RE NXT And Database Backup Restores
Published
Hello RE Community!
I've seen a couple of threads in the community recently that have understandably expressed some level of frustration, concern, and confusion around the current processes in place for restoring RE NXT data from a backup. Specifically, recent posts have pointed out that currently, the act of restoring Raiser's Edge data from a database backup requires something we refer to as a "Factory Reset". For more information on the "Factory Reset" process, feel free to give this knowledgebase article a read: https://kb.blackbaud.com/articles/Article/96120
I do realize that “Factory Reset” sounds alarming, but would ask that you read on to understand why this might not be as bad as it sounds. With any luck this post will clear up some of the confusion and put your minds at ease while helping to articulate our larger long term plans.
First of all, I want to assure everyone that NXT-specific data (attachments, profile pictures, etc) is fully secured, backed up, and restorable in the event of a “disaster recovery” scenario. This is not a matter of NXT data being insecure or your data being “at risk” in any way.
Now on to the heart of this post. Backup/Restores, by their very nature, will always have some degree of data loss associated with them, which makes them an absolute last resort for handling support issues. Let’s take one of the examples I saw referenced in a recent Community post: a global change gone wrong. Restoring the database from a backup prior to the global change means that any data added or updated in other parts of the system after the global change will be lost and need to be entered again. While the restore may solve your global change issue, it may very well introduce other issues (missing data) that may even go unnoticed if you don't happen to realize that one of your users was adding/editing data after your problematic global change. What's more, if you're relying on a database backup restore to solve this problem, your database is effectively "down" from a data entry standpoint as you wait for the backup restore to complete.
As we move into the next generation of Blackbaud solutions and as part of our SKY platform, we would much prefer to provide other solutions that don't involve support calls, down time, or require a need to re-enter or update records other than the ones impacted by the problem itself. Fixing an import mistake with a database backup restore is a bit like killing a mosquito with a cannon