5 - Document to have patience when SD first starts.
6 - Document running a test version.
7 - Document saving MySQL databases, where to find code for shutting
8 down and saving other databases.
9 http://www.backupcentral.com/free-backup-software1.html
10 - Document -i option on FD
13 - that restore options work in FD.
14 - that mod of restore options works.
15 - that console command line options work
16 - blocksize recognition code.
17 - make sure that update of volume new parameters works
20 - Fix intmax_t on FreeBSD.
23 - Enhance schedule to have 1stSat, ...
24 - Make sure the MaxVolFiles is fully implemented in SD
25 - Make Job err if WriteBootstrap fails.
26 - Flush all the daemon messages at the end of every job.
27 - Check if both CatalogFiles and UseCatalog are set to SD.
28 - Check if we can bump Bacula FD priorty in Win2000
29 - Implement FileOptions.
30 - Make bcopy read through bad tape records.
31 - Need return status on read_cb() from read_records(). Need multiple
32 records -- one per Job, maybe a JCR or some other structure with
34 - Continue improving the restore process (handling
35 of tapes, efficiency improvements e.g. use FSF to
36 position the tape, ...)
37 - Work more on how to to a Bacula restore beginning with
38 just a Bacula tape and a boot floppy (bare metal recovery).
39 - Try bare metal Windows restore
40 - Fix read_record to handle multiple sessions.
41 - Program files (i.e. execute a program to read/write files).
42 Pass read date of last backup, size of file last time.
43 - Put system type returned by FD into catalog.
44 - Add VOLUME_CAT_INFO to the EOS tape record (as
45 well as to the EOD record).
46 - Add code to fast seek to proper place on tape/file
47 when doing Restore. If it doesn't work, try linear
49 - Add code to reject whole blocks if not wanted on restore.
50 - Possibly add email to Watchdog if drive is unmounted too
51 long and a job is waiting on the drive.
52 - Strip trailing slashes from Include directory names in the FD.
53 - Use read_record.c in SD code.
54 - Add EOM records ???????
55 - Why don't we get an error message from Win32 FD when bootstrap
56 file cannot be created for restore command?
57 - Put MaximumVolumeSize in Director (MaximumVolumeJobs, MaximumVolumeFiles,
59 - When Marking a file in Restore that is a hard link, also
60 mark the link so that the data will be reloaded.
61 - Restore program that errors in SD due to no tape reports
62 OK incorrectly in output.
63 - Make BSR accept count (total files to be restored).
64 - Make BSR return next_block when it knows record is not
65 in block, done when count is reached, and possibly other
66 optimizations. I.e. add a state word.
68 - Running multiple simultaneous jobs has a problem when one Job
69 must label the volume -- the others apparently do not wait.
71 > 13-Nov-2002 02:06 dump01-dir: Start Backup JobId 20, Job=save-rho.2002-11-13_02.06.00
72 > 13-Nov-2002 02:06 dump01-dir: Start Backup JobId 21, Job=save-beta.2002-11-13_02.06.01
73 > 13-Nov-2002 02:06 dump01-dir: Start Backup JobId 22, Job=save-dump01.2002-11-13_02.06.02
74 > 13-Nov-2002 02:06 dump01-sd: Created Volume label File0013 on device /dump7/bacula.
75 > 13-Nov-2002 02:06 dump01-sd: Wrote label to prelabeled Volume File0013 on device /dump7/bacula
76 > 13-Nov-2002 02:06 dump01-sd: save-beta.2002-11-13_02.06.01 Fatal error: Device /dump7/bacula is
77 > busy writing with another Volume.
78 > 13-Nov-2002 02:06 dump01-sd: save-dump01.2002-11-13_02.06.02 Fatal error: Device /dump7/bacula is
79 > busy writing with another Volume.
