(1) Creating indices for backups (setting on pools called
    "Store index entries"). This is nothing to do with backing up the
     indices, just whether you have indices in the first place.
  Pros: You will be able to restore individual files.
  Cons: You will only be able to do save set recoveries unless you
        later scanner the tape.


(2) When to save indices to tape?
* Immediately after backup (with original groups).
  Pros: Indices backed up as soon as possible.
  Cons: NW server may be mounting/unmounting tapes much more frequently.
        If a client is in multiple groups you will backup its index
        many times.

* At a later time using savegrp -O (may need to select
        "no index saves" in group resource).
  Pros: All indices backed up together - better for DR of server.
  Cons: Delay in backing up.
        Possible to omit adding a client to index group.

* Both immediately after backup AND later with savegrp -O.
  Pros: Best of both worlds:
  Cons: Uses more media than strictly necessary.


(3) Whether to use a dedicated index pool?
  Pros: Server backs index up to a small number of tapes, minimising
        mounts and unmounts. If you don't do this, all the pools need
        to have volumes available on the server as well as the
        storage nodes which means you will have very many
        under-utilised tapes.
  Cons: All eggs in one basket. If an index tape goes bad you may lose
        many days of indices (can be overcome by cloning).

  Note that if you are only using savegrp -O method, your indices will
  go to one pool in any case, so this is unnecessary.


(4) Whether to backup your bootstrap with every group?

  Pros: None.
  Cons: Media DB locked while bootstrap backup in progress causing
        potential backup failure.
        If you are backing up bootstrap with every group your server is
        probably mis-configured such that your NW server is not being
        backed up. It could be that you are using an external scheduler,
        in which case you probably need to schedule a dummy group
        including the server to prevent this happening.


(5) Whether to suppress your bootstrap backups?

To sign off this list, send email to listserv AT listserv.temple DOT edu and type 
"signoff networker" in the body of the email. Please write to networker-request 
AT listserv.temple DOT edu if you have any problems with this list. You can access the 
archives at http://listserv.temple.edu/archives/networker.html or
via RSS at http://listserv.temple.edu/cgi-bin/wa?RSS&L=NETWORKER