Backing Up Data › Options for Backup Jobs › Global Backup Job Options › Pre/Post Options

Pre/Post Options

Pre and Post options let you run commands before and after jobs execute.

The list that follows describes commands that you can run using Pre and Post options.

• You can use the Pre option to stop the application that owns the data you are about to back up, and then use the Post option to restart the application after the backup is complete.
• You can use the Pre option to defragment a disk before a backup job starts.
• You can use the Post option to delete files from a disk after that backup is complete.

Be aware of the following behavior when using Pre and Post options:

• CA ARCserve Backup does not support running commands with executables that reside on remote systems.
• Using a Pre option and specifying an exit code prevents the backup operation from starting until after the Pre option process is complete.
• Using a Pre option and specifying an exit code and the Skip Operation option causes CA ARCserve Backup to skip the backup operation and, if specified, prevents the Post option process from starting.
• Post option processes start unless the following conditions are present:
  • An exit code is specified, the Skip Post Application option is specified, and the result exit code is equal to the exit code specified.
  • The result of the backup operation is equal to the value specified for the Do not run Command if option.
• Pre and Post options specified as global options run commands before a job starts or after a job finishes. Pre and Post options specified as node-level (local) options run commands before a node is backed up or after a node is backed up.

  For example, a user submits a backup job consisting of nodes A and B. A Pre option is specified as a global option and a Pre option is specified for node B. Immediately before the job runs, the global Pre option executes. While the job is running, the Pre option specified for node B executes before node B is backed up.

• Run Command Before Operation Options

  Enter the path to and name of the file to be executed on the machine before the job takes off.

  • On Exit Code--CA ARCserve Backup detects exit codes of other programs. You can specify the following options for a particular exit code:
    • Run Job Immediately--The job runs immediately if the selected exit code is returned.
    • Skip Job--The job does not run if the appropriate exit code is detected.
    • Skip Post Application--Skip any commands specified to run after the job if the appropriate code is detected.
  • Delay in Minutes--Specify the delay in which CA ARCserve Backup waits before running a job when the appropriate exit code is detected.
• Run Command After Operation Options

  Enter the path and name of the file to be executed on the machine after the job is completed.

• Do Not Run Command If Options

  Specify for a command not to run if CA ARCserve Backup detects that a job fails, a job is incomplete, or a job is complete.

  Note: This option is not available when you are using CA ARCserve Backup to manage a UNIX or Linux based server.

• Run Before/After Command As Options

  The User Name and Password corresponds to the system of the host server selected, and is required to check the system privileges on that server.

  The user name and password entered into these fields should not be confused with the CA ARCserve Backup User Name and Password.

Example: Submitting a Job Using Pre and Post Commands

A user submits a job that backs up local volume C. The user wants to check and fix errors using chkdsk.exe on local volume C before local volume C is backed up. After the job is complete, the user wants to generate an error report using CAAdvReports.exe.

• Pre Command for the node:

  The command that follows checks and fixes errors on local volume C before the backup job starts.

  chkdsk.exe C: /F", On Exit Code = 0, Run operation immediately 
  

• Post Command for the job:

  The command that follows generates an error reports and saves it in a specified location.

CAAdvReports.exe -reporttype 5 -maxSize 5 -Server DUVDO01 -outfile "C:\Program Files (x86)\CA\ARCserve Backup\Reports\Backup Error Report_data.xml" -PastDays 1 -AutoName