How can you check what aVertica backup epoch translates to for a Date/Time

Products

• CA Performance Management - Usage and Administration
• DX NetOps

Issue/Introduction

Using the --task listbackup switch for vbr.py we can see the epoch of a backup but what does that translate to for a date/time?

Environment

All supported releases of DX NetOps Performance Management

Cause

As Vertica epochs are relative to the database itself and are separate from a traditional Unix epoch, they are not easily translated.

Resolution

The translation can be done/checked on via a database query:

SELECT * FROM v_monitor.database_backups;

 

If you have a database that is already down, you will first need to start it, this can be done in unsafe mode but you MUST stop it after you check and before you attempt to restore a backup.

 

Start the database in unsafe mode:

admintools -t start_db -d drdata -U

Check the backup information (align the epoch from the vbr.py --task listbackup command to the epoch listed here):

SELECT * FROM v_monitor.database_backups;

Stop the database:

admintools -t stop_db -d drdata