Backup

You can back up the Complete Time Tracking database as a preventative measure to reduce data loss or to perform maintenance of the server computer such as upgrading or re-installing the operating system or changing server computers. We recommend that you regularly backup your databases.

From within Complete Time Tracking Professional on the server computer when you are logged in as a user with the appropriate security access. Note: On Windows Vista and later computers backup must be performed using the Server Manager program due to the elevated privileges required. The Server Manager can be started from the Tools menu.

2.	Using the Server Manager program on the server computer if you are not currently logged in to Complete Time Tracking or the server is stopped.

Warning: To ensure backup file consistency the server program will be briefly stopped to perform the backup. When the server program is stopped, current users will experience connection errors when actively using Complete Time Tracking Professional and other users will not be able to log in. The active users will automatically reconnect when the server is started and they begin to actively use Complete Time Tracking Professional. We therefore recommend that all users are logged off before the backup to avoid users changes being lost in the event of an extended backup. You can check the number of active connections (which approximates the number of connected users) from the Server Status window or the Server Manager program.

1.	Select Start, All Programs (or Programs), Complete Time Tracking Professional Server, Server Manager. Alternatively on Windows Vista and later computers select Server Manager from the Tools menu in Complete Time Tracking.

The database is saved into a single file in a compressed format. This file can be used to restore the database at a later time. We recommend that you keep the default .RBK filename extension as this will help when you need to locate the backup file to restore.

You can back up the database manually using a file copy from Windows Explorer or a script which automates this process. A script can be added as a Windows scheduled task to back up the database periodically.

2.	Copy the appropriate folder(s) and contents. This will ensure that when you restore the database the correctly named folder and configuration file are also restored.

Important: As stated previously the Complete Time Tracking Professional database server program must be stopped to back up the database. You must back up the folder(s) and their contents.

Script: If you would like a copy of a simple batch script that can be used to automate the backup process, suitable for running manually or as a scheduled task, then please contact product support. This script stops the database server program, copies the folders, and starts the database server program. We recommend that the script be run at a time of day when users are unlikely to be using Complete Time Tracking Professional, such as in the early hours of the morning.

A third party backup product may be used to back up the databases. The important point is that the Complete Time Tracking Professional database server program must be stopped to back up the database. The backup product will need the ability to run a script to stop the database server program before performing the backup and run a script to start the database server program after the backup, or alternatively this can be done using carefully scheduled scripts using the Scheduled Task features in Windows.

If you would like a copy of scripts that can be used to automate the start and stop of the database server program then please contact product support.