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Replication Module

MATtool includes a replication module.  With it you can easily replicate files and directories accross your UNIX machines.  It has the ability to replicate to up to 8 hosts in parallel. To conserve bandwidth it has an incremental mode, where only the files that have changed are replicated. File and directory ownership, group, and mode can be controlled. Set UID programs can be un-set-UID'ed if needed.  Replication is integrated with the MATd, so replication jobs can be scheduled and run automatically. A Quick start guide explains how to quickly setup MAT to replicate.  The following gives a more in depth explanation of the backup and restore user interface.

Replication
This icon gives the administrator access to the replication system.  Only those hosts designated as Replication servers will have this icon in the console.  If needed a host can be designated as a replication server from the MAT Hosts menu item on the main screen. The following details the function of the replication icons:

Replication Group
The replication group defines a group of hosts for a replication job.  Replication is performed on groups of hosts.  A replication group should have atleast one member.  Double-clicking on this icon displays all the groups on the replication server.  The replication and backup groups share the same members. To define a new group of hosts hit the New button.  The resulting GUI will ask for:
GID #  - This is a numeric value representing the group of hosts.  Use anything from 0 - 65535.  Take care not to use the number used by another group.

Group:  - This is a descriptive name for the group.

Member Hosts  - This section is used to list all the hosts in a backup group.  A backup job will consult this list and start backups on all the hosts in this list.   The list should have atleast one member, and no more than 64.

Backup Job
From this icon the replication jobs are defined.  Selecting this gives a list of the replication jobs.  To create a new job just hit the New button.  The resulting GUI differs from the standard GUI's. It appears as follows:
Selecting the Description tab you will see:
Replication job Description

Job # - This is just a numeric value MAT uses to identiy jobs.  It can be anything from 0 to 65535.  It must be unique.

Description: - This is a string describing the replication job.

Selecting the Files tab you will see:
Replication Job Files

Select the files and directories you wish to replicate from the replication server.  Right-clicking on a selection will add or remove it.  Double-clicking on directories will change the current directory.

Selecting the Target tab you will see:
Replication job Target

Target Group: - This selects the hosts to be included in the replication.  The actual group members are edited by the Replication Group GUI.  Hit the ... button for the GID of the groups defined on the tape drive.

Location: - This is the directory to copy the replicated files and directories to.  To keep them in the same location as the replication master user "/".

Map directories/files:  - This section is used to change the destination directories of the replicated files.  The from field contains the directory on the replication server to replace on the replication client.  The To field contains the directory to map the files to.

Selecting the Permissions tab you will see:

From this view the file and directory permissions can be modified.

Selecting the Action tab you will see:

Select the course of action for when a file already exists on the replication client.
Optionally you can select to use encryption.

NOTE:  Compressed replication is not supported yet.

Replication Schedule
This will be for defining when the backup jobs run.  Currently it will bring you to the MATd screen.  The MATd daemon can be configured to run replication jobs.  Hit the New button.  In the job type set it to Replication, then select the replication job you want to run.