Backing up the master database is the most crucial element of any backup and recovery plan. The master database contains details about the structure of your entire database system. Its stores information about the Adaptive Server databases, devices, and device fragments that make up those databases. Because Adaptive Server needs this information for recovery, it is crucial that you maintain an up-to-date backup copy of the master database at all times.
To ensure that your backup of master is always up to date, back up the database after each command or procedure that affects disks, storage, databases, or segments, including:
Creating or deleting databases
Initializing new database devices
Adding new dump devices
Using any device mirroring command
Creating or dropping system stored procedures, if they are stored in master
Creating, dropping, or modifying a segment
Adding new Adaptive Server logins
To back up master to a tape device, start isql and enter the command:
dump database master to "tape_device"
where tape_device is the name of the tape device (for example, /dev/rmt0).
