Hi All,

I've just recently taken on a new role as a Systems Administrator, and one of the major tasks of the role is ensuring everything to do with backups is running smoothly. As far as backup software and hardware goes it all seems very well setup. However, for logistical management of the media itself I can see a growing potential for error as it's all managed via a simple Excel Spreadsheet.

The problem I see with this method is that it relies on manual input/tracking of tapes by the backup admin (in this case, myself) which is a major issue. For example in the case of recalling a tape from offsite storage for reuse, this method depends on me using the find function in Excel to find a tapes most recently used date and checking the retension period to see if it's avaiable for use again. As time goes on and the spreadsheet grows, the potential for human error grows with it. This job is a very important for data protection and one best suited for a database style app which is what made me immediately think of XOOPS .

I was wondering if anyone knew of a module for XOOPS that is either designed, or could be used to manage this requirement? I would think something like Agenda-X or Mithrandir's Server Booking module could be modified without too much trouble as they already have an Event based calander feature which is half the battle. A module capable of handling this would need user definable values with a menu/feature list something similar to the following (take with a grain of salt as I am no DBA);

In the System Admin area;

Media Management Menu
- Add New Media
- - Media Name
- - Administrative Notes
- Edit Existing Media
- - Media Name
- - Administrative Notes
- - Delete Media

Backup Job Management Menu
- Add New Backup Job
- - Description
- - Job Frequency (day, month, week, year, manual)
- - Job Type (full, differential, incremental, manual)
- - Retension Period (day, month, week, year, manual)
- - Administrative Notes
- Edit Existing Backup Job
- - Description
- - Job Frequency (day, month, week, year, manual)
- - Retension Period (day, month, week, year, manual)
- - Job Type (full, differential, incremental, manual)
- - Administrative Notes
- - Delete Backup Job

Media Logistics Management
- Add Offsite Storage Location
- - Company
- - Contact Person
- - Phone
- - E-mail
- - Address
- - Administrative Notes
-Edit Offsite Storage Location
- - Company
- - Contact Person
- - Phone
- - E-mail
- - Address
- - Delete Offsite Storage Location
- - Administrative Notes

Then from blocks available from the main page of your XOOPS site, you would have inputs and notifications for something like;

- Update Completed Backup Job Information (dropdown menus?)
- - Job Name
- - Media Used For Data
- - Media Used For Catalog
- - Offsite Storage Location

- Query Media Status (search & action functions)
- - Search Functions
- - - By Media Name
- - - By Backup Job
- - - By Backup Job Type
- - - By Offsite Location
- - - By Retension Level
- - - By Media Type (data and/or catalog)
- - Action Functions
- - - Request Media Status From Offsite Location
- - - Request Media Return From Offsite Location
- - - Add Administrative Note

- Media Status Notification (Calander Style with PM or e-mail notification)
- - Calander/Notification Events
- - - Offsite Media With Expired Retenstion Date
- - - Offsite Media With Expired Retenstion Date In X Time
- - - Media With Expired Retension Date
- - - Media With Expired Retention Date In X Time
- - - Completed Backup Job Due For Update
- - - Backup Jobs Due For Update In X Time



As said already, I'm no DBA and have no idea how hard it would be to setup from sratch, or modify an exisitng module to do this properly. What I've suggested might be able to be streamlined into something much more useable and easy to code, I don't know. I would really love to hear comments from people who have set up semi similar modules such as Mithrandir and Wjue as to wether this is a doable task or not for a beginner coder such as myself. Thanks for reading this far !

-----
Become a member of IT Headquarters here!

IT Headquarters
Innovative IT Solutions
http://www.it-hq.org