80 > 13-Nov-2002 02:06 beta-fd: save-beta.2002-11-13_02.06.01 Error: bnet.c:292 Write error sending to
81 > Storage daemon:dump01:9103: ERR=Broken pipe
82 > 13-Nov-2002 02:06 dump01-fd: save-dump01.2002-11-13_02.06.02 Error: bnet.c:319 Write error sending
83 > to Storage daemon:dump01:9103: ERR=Broken pipe
84 > 13-Nov-2002 02:08 dump01-dir: 13-Nov-2002 02:08
87 - Add VolumeUseDuration and MaximumVolumeJobs to Pool db record and
89 - Figure out how compress everything except .gz,... files.
90 - Make bcopy copy with a single tape drive.
91 - Make sure catalog doesn't keep growing.
92 - Permit changing ownership during restore.
93 - After unmount, if restore job started, ask to mount.
94 - Fix db_get_fileset in cats/sql_get.c for multiple records.
95 - Fix start/end blocks for File devices
96 - Add new code to scheduler.c and run_conf.c
97 schedule options (1-sat, 2-sat, ...).
98 - Fix catalog filename truncation in sql_get and sql_create. Use
99 only a single filename split routine.
100 - Add command to reset VolFiles to a larger value (don't allow
101 a smaller number or print big warning).
102 - Make Restore report an error if FD or SD term codes are not OK.
103 - Convert all %x substitution variables, which are hard to remember
104 and read to %(variable-name). Idea from TMDA.
105 - Add JobLevel in FD status (but make sure it is defined).
106 - Make Pool resource handle Counter resources.
107 - Remove NextId for SQLite. Optimize.
108 - Fix gethostbyname() to use gethostbyname_r()
109 - Implement ./configure --with-client-only
110 - Strip trailing / from Include
111 - Move all SQL statements into a single location.
112 - Cleanup db_update_media and db_update_pool
113 - Add UA rc and history files.
114 - put termcap (used by console) in ./configure and
115 allow -with-termcap-dir.
116 - Enhance time and size scanning routines.
117 - Fix Autoprune for Volumes to respect need for full save.
118 - DateWritten field on tape may be wrong.
119 - Fix Win32 config file definition name on /install
120 - No READLINE_SRC if found in alternate directory.
121 - Add Client FS/OS id (Linux, Win95/98, ...).
125 Bacula Projects Roadmap
127 last update 7 October 2002
129 Item 1: Multiple simultaneous Jobs. (done)
132 What: Permit multiple simultaneous jobs in Bacula.
134 Why: An enterprise level solution needs to go fast without the
135 need for the system administrator to carefully tweak
136 timing. Based on the benchmarks, during a full
137 backup, NetWorker typically hit 10 times the bandwidth to
138 the tape compared to Bacula--largely. This is probably due to
139 running parallel jobs and multi-threaded filling of buffers
140 and writing them to tape. This should also make things work
141 better when you have a mix of fast and slow machines backing
144 Notes: Bacula was designed to run multiple simultaneous jobs. Thus
145 implementing this is a matter of some small cleanups and
149 Item 2: Make the Storage daemon use intermediate file storage to buffer data.
150 Deferred -- not necessary yet.
152 What: If data is coming into the SD too fast, buffer it to
153 disk if the user has configured this option.
155 Why: This would be nice, especially if it more or less falls out
156 when implementing (1) above. If not, it probably should not
157 be given a high priority because fundamentally the backup time
158 is limited by the tape bandwidth. Even though you may finish a
159 client job quicker by spilling to disk, you still have to
160 eventually get it onto tape. If intermediate disk buffering
161 allows us to improve write bandwidth to tape, it may make
164 Notes: Whether or not this is implemented will depend upon performance
165 testing after item 1 is implemented.
168 Item 3: Write the bscan program.
171 What: Write a program that reads a Bacula tape and puts all the
172 appropriate data into the catalog. This allows recovery
173 from a tape that is no longer in the database, or it allows
174 re-creation of a database if lost.
176 Why: This is a fundamental robustness and disaster recovery tool
177 which will increase the comfort level of a sysadmin
178 considering adopting Bacula.
180 Notes: A skeleton of this program already exists, but much work
181 needs to be done. Implementing this will also make apparent
182 any deficiencies in the current Bacula tape format.
