Introducing Arcserve Backup Agents and Options › Using Agents › Agent for Open Files › Using the Agent › Configure the Agent › The File/Group Tab › Timing Options

Timing Options

The Timing options let you configure non-default timeout values for individual files and groups.

Note: To reset any of the three Timing fields to its default value, double-click the setting, or press Ctrl+D.

The Timing section contains the following options:

Write Inactivity Period

Specifies the number of consecutive seconds that an open file must be inactive before the agent considers the file safe for backup.

• In the case of a group, the agent applies the Write Inactivity Period to every file in the group simultaneously before synchronizing the files in the group.
• The agent will continue to try to find a Write Inactivity Period of the indicated duration for each file or group until the File or Group Sync Timeout is exceeded.

Note: The Write Inactivity Period applies only if you select the Auto Sense or Write Inactivity method.

For example, if the Write Inactivity Period is set to five seconds, and no write activity occurs on a file for five seconds, the agent determines that it is safe for a backup client to back up the file.

File Sync Timeout or Group Sync Timeout

Specifies the number of consecutive seconds that the agent continues attempting to determine if a file, or group of files, is inactive (as defined by the Write Inactivity Period).

• After this period is exceeded, the agent stops trying to find a safe time to allow the backup client access to the file or group.
• If the timeout expires without a safe time having been found, the agent rejects the open request from the backup client.

Note: The name of this field changes depending upon your selection. If you select a file in the File list, it is called File Sync Timeout; if you select a group, it is called Group Sync Timeout.

For example, if the File/Group Sync Timeout is set to 60 seconds, the agent tries to find a Write Inactivity Period for the file or group for 60 seconds. If the agent cannot find a Write Inactivity Period within this time, the agent rejects the request for the file or group.

Group Inactivity Timeout

Specifies the number of consecutive seconds in a backup process during which the backup client can fail to back up additional files in the group. If this period is exceeded, the agent closes the group and stops the group backup. The timeout is noted in the log and the agent discards preview data.

You should set this to the lowest time value normally taken for your backup client to perform a complete backup. The default timeout is applied to all new groups added using the Files/Group tab of the Configuration dialog; those groups given a different, non-default Group Inactivity Timeout in the File/Group tab do not use this value.