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[bacula/bacula] / bacula / kernstodo

                 Kern's ToDo List
                 10 November 2002

To do:    
- Document to have patience when SD first starts.
- Document running a test version.
- Document saving MySQL databases, where to find code for shutting 
  down and saving other databases.
  http://www.backupcentral.com/free-backup-software1.html

Test:
- that restore options work in FD.
- that mod of restore options works.
- that console command line options work
- blocksize recognition code.

For 1.27 release:
- Implement FileOptions.
- Need return status on read_cb() from read_records(). Need multiple
  records -- one per Job, maybe a JCR or some other structure with
  a block and a record.
- Continue improving the restore process (handling
  of tapes, efficiency improvements e.g. use FSF to
  position the tape, ...)
- Work more on how to to a Bacula restore beginning with
  just a Bacula tape and a boot floppy (bare metal recovery).
- Try bare metal Windows restore

- Write bcopy program -- recovery of bad tape.
- Fix read_record to handle multiple sessions.

- Program files (i.e. execute a program to read/write files).
  Pass read date of last backup, size of file last time.

- Put system type returned by FD into catalog.
- Decide what to do with JobTDate in catalog (make real btime_t?)
- Add VOLUME_CAT_INFO to the EOS tape record (as
  well as to the EOD record).
- Add code to fast seek to proper place on tape/file
  when doing Restore. If it doesn't work, try linear
  search as before.
- Add code to reject whole blocks if not wanted on restore.
- Possibly add email to Watchdog if drive is unmounted too
  long and a job is waiting on the drive.
- Strip trailing slashes from Include directory names in the FD.
- Use read_record.c in SD code.
- Add EOM records ???????
- Why don't we get an error message from Win32 FD when bootstrap 
  file cannot be created for restore command?
- Put MaximumVolumeSize in Director (MaximumVolumeJobs, MaximumVolumeFiles,
   MaximumFileSize).
- When Marking a file in Restore that is a hard link, also
  mark the link so that the data will be reloaded.
- Restore program that errors in SD due to no tape reports
  OK incorrectly in output.
- Make BSR accept count (total files to be restored).
- Make BSR return next_block when it knows record is not
  in block, done when count is reached, and possibly other
  optimizations. I.e. add a state word.


After 1.27
- Figure out how compress everything except .gz,... files.
- Make bcopy copy with a single tape drive.
- Make sure catalog doesn't keep growing.
- Permit changing ownership during restore.
- After unmount, if restore job started, ask to mount.
- Fix db_get_fileset in cats/sql_get.c for multiple records.
- Fix start/end blocks for File devices
- Add new code to scheduler.c and run_conf.c
- Fix catalog filename truncation in sql_get and sql_create. Use
  only a single filename split routine.
- Add command to reset VolFiles to a larger value (don't allow
  a smaller number or print big warning).
- Make Restore report an error if FD or SD term codes are not OK.
- Convert all %x substitution variables, which are hard to remember
  and read to %(variable-name).  Idea from TMDA.
- Add JobLevel in FD status (but make sure it is defined).
- Make Pool resource handle Counter resources.
- Remove NextId for SQLite. Optimize.
- Fix gethostbyname() to use gethostbyname_r()
- Implement ./configure --with-client-only
- Strip trailing / from Include
- Move all SQL statements into a single location.
- Cleanup db_update_media and db_update_pool
- Add UA rc and history files.
- put termcap (used by console) in ./configure and
  allow -with-termcap-dir.
- Remove JobMediaId it is not used.
- Enhance time and size scanning routines.
- Fix Autoprune for Volumes to respect need for full save.
- DateWritten field on tape may be wrong.
- Fix Win32 config file definition name on /install
- No READLINE_SRC if found in alternate directory.
- Add Client FS/OS id (Linux, Win95/98, ...).

  
Projects:
            Bacula Projects Roadmap 
               17 August 2002
           last update 7 October 2002

Item 1:   Multiple simultaneous Jobs. (done)
Done

  What:   Permit multiple simultaneous jobs in Bacula.

