Endpoint Administration Guide for Windows › Managing Policy Models › Automatic Rule-based Policy Updates › Update Subscribers › Policy Model Backup › Back Up a PMDB Using sepmd

Back Up a PMDB Using sepmd

When you back up the PMDB, you copy the data from the Policy Model database to a specified directory. You should store the backed up PMDB files in a secure location, preferably protected by CA ControlMinder access rules.

You can use the sepmd utility to back up a PMDB on a local host. You can also use selang commands to back up a PMDB on a remote host.

Note: You can back up a PMDB recursively. A recursive backup backs up all the PMDBs in a hierarchy to the host you specify, and modifies the PMDB subscribers so that the subscription still works when the backup is moved to the host. You can only use a recursive backup if the master and child PMDBs are deployed on the same host.

To back up a PMDB using sepmd

1. Lock the PMDB using the following command:

   sepmd -bl pmdb_name
   

   The PMDB is locked and cannot send commands to its subscribers.

2. Do one of the following:
   • Back up the PMDB using the following command:

     sepmd -bh pmdb_name [destination_directory] 
     

   • Back up the PMDB recursively using the following command:

     sepmd -bh pmdb_name [destination_directory] [backup_host_name]
     

   Note: If you do not specify a destination directory, the backup is saved to the following directory:

   ACInstallDir\data\policies_backup\pmdb_name

3. Unlock the PMDB using the following command:

   sepmd -ul pmdb_name
   

   The PMDB is unlocked and can send commands to its subscribers.