185 Item 4: Implement Base jobs.
187 What: A base job is sort of like a Full save except that you
188 will want the FileSet to contain only files that are unlikely
189 to change in the future (i.e. a snapshot of most of your
190 system after installing it). After the base job has been run,
191 when you are doing a Full save, you can specify to exclude
192 all files saved by the base job that have not been modified.
194 Why: This is something none of the competition does, as far as we know
195 (except BackupPC, which is a Perl program that saves to disk
196 only). It is big win for the user, it makes Bacula stand out
197 as offering a unique optimization that immediately saves time
200 Notes: Big savings in tape usage. Will require more resources because
201 the e. DIR must send FD a list of files/attribs, and the FD must
202 search the list and compare it for each file to be saved.
205 Item 5: Implement Label templates
207 What: This is a mechanism whereby Bacula can automatically create
208 a tape label for new tapes according to a detailed specification
209 provided by the user.
211 Why: It is a major convenience item for folks who use automated label
214 Notes: Bacula already has a working form of automatic tape label
215 creation, but it is very crude. The design for the complete
216 tape labeling project is already documented in the manual.
219 Item 6: Write a regression script.
222 What: This is an automatic script that runs and tests as many features
223 of Bacula as possible. The output is compared to previous
224 versions of Bacula and any differences are reported.
226 Why: This is an enormous help in preventing introduction of new
227 errors in parts of the program that already work correctly.
229 Notes: This probably should be ranked higher, it's something the typical
230 user doesn't see. Depending on how it's implemented, it may
231 make sense to defer it until the archival tape format and
232 user interface mature.
235 Item 7: GUI for interactive restore
236 Item 8: GUI for interactive backup
238 What: The current interactive restore is implemented with a tty
239 interface. It would be much nicer to be able to "see" the
240 list of files backed up in typical GUI tree format.
241 The same mechanism could also be used for creating
242 ad-hoc backup FileSets (item 8).
244 Why: Ease of use -- especially for the end user.
246 Notes: Rather than implementing in Gtk, we probably should go directly
247 for a Browser implementation, even if doing so meant the
248 capability wouldn't be available until much later. Not only
249 is there the question of Windows sites, most
250 Solaris/HP/IRIX, etc, shops can't currently run Gtk programs
251 without installing lots of stuff admins are very wary about.
252 Real sysadmins will always use the command line anyway, and
253 the user who's doing an interactive restore or backup of his
254 own files will in most cases be on a Windows machine running
258 Item 9: Add SSL to daemon communications.
260 What: This provides for secure communications between the daemons.
262 Why: This would allow doing backup across the Internet without
263 privacy concerns (or with much less concern).
265 Notes: The vast majority of near term potential users will be backing up
266 a single site over a LAN and, correctly or not, they probably
267 won't be concerned with security, at least not enough to go to
268 the trouble to set up keys, etc. to screw things down. We suspect
269 that many users genuinely interested in multi-site backup
270 already run some form of VPN software in their internetwork
271 connections, and are willing to delegate security to that layer.
274 Item 10: Define definitive tape format.
275 Mostly done (version 1.27)
277 What: Define that definitive tape format that will not change
278 for the next millennium.
280 Why: Stability, security.
282 Notes: See notes for item 11 below.
285 Item 11: New daemon communication protocol.
287 What: The current daemon to daemon protocol is basically an ASCII
288 printf() and sending the buffer. On the receiving end, the
289 buffer is sscanf()ed to unpack it. The new scheme would
290 be a binary format that allows quick packing and unpacking
291 of any data type with named fields.
293 Why: Using binary packing would be faster. Named fields will permit
294 error checking to ensure that what is sent is what the
295 receiver really wants.
297 Notes: These are internal improvements in the interest of the
298 long-term stability and evolution of the program. On the one
299 hand, the sooner they're done, the less code we have to rip
300 up when the time comes to install them. On the other hand, they
301 don't bring an immediately perceptible benefit to potential
302 users. Item 10 and possibly item 11 should be deferred until Bacula
303 is well established with a growing user community more or
304 less happy with the feature set. At that time, it will make a
305 good "next generation" upgrade in the interest of data
310 I haven't put these in any particular order.
313 - Rework Storage daemon with new rwl_lock routines.