  Why:    An enterprise level solution needs to go fast without the
          need for the system administrator to carefully tweak
          timing.  Based on the benchmarks, during a full
          backup, NetWorker typically hit 10 times the bandwidth to
          the tape compared to Bacula--largely. This is probably due to
          running parallel jobs and multi-threaded filling of buffers
          and writing them to tape.  This should also make things work
          better when you have a mix of fast and slow machines backing
          up at the same time.

  Notes:  Bacula was designed to run multiple simultaneous jobs. Thus
          implementing this is a matter of some small cleanups and
          careful testing.


Item 2:   Make the Storage daemon use intermediate file storage to buffer data.
Deferred -- not necessary yet.

  What:   If data is coming into the SD too fast, buffer it to 
          disk if the user has configured this option.

  Why:    This would be nice, especially if it more or less falls out
          when implementing (1) above.  If not, it probably should not
          be given a high priority because fundamentally the backup time
          is limited by the tape bandwidth.  Even though you may finish a
          client job quicker by spilling to disk, you still have to
          eventually get it onto tape.  If intermediate disk buffering
          allows us to improve write bandwidth to tape, it may make
          sense.

  Notes:  Whether or not this is implemented will depend upon performance
          testing after item 1 is implemented.


Item 3:   Write the bscan program.
Done

  What:   Write a program that reads a Bacula tape and puts all the 
          appropriate data into the catalog. This allows recovery
          from a tape that is no longer in the database, or it allows
          re-creation of a database if lost.

  Why:    This is a fundamental robustness and disaster recovery tool
          which will increase the comfort level of a sysadmin
          considering adopting Bacula.

  Notes:  A skeleton of this program already exists, but much work
          needs to be done. Implementing this will also make apparent
          any deficiencies in the current Bacula tape format.


Item 4:   Implement Base jobs.

  What:   A base job is sort of like a Full save except that you 
          will want the FileSet to contain only files that are unlikely
          to change in the future (i.e. a snapshot of most of your
          system after installing it). After the base job has been run,
          when you are doing a Full save, you can specify to exclude
          all files saved by the base job that have not been modified.

  Why:    This is something none of the competition does, as far as we know
          (except BackupPC, which is a Perl program that saves to disk
          only).  It is big win for the user, it makes Bacula stand out
          as offering a unique optimization that immediately saves time
          and money.

  Notes:  Big savings in tape usage. Will require more resources because
          the e. DIR must send FD a list of files/attribs, and the FD must
          search the list and compare it for each file to be saved.


Item 5:   Implement Label templates

  What:   This is a mechanism whereby Bacula can automatically create
          a tape label for new tapes according to a detailed specification
          provided by the user.

  Why:    It is a major convenience item for folks who use automated label
          creation.

  Notes:  Bacula already has a working form of automatic tape label
          creation, but it is very crude. The design for the complete
          tape labeling project is already documented in the manual.


Item 6:   Write a regression script.
Started

  What:   This is an automatic script that runs and tests as many features
          of Bacula as possible. The output is compared to previous
          versions of Bacula and any differences are reported.

  Why:    This is an enormous help in preventing introduction of new
          errors in parts of the program that already work correctly.

  Notes:  This probably should be ranked higher, it's something the typical
          user doesn't see.  Depending on how it's implemented, it may
          make sense to defer it until the archival tape format and
          user interface mature.


Item 7:   GUI for interactive restore
Item 8:   GUI for interactive backup

  What:   The current interactive restore is implemented with a tty
          interface. It would be much nicer to be able to "see" the
          list of files backed up in typical GUI tree format.
          The same mechanism could also be used for creating 
          ad-hoc backup FileSets (item 8).

  Why:    Ease of use -- especially for the end user.

  Notes:  Rather than implementing in Gtk, we probably should go directly
          for a Browser implementation, even if doing so meant the
          capability wouldn't be available until much later.  Not only
          is there the question of Windows sites, most
          Solaris/HP/IRIX, etc,  shops can't currently run Gtk programs
          without installing lots of stuff admins are very wary about.
          Real sysadmins will always use the command line anyway, and
          the user who's doing an interactive restore or backup of his
          own files will in most cases be on a Windows machine running
          Exploder.


Item 9:   Add SSL to daemon communications.

  What:   This provides for secure communications between the daemons.

  Why:    This would allow doing backup across the Internet without
          privacy concerns (or with much less concern).

