Vault Data Disaster Recovery

Issue:

When Autodesk Vault loses files from the filestore on the Vault Server host, how can they be replaced from the most recent full backup, without needing to restore the entire backup? The concern is to retain those new and edited files since the last full and/or incremental backup that are not included in the backup.

Causes:

The increasing prevalence of file integrity breaches caused by malicious attacks such as ransomware, etc can trigger the Vault Disaster Plan. Typically a server can be replaced and the Vault restored from the most recent backup.

But how to identify and replace just the known missing files in the filestore from an available prior backup?

Solution:

If a full Vault backup before the date of intrusion is available, there are a couple of diagnostic tools that can compare the attacked vault that may or may not be missing files with the original list of files in the backup.

For example, a folder compare utility, such as Beyond Compare or one of the other folder compare utilities that are reviewed here can be used to identify which folders are missing files, or missing the folder altogether in the filestore, like this:

The second tool to identify missing files is in the Vault ADMSConsoleLog after a backup in the rebuilt vault that may list files that are known in the Vault database, but are missing from the filestore, shown for example:

So, once the files that are listed as missing in the ADMSConsole log are known, then just locate the affected folders and copy the missing files from the last full backup into the corresponding folder in the Vault. In the example above, 198 files were found and replaced. Once replaced, they could then be searched and located to open from Vault.

Note: You can locate the Filestore folder for the current vault from the ADMS Console like this, for example:

SQL stores files that are checked into Vault into a series of subfolders with SQL-generated file names, but with the original file extension. The files are not compressed.

About the Author

Sr. Technical Support Specialist, Manufacturing<br><br>Bob Felton has been supporting Autodesk products for over 25 years including core AutoCAD, P&ID, Plant 3D, AutoCAD for Mac, AutoCAD Mechanical, and Vault. His background is in graphics with an Applied Sciences degree and ten years manufacturing experience drafting, as well as technical illustration, image editing, and even patent drafting.

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