Is it required to stop Performance Center services when backing up the MySql databases?

Products

• CA Performance Management - Usage and Administration
• DX NetOps

Issue/Introduction

Do you have to stop the DX NetOps Performance Management Performance Center services when create MySql database backups?

We just migrated to new servers and are setting up backups. The "Back Up NetOps Portal" section in the document link below instructs users to stop the following services when creating the MySql backups with the mysqldump command.

• caperfcenter_console
• caperfcenter_devicemanager
• caperfcenter_eventmanager
• caperfcenter_sso

Is this necessary to bring the PC services down for backups?

What is the risk of running myslqdump with the services running?  Would this impact recovery?

https://techdocs.broadcom.com/us/en/ca-enterprise-software/it-operations-management/dx-netops/20-2/Performance-Monitoring-with-DX-Performance-Management/administrating/performance-center-administration/back-up-performance-center.html

Environment

All supported DX NetOps Performance Management releases

Resolution

There are a few reasons that the backup process requests the PC services be stopped during the active backup process.

• Any DB changes processed during the active backup could break the backup.
• Any DB changes processed during the active backup could end up incomplete in the backup if it's written to some parts of the DB already backed up and other parts of the DB yet to be backed up.
• The locking that the mysqldump performs could interfere with the pull/push/global sync queries that get run. As long as the backup isn't locking the tables for too long, the sync queries will wait for locks and then run. But if it's locked for too long the sync queries could fail to run.
• If the DB backup is run in the middle of a Global Sync the restored DB could have incorrect sync states which could cause odd behavior post DB restore.

Support recommends the backups be run late at night during off hours when nobody is using the Performance Center (PC) UI. This helps to ensure it doesn't impact UI access during working hours. If the backups are being run when nobody is using the UI it's doubtful anybody would notice it's down for a short time while the backup completes.

1. Stop the four services
2. Run the backups
3. Restart the services.

Note: There is no reason to stop the Data Aggregator (DA), Data Collectors (DC) or Data Repository DB while PC is down for the backup. These other systems should remain remain up and running, gathering/processing data, while the PC services are down for the MySql backups.

Additional Information

Live Portal Backup feature is under development and is planned for delivery early next year (2022).