  Notes:  The vast majority of near term potential users will be backing up
          a single site over a LAN and, correctly or not, they probably
          won't be concerned with security, at least not enough to go to
          the trouble to set up keys, etc. to screw things down.  We suspect
          that many users genuinely interested in multi-site backup
          already run some form of VPN software in their internetwork
          connections, and are willing to delegate security to that layer.


Item 10:  Define definitive tape format.
Mostly done (version 1.27)

  What:   Define that definitive tape format that will not change 
          for the next millennium.

  Why:    Stability, security.

  Notes:  See notes for item 11 below.


Item 11:  New daemon communication protocol.

  What:   The current daemon to daemon protocol is basically an ASCII
          printf() and sending the buffer. On the receiving end, the
          buffer is sscanf()ed to unpack it. The new scheme would
          be a binary format that allows quick packing and unpacking
          of any data type with named fields.

  Why:    Using binary packing would be faster. Named fields will permit
          error checking to ensure that what is sent is what the 
          receiver really wants.

  Notes:  These are internal improvements in the interest of the
          long-term stability and evolution of the program.  On the one
          hand, the sooner they're done, the less code we have to rip
          up when the time comes to install them.  On the other hand, they
          don't bring an immediately perceptible benefit to potential
          users.  Item 10 and possibly item 11 should be deferred until Bacula
          is well established with a growing user community more or
          less happy with the feature set.  At that time, it will make a
          good "next generation" upgrade in the interest of data
          immortality.



I haven't put these in any particular order.

Small projects:
- Rework Storage daemon with new rwl_lock routines.
- Compare tape to Client files (attributes, or attributes and data) 
- Restore options (overwrite, overwrite if older,
   overwrite if newer, never overwrite, ...)
- Restore to a particular time -- e.g. before date, after date. 
- Make all database Ids 64 bit.
- Write an applet for Linux.
- Add estimate to Console commands
- Find solution to blank filename (i.e. path only) problem.
- Implement new daemon communications protocol.

Dump:
  mysqldump -f  --opt bacula >bacula


To be done:
- Remove PoolId from Job table, it exists in Media.
- Allow console commands to detach or run in background.
- Fix status delay on storage daemon during rewind.
- Add SD message variables to control operator wait time
  - Maximum Operator Wait
  - Minimum Message Interval
  - Maximum Message Interval
- Add EOM handling variables
  - Write EOD records
  - Require EOD records
- Send Operator message when cannot read tape label.
- Think about how to handle I/O error on MTEOM.
- Verify level=Volume (scan only), level=Data (compare of data to file).
  Verify level=Catalog, level=InitCatalog
- Events file
- Add keyword search to show command in Console.
- Fix Win2000 error with no messages during startup.
- Events : tape has more than xxx bytes.
- Write general list maintenance subroutines.
- Restrict characters permitted in a Resource name.
- Complete  code in Bacula Resources -- this will permit
  reading a new config file at any time.
- Handle ctl-c in Console
- Implement LabelTemplate (at least first cut).
- Implement script driven addition of File daemon to config files.

- see setgroup and user for Bacula p4-5 of stunnel.c
- Implement new serialize subroutines
   send(socket, "string", &Vol, "uint32", &i, NULL)
- On I/O error, write EOF, then try to write again ????
- Audit all UA commands to ensure that we always prompt where possible.
- If ./btape is called without /dev, assume argument is a Storage resource name.
- Put memory utilization in Status output of each daemon
  if full status requested or if some level of debug on.
- Make database type selectable by .conf files i.e. at runtime
- gethostbyname failure in bnet_connect() continues
  generating errors -- should stop.
- Add HOST to Volume label.
- Set flag for uname -a.  Add to Volume label.
- Implement throttled work queue.
- Check for EOT at ENOSPC or EIO or ENXIO (unix Pc)
- Allow multiple Storage specifications (or multiple names on
  a single Storage specification) in the Job record. Thus a job 
  can be backed up to a number of storage devices.
- Implement full MediaLabel code.
- Implement dump label to UA
- Copy volume using single drive.
- Copy volume with multiple driven (same or different block size).     
- Add block size (min, max) to Vol label.
- Concept of VolumeSet during restore which is a list
  of Volume names needed.
- Restore files modified after date
- Restore file modified before date
- Emergency restore info:
  - Backup Bacula
  - Backup working directory
  - Backup Catalog
- Restore options (do not overwrite)
- Restore -- do nothing but show what would happen
- SET LD_RUN_PATH=$HOME/mysql/lib/mysql
- Implement Restore FileSet=
- Write a scanner for the UA (keyword, scan-routine, result, prompt).
- Create a protocol.h and protocol.c where all protocol messages
  are concentrated.
- If SD cannot open a drive, make it periodically retry.
- Put Bacula version somewhere in Job stream, probably Start Session
  Labels.
- Remove duplicate fields from jcr (e.g. jcr.level and jcr.jr.Level, ...).
- Timout a job or terminate if link goes down, or reopen link and query.
- Fill all fields in Vol/Job Header -- ensure that everything
  needed is written to tape. Think about restore to Catalog
  from tape.  Client record needs improving.
- Find general solution for sscanf size problems (as well
  as sprintf. Do at run time?
- Concept of precious tapes (cannot be reused).
- Allow FD to run from inetd ???

