5 Consistent Backup

This section explains a few key concepts to help you use N2WS correctly.

5.1 Crash-Consistent Backup

By default, snapshots taken using N2WS are Crash-consistent. When you back up an EC2 instance at a certain time, and later want to restore this instance from backup, it will start the same as a physical machine booting after a power outage. The file system and any other applications using EBS volumes were not prepared or even aware that a backup was taking place, so they may have been in the middle of an operation or transaction.

Being in the middle of a transaction implies that this backup will not be consistent, but, this is not the case. Most modern applications that deal with important business data are built for robustness. A modern database, be it MySQL, PostgreSQL, Oracle, or SQL Server, has transaction logs. Transaction logs are kept separately from the data itself, and you can always play the logs to get to a specific consistent point in time. A database can start after a crash and use transaction logs to get to the most recent consistent state. NTFS in Windows and EXT3 in Linux have implemented journaling, which is not unlike transaction logs in databases.

5.2 Application-Consistent Backup

During application-consistent backups, any application may be informed about the backup progress. The application can then prepare, freeze, and thaw in minimal-required time to perform operations to make sure the actual data on disk is consistent before the backup starts, making minimal changes during backup time (backup mode) and returning to full-scale operation as soon as possible.

There is also one more function that application-consistent backups perform especially for databases. Databases keep transaction logs which occasionally need to be deleted to recover storage space. This operation is called log truncation. When can transaction logs be deleted without impairing the robustness of the database? Probably after you make sure you have a successful backup of the database. In many cases, it is up to the backup software to notify the database it can truncate its transaction logs.

5.3 N2WS and a Point in Time

When taking snapshots, the point in time is the exact time that the snapshot started. The content of the snapshot reflects the exact state of the disk at that point in time, regardless of how long it took to complete the snapshot.

5.4 Summary or What Type of Backup to Choose

The type of backup to choose depends on your needs and limitations. Every approach has its pros and cons:

5.4.1 Crash-Consistent

Pros:

• Does not require writing any scripts.

• Does not require installing agents in Windows Servers.

• Does not affect the operation and performance of your instances and applications.

• Fastest.

Cons:

• Does not guarantee a consistent state of your applications.

• Does not guarantee the exact point in time across multiple volumes/disks.

• No way to automatically truncate database transaction logs after backup.

5.4.2 Application-Consistent

Pros:

• Prepares the application for backup and therefore achieves a consistent state.

• Can ensure one exact point in time across multiple volumes/disks.

• Can truncate database transaction logs automatically.

Cons:

• May require writing and maintaining backup scripts.

• Requires installing an N2WS Thin Backup Agent or the AWS SSM Agent for Windows Servers.

• May slightly affect the performance of your application, especially for the freezing/flushing phase.