314 - Compare tape to Client files (attributes, or attributes and data)
315 - Restore options (overwrite, overwrite if older,
316 overwrite if newer, never overwrite, ...)
317 - Restore to a particular time -- e.g. before date, after date.
318 - Make all database Ids 64 bit.
319 - Write an applet for Linux.
320 - Add estimate to Console commands
321 - Find solution to blank filename (i.e. path only) problem.
322 - Implement new daemon communications protocol.
325 mysqldump -f --opt bacula >bacula
329 - Remove PoolId from Job table, it exists in Media.
330 - Allow console commands to detach or run in background.
331 - Fix status delay on storage daemon during rewind.
332 - Add SD message variables to control operator wait time
333 - Maximum Operator Wait
334 - Minimum Message Interval
335 - Maximum Message Interval
336 - Add EOM handling variables
338 - Require EOD records
339 - Send Operator message when cannot read tape label.
340 - Think about how to handle I/O error on MTEOM.
341 - Verify level=Volume (scan only), level=Data (compare of data to file).
342 Verify level=Catalog, level=InitCatalog
344 - Add keyword search to show command in Console.
345 - Fix Win2000 error with no messages during startup.
346 - Events : tape has more than xxx bytes.
347 - Write general list maintenance subroutines.
348 - Restrict characters permitted in a Resource name.
349 - Complete code in Bacula Resources -- this will permit
350 reading a new config file at any time.
351 - Handle ctl-c in Console
352 - Implement LabelTemplate (at least first cut).
353 - Implement script driven addition of File daemon to config files.
355 - see setgroup and user for Bacula p4-5 of stunnel.c
356 - Implement new serialize subroutines
357 send(socket, "string", &Vol, "uint32", &i, NULL)
358 - On I/O error, write EOF, then try to write again ????
359 - Audit all UA commands to ensure that we always prompt where possible.
360 - If ./btape is called without /dev, assume argument is a Storage resource name.
361 - Put memory utilization in Status output of each daemon
362 if full status requested or if some level of debug on.
363 - Make database type selectable by .conf files i.e. at runtime
364 - gethostbyname failure in bnet_connect() continues
365 generating errors -- should stop.
366 - Add HOST to Volume label.
367 - Set flag for uname -a. Add to Volume label.
368 - Implement throttled work queue.
369 - Check for EOT at ENOSPC or EIO or ENXIO (unix Pc)
370 - Allow multiple Storage specifications (or multiple names on
371 a single Storage specification) in the Job record. Thus a job
372 can be backed up to a number of storage devices.
373 - Implement full MediaLabel code.
374 - Implement dump label to UA
375 - Copy volume using single drive.
376 - Copy volume with multiple driven (same or different block size).
377 - Add block size (min, max) to Vol label.
378 - Concept of VolumeSet during restore which is a list
379 of Volume names needed.
380 - Restore files modified after date
381 - Restore file modified before date
382 - Emergency restore info:
384 - Backup working directory
386 - Restore options (do not overwrite)
387 - Restore -- do nothing but show what would happen
388 - SET LD_RUN_PATH=$HOME/mysql/lib/mysql
389 - Implement Restore FileSet=
390 - Write a scanner for the UA (keyword, scan-routine, result, prompt).
391 - Create a protocol.h and protocol.c where all protocol messages
393 - If SD cannot open a drive, make it periodically retry.
394 - Put Bacula version somewhere in Job stream, probably Start Session
396 - Remove duplicate fields from jcr (e.g. jcr.level and jcr.jr.Level, ...).
397 - Timout a job or terminate if link goes down, or reopen link and query.
398 - Fill all fields in Vol/Job Header -- ensure that everything
399 needed is written to tape. Think about restore to Catalog
400 from tape. Client record needs improving.
401 - Find general solution for sscanf size problems (as well
402 as sprintf. Do at run time?