- Restore should get Device and Pool information from
  job record rather than from config.
- Autolabel should be specified by DR instead of SD.
- Find out how to get the system tape block limits, e.g.:
  Apr 22 21:22:10 polymatou kernel: st1: Block limits 1 - 245760 bytes.  
  Apr 22 21:22:10 polymatou kernel: st0: Block limits 2 - 16777214 bytes.
- Storage daemon    
  - Add media capacity
  - AutoScan (check checksum of tape)
  - Format command = "format /dev/nst0"
  - MaxRewindTime
  - MinRewindTime
  - MaxBufferSize
  - Seek resolution (usually corresponds to buffer size)
  - EODErrorCode=ENOSPC or code
  - Partial Read error code
  - Partial write error code
  - Nonformatted read error
  - Nonformatted write error
  - WriteProtected error
  - IOTimeout
  - OpenRetries
  - OpenTimeout
  - IgnoreCloseErrors=yes
  - Tape=yes
  - NoRewind=yes
- Pool
  - Maxwrites
  - Recycle period
- Job
  - MaxWarnings
  - MaxErrors (job?)
=====
- FD sends unsaved file list to Director at end of job. 
- Write a Storage daemon that uses pipes and
  standard Unix programs to write to the tape.
  See afbackup.
- Need something that monitors the JCR queue and
  times out jobs by asking the deamons where they are.

- Enhance Jmsg code to permit buffering and saving to disk.
- device driver = "xxxx" for drives.
- restart: paranoid: read label fsf to
  eom read append block, and go
  super-paranoid: read label, read all files
  in between, read append block, and go
  verify: backspace, read append block, and go
  permissive: same as above but frees drive
  if tape is not valid.
- Verify from Volume
- Ensure that /dev/null works
- File daemon should build list of files skipped, and then
  at end of save retry and report any errors.
- Need report class for messages. Perhaps
  report resource where report=group of messages
- enhance scan_attrib and rename scan_jobtype, and
  fill in code for "since" option 
- To buffer messages, we need associated jobid and Director name.
- Need to save contents of FileSet to tape?
- Director needs a time after which the report status is sent
  anyway -- or better yet, a retry time for the job.
  Don't reschedule a job if previous incarnation is still running.
- Figure out how to save the catalog (possibly a special FileSet).
- Figure out how to restore the catalog.
- Some way to automatically backup everything is needed????
- Need a structure for pending actions:
  - buffered messages
  - termination status (part of buffered msgs?)
- Concept of grouping Storage devices and job can use
  any of a number of devices
- Drive management
  Read, Write, Clean, Delete
- Login to Bacula; Bacula users with different permissions:
   owner, group, user, quotas
- Tape recycle destination
- Job Schedule Status
  - Automatic
  - Manual
  - Running
- Store info on each file system type (probably in the job header on tape.
  This could be the output of df; or perhaps some sort of /etc/mtab record.

