Backing up your ASA Database before Upgrading

Summary

Before upgrading to the latest version of OfficeTalk, a full backup of the ASA database should be made

Detail

1. First close the database server.

On the console session of the computer with the database server running you will see the red to yellow SQL icon either in the taskbar notification area (next to the clock) or in the taskbar depending on your version of ASA. If the icon is in the taskbar notification area, double click on it and if it is running as a minimized task, maximise the window. You will be presented with a dialogue box for the ASA service. Click on the close button to close the window and end the database service.

2. Backup the database

Navigate to the path of the database obtained by following the FAQ: Finding the Location of your ASA Database File.

You will have a file named otsqldb.db or similar. If the database server was not shutdown correctly you will also have an otsqldb.log file.

Use copy and paste to create a copy of the database (.db) file. Please note: OfficeTalk databases are often a number of gigabytes in size and unless you copy this file to another volume or network store you will require this much space again to create a copy of the file .

3. Start the database server again

After the backup is complete, you may start up the database server again in your usual way.

ASA8 and 9 databases usually run as a Windows service.

Click Start >> Run and type Services.msc and press Enter. Start the service named ‘Adaptive Server Anywhere ? OfficeTalk’ or ‘Adaptive Server Anywhere ? otdbv4’. (Note: ASA5 was commonly started by a short-cut on the desktop but some installations also start ASA5 as a service. Please start ASA5 in your usual way.)