup started.

Open File Manager is configurable to release the pre-write data for a file after it is backed up, after it has been read for the backup applications verify pass, or after the backup application terminates. This provides the network administrator the flexibility to manage system disk space with respect to backup program functionality.

Open File Manager works with leading email, database and other applications such as:
• Dbase
• Lotus Notes
• Lotus cc:Mail
• Microsoft Mail
• Microsoft IIS
• Ingres II
• Sybase
• And Many More...