Longer term to do:
- Use media 1 time (so that we can do 6 days of incremental
  backups before switching to another tape) (already)
  specify # times (jobs)
  specify bytes (already)
  specify time (seconds, hours, days)
- Implement FSM (File System Modules).
- Identify unchanged or "system" files and save them to a
  special tape thus removing them from the standard 
  backup FileSet -- BASE backup.
- Turn virutally all sprintfs into snprintfs.
- Heartbeat between daemons.
- Audit M_ error codes to ensure they are correct and consistent.
- Add variable break characters to lex analyzer.
  Either a bit mask or a string of chars so that
  the caller can change the break characters.
- Make a single T_BREAK to replace T_COMMA, etc.
- Ensure that File daemon and Storage daemon can
  continue a save if the Director goes down (this
  is NOT currently the case). Must detect socket error,
  buffer messages for later. 


Done: (see kernsdone for more)
- Document bscan.
- Document Restore.
- Check if GZIP1 is working -- check speed.
- Document forcing a new tape to be used.
- Ensure that AcceptAnyVolume works.
- Document running multiple Jobs
- Preserve block number when EOT and writing on next tape.
- Document how to cancel a job that is waiting on a Volume. 
  Must "cancel" then "mount".
- Document Volume Bytes shows bytes on last volume written in Job summary.
- Restore all Windows attributes. Leave hooks for ACLs and security.
  (Handle x = (HANDLE)get_osfhandle(fd);
- Test Windows restore.
- Look into MinGW
- Implement sparse files.
- Document sparse files.
- Document better Include  (does it cross file systems ?).
- Document default config file locations.
- Document specifically how to add new File daemon to config files.
- Add VerNo to each Session label record. 
- Add Job to Session records.
- Cold start full restore (restore catalog then
  user selects what to restore).  Write summary file containing only
  Job, Media, and Catalog information. Store on another machine.
- Dump/Restore database
- Write bscan program that will syncronize the DB Media record with
  the contents of the Volume -- for use after a crash.
- Figure out how to put a Volume into the catalog (from the tape)
- Figure out how to do a restore from a Volume
- Report compression % and other compression statistics if turned on.
- Put Windows files in Windows stream?
- Ensure that everyone uses btime routines (mostly done).
- Put Job statistics in End Session Label (files saved,
  total bytes, start time, ...).     
- Put FileSet name in the SOS label.
- Eliminate duplicate File records to shrink database.
- If Storage daemon aborts a job, ensure that this
  is printed in the error message.
- Add save type to Session label.
- Correct date on Session label.
- Test restore of Windows backup
- Ability to recreate the catalog from a tape.
- Bug: anonymous Volumes requires mount in some cases.
- Define how we handle times to avoid problem with Unix dates (2049 ?).
- Add daemon JCR JobId=0 to have a daemon context
- Implement full restoration of all Windows attributes
  (such as Hidden, System, creation dates, ...)
- Handle sparse files (i.e. files with holes in them)
- Enhance testing for Bacula compatibility with   
  tape drives.
- Turn on new BB02 tape format implemented in 1.26 but
  not yet turned on.
- More testing of restoring on Unix systems.
- Implement additional tape format enhancements to better 
  support Windows and other non-Unix systems e.g. 
  extended attributes.
- Upgrade to latest version of cygwin. (not possible)
- Add configure for gettimeofday.
- At line 51 of ua_input.c, why is = 0 necessary. Previously without
  it, if cancel gnome-console during sql command, DIR crashed.  However,
  with it, blank line input for Where: is not possible.
- Make SD disallow writing on Volume with fewer files than in
  the catalog.
- Label (asks for slot, return and it stops).
- Make SD reject writing on tape where Catalog and tape # files
  don't agree (possibly OK if tape > catalog).
- Document all daemon tools MUST have a config file.
- Why does btape error when pointed to a file?
- Disallow compile if long long not 64 bits.
- Send Volumes needed during restore to Console (just after
  create_volume_list) -- also in restore command?
- File system type from File daemon
- Move block size code from block.c to init_dev().
- Add FileSet MD5 to bscan.
- Finish implementation of restore "replace" options, and document.
- Rework Web site.
- Document buffer size considerations with Sparse files --
- that restore prints volumes.
- Document that two Verifys at same time on same client do not work.
- bscan   
- MD5 in bscan is set in FileSet.
- that Bacula won't write on tape where tape/catalog files differ.
- Document how to recycle a tape in 7 days even if the backup takes a long time.
- Document tape cycling