403 - Concept of precious tapes (cannot be reused).
404 - Allow FD to run from inetd ???
406 - Restore should get Device and Pool information from
407 job record rather than from config.
408 - Autolabel should be specified by DR instead of SD.
409 - Find out how to get the system tape block limits, e.g.:
410 Apr 22 21:22:10 polymatou kernel: st1: Block limits 1 - 245760 bytes.
411 Apr 22 21:22:10 polymatou kernel: st0: Block limits 2 - 16777214 bytes.
414 - AutoScan (check checksum of tape)
415 - Format command = "format /dev/nst0"
419 - Seek resolution (usually corresponds to buffer size)
420 - EODErrorCode=ENOSPC or code
421 - Partial Read error code
422 - Partial write error code
423 - Nonformatted read error
424 - Nonformatted write error
425 - WriteProtected error
429 - IgnoreCloseErrors=yes
439 - FD sends unsaved file list to Director at end of job.
440 - Write a Storage daemon that uses pipes and
441 standard Unix programs to write to the tape.
443 - Need something that monitors the JCR queue and
444 times out jobs by asking the deamons where they are.
446 - Enhance Jmsg code to permit buffering and saving to disk.
447 - device driver = "xxxx" for drives.
448 - restart: paranoid: read label fsf to
449 eom read append block, and go
450 super-paranoid: read label, read all files
451 in between, read append block, and go
452 verify: backspace, read append block, and go
453 permissive: same as above but frees drive
454 if tape is not valid.
456 - Ensure that /dev/null works
457 - File daemon should build list of files skipped, and then
458 at end of save retry and report any errors.
459 - Need report class for messages. Perhaps
460 report resource where report=group of messages
461 - enhance scan_attrib and rename scan_jobtype, and
462 fill in code for "since" option
463 - To buffer messages, we need associated jobid and Director name.
464 - Need to save contents of FileSet to tape?
465 - Director needs a time after which the report status is sent
466 anyway -- or better yet, a retry time for the job.
467 Don't reschedule a job if previous incarnation is still running.
468 - Figure out how to save the catalog (possibly a special FileSet).
469 - Figure out how to restore the catalog.
470 - Some way to automatically backup everything is needed????
471 - Need a structure for pending actions:
473 - termination status (part of buffered msgs?)
474 - Concept of grouping Storage devices and job can use
475 any of a number of devices
477 Read, Write, Clean, Delete
478 - Login to Bacula; Bacula users with different permissions:
479 owner, group, user, quotas
480 - Tape recycle destination
481 - Job Schedule Status
485 - Store info on each file system type (probably in the job header on tape.
486 This could be the output of df; or perhaps some sort of /etc/mtab record.
489 - Use media 1 time (so that we can do 6 days of incremental
490 backups before switching to another tape) (already)
491 specify # times (jobs)
492 specify bytes (already)
493 specify time (seconds, hours, days)
494 - Implement FSM (File System Modules).
495 - Identify unchanged or "system" files and save them to a
496 special tape thus removing them from the standard
497 backup FileSet -- BASE backup.
498 - Turn virutally all sprintfs into snprintfs.
499 - Heartbeat between daemons.
500 - Audit M_ error codes to ensure they are correct and consistent.
501 - Add variable break characters to lex analyzer.
502 Either a bit mask or a string of chars so that
503 the caller can change the break characters.
504 - Make a single T_BREAK to replace T_COMMA, etc.
505 - Ensure that File daemon and Storage daemon can
506 continue a save if the Director goes down (this
507 is NOT currently the case). Must detect socket error,
508 buffer messages for later.
511 Done: (see kernsdone for more)
514 - Check if GZIP1 is working -- check speed.
515 - Document forcing a new tape to be used.
516 - Ensure that AcceptAnyVolume works.
517 - Document running multiple Jobs
518 - Preserve block number when EOT and writing on next tape.
519 - Document how to cancel a job that is waiting on a Volume.
520 Must "cancel" then "mount".
521 - Document Volume Bytes shows bytes on last volume written in Job summary.
