General
The S/390 Backup Facility is based on a special build of ArcaOS designed to be booted from CD media, with hardware defaults set to those required by the original IBM Multiprise® 3000 Support Element (SE) single board computer (SBC). This allows the system to boot from CD without having to access the preboot menu to make special hardware selections.
In situations where the SE hardware has been upgraded, it may be necessary to select the option labeled Boot with menu for own values. Select the options appropriate for the hardware in use, and press F10 to continue the boot process.
Backup schedule
The frequency of backups of the SE-attached volumes is left entirely to the operator’s discretion. In installations where few changes to the SE are made, few backups will be required over time. However, it is always good practice to ensure that you have at least two known-good, working backups at any time. Do not rely on the integrity of the backup media, either. Even if not backing up or restoring, it is highly recommended that when possible, the system be booted from the CD, the backup media be read, and the integrity of the backup archives be tested. This last operation may be performed from within the file manager.
Backup media
While the S/390 Backup Facility is fully compatible with any USB-attached, writable media which is recognized by ArcaOS, it should be noted that the flash memory commonly used in USB thumb drives (flash drives or USB sticks) is generally of much lower quality than that used for, say, SSD devices. It may be more desirable to utilize even two or more mechanical disk drives in USB-attached enclosures (with multiple, interchangeable power supplies available) to ensure backup fidelity.
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