Databases to Back Up

Understanding and Maintaining Collected Data › How to Back Up and Restore CA Network Flow Analysis Data › Databases to Back Up

Databases to Back Up

CA Network Flow Analysis uses several databases to store configuration data, 15-minute (historical) data, high resolution (1-minute) data, and Enterprise Overview data. This topic describes databases to consider for backups and gives general recommendations for backup frequency. Data is used differently in different environments, however, so your priorities for safeguarding against data loss may vary.

All Servers

Customized configuration files: Back up any other customized configuration files--files that you customized or that were customized by CA Support.
Location: Files with an .config, .conf, or .ini extension that are located anywhere in the CA Network Flow Analysis installation path

Recommendation: Daily backup

Single Sign-On Program (CA Performance Center)

Back up any customized Single Sign-On configuration settings on the CA Performance Center server regardless of your CA Network Flow Analysis deployment type. If you lose customized Single Sign-On settings, you may not be able to log into CA Performance Center and CA Network Flow Analysis.

Single Sign-On (SSO) configuration files, as described in the "Back Up Single Sign-On Configuration Files" topic of the CA Performance Center Installation Guide.

NFA Console (Distributed Deployment)

Reporter database: Contents include the previous 24 hours of Enterprise Overview data, settings, and synchronization information.
Location: <install_path>\mysql51\data\reporter

Recommendation: Weekly backup

Harvester (Distributed Deployment)

Historical (15-minute) data (ReaperArchive15 database on a two-tier distributed deployment): The contents of this database include the 15-minute data that is stored for the reporting routers and interfaces.
Location: <install_path>\Netflow\datafiles\ReaperArchive15

Recommendation: Weekly backup
Harvester and poller configuration files: The poller and harvester configuration data are essential to perform the relational mapping that provides access to the 15-minute data. The poller configuration data provides information about devices and interfaces to enable polling, such as persistent IDs for interfaces.
Locations: <install_path>\MySql51\data\harvester and <install_path>\MySql51\data\poller

Recommendation: Daily backup
(Optional) Flow Forensics data (HarvesterArchive database):
Location: <install_path>\Netflow\datafiles\HarvesterArchive

Many administrators do not back up Flow Forensics data because of its short storage life--a maximum of 24 hours.
(Optional) High-resolution (1-minute) data files (ReaperArchive database): Many administrators do not back up 1-minute data because its high volume requires long backups. When you decide whether to back up these files, consider these factors:
- Value that this single day of data has in your particular circumstances
- Long back up time
The 1-minute data is stored for one month.

Location: <install_path>\Netflow\datafiles\ReaperArchive
Customized Data Retention configuration files: If you have customized any data retention settings, back up the data retention configuration data.
Note: It is unusual to customize data retention settings, except with the assistance of CA Support. Changes to data retention settings can cause problems as the demands on drive space rise.

Location: <install_path>\MySql51\data\data_retention

Recommendation: Daily backup

DSA (Three-Tier Distributed Deployment)

Historical (15-minute) data (ReaperArchive15 database on a three-tier distributed deployment): The contents of this database include the 15-minute data that is stored for the reporting routers and interfaces.
Location: <install_path>\Netflow\datafiles\ReaperArchive15

Recommendation: Weekly backup
Historical (15-minute) data (MySQL nqrptr database): This directory contains the DSA settings.
Location: <install_path>\MySql51\data\nqrptr

Recommendation: Weekly backup

Standalone Server

Reporter database: The contents of this database include the previous 24 hours of Enterprise Overview data, settings, and synchronization information.
Location: <install_path>\mysql51\data\reporter

Recommendation: Weekly backup
Historical (15-minute) data (ReaperArchive15 database): The contents of this database include the 15-minute data that is stored for the reporting routers and interfaces.
Location: <install_path>\Netflow\datafiles\ReaperArchive15

Recommendation: Weekly backup
Harvester and poller configuration files: The poller and harvester configuration data are essential to perform the relational mapping that provides access to the 15-minute data. The poller configuration data provides information about devices and interfaces to enable polling, such as persistent IDs for interfaces.
Locations: <install_path>\MySql51\data\harvester and <install_path>\MySql51\data\poller

Recommendation: Daily backup
(Optional) Flow Forensics data (HarvesterArchive database):
Location: <install_path>\Netflow\datafiles\HarvesterArchive

Many administrators do not back up Flow Forensics data because of its short storage life--a maximum of 24 hours by default.
(Optional) High-resolution (1-minute) data files (ReaperArchive database): Many administrators do not back up 1-minute data because its high volume requires long backups. When you decide whether to back up these files, consider these factors:
- Value that this single day of data has in your particular circumstances
- Long back up time
The 1-minute data is stored for one month by default.

Location: <install_path>\Netflow\datafiles\ReaperArchive
Customized Data Retention configuration files: If you have customized any data retention settings, back up the data retention configuration data.
Note: It is unusual to customize data retention settings, except with the assistance of CA Support. Changes to data retention settings can cause problems as the demands on drive space rise.

Location: <install_path>\MySql51\data\data_retention

Recommendation: Daily backup