522 - Restore all Windows attributes. Leave hooks for ACLs and security.
523 (Handle x = (HANDLE)get_osfhandle(fd);
524 - Test Windows restore.
526 - Implement sparse files.
527 - Document sparse files.
528 - Document better Include (does it cross file systems ?).
529 - Document default config file locations.
530 - Document specifically how to add new File daemon to config files.
531 - Add VerNo to each Session label record.
532 - Add Job to Session records.
533 - Cold start full restore (restore catalog then
534 user selects what to restore). Write summary file containing only
535 Job, Media, and Catalog information. Store on another machine.
536 - Dump/Restore database
537 - Write bscan program that will syncronize the DB Media record with
538 the contents of the Volume -- for use after a crash.
539 - Figure out how to put a Volume into the catalog (from the tape)
540 - Figure out how to do a restore from a Volume
541 - Report compression % and other compression statistics if turned on.
542 - Put Windows files in Windows stream?
543 - Ensure that everyone uses btime routines (mostly done).
544 - Put Job statistics in End Session Label (files saved,
545 total bytes, start time, ...).
546 - Put FileSet name in the SOS label.
547 - Eliminate duplicate File records to shrink database.
548 - If Storage daemon aborts a job, ensure that this
549 is printed in the error message.
550 - Add save type to Session label.
551 - Correct date on Session label.
552 - Test restore of Windows backup
553 - Ability to recreate the catalog from a tape.
554 - Bug: anonymous Volumes requires mount in some cases.
555 - Define how we handle times to avoid problem with Unix dates (2049 ?).
556 - Add daemon JCR JobId=0 to have a daemon context
557 - Implement full restoration of all Windows attributes
558 (such as Hidden, System, creation dates, ...)
559 - Handle sparse files (i.e. files with holes in them)
560 - Enhance testing for Bacula compatibility with
562 - Turn on new BB02 tape format implemented in 1.26 but
564 - More testing of restoring on Unix systems.
565 - Implement additional tape format enhancements to better
566 support Windows and other non-Unix systems e.g.
568 - Upgrade to latest version of cygwin. (not possible)
569 - Add configure for gettimeofday.
570 - At line 51 of ua_input.c, why is = 0 necessary. Previously without
571 it, if cancel gnome-console during sql command, DIR crashed. However,
572 with it, blank line input for Where: is not possible.
573 - Make SD disallow writing on Volume with fewer files than in
575 - Label (asks for slot, return and it stops).
576 - Make SD reject writing on tape where Catalog and tape # files
577 don't agree (possibly OK if tape > catalog).
578 - Document all daemon tools MUST have a config file.
579 - Why does btape error when pointed to a file?
580 - Disallow compile if long long not 64 bits.
581 - Send Volumes needed during restore to Console (just after
582 create_volume_list) -- also in restore command?
583 - File system type from File daemon
584 - Move block size code from block.c to init_dev().
585 - Add FileSet MD5 to bscan.
586 - Finish implementation of restore "replace" options, and document.
588 - Document buffer size considerations with Sparse files --
589 - that restore prints volumes.
590 - Document that two Verifys at same time on same client do not work.
592 - MD5 in bscan is set in FileSet.
593 - that Bacula won't write on tape where tape/catalog files differ.
594 - Document how to recycle a tape in 7 days even if the backup takes a long time.
595 - Document tape cycling
596 - Implement VolumeUseDuration (maximum duration/period) a volume can be used).
597 Possibly VolumeUseTimes (MaximumVolumeJobs) This permits a volume to be
598 recycled even if it is not full.
599 - Decide what to do with JobTDate in catalog (make real utime_t?)
600 - Implement VolMaxJob and Duration check in next_volume().
601 - Make sure pruning of Jobs removes JobMediaId
602 - Write bcopy program -- recovery of bad tape.
603 - Make gethostbyname() thread safe in bnet.c
604 - Add ORDER BY JobId to list of Jobs in query.sql, and in
605 ua_output.c (list command).
606 - drive MaxVolJobs, VolUseDuration from media record
607 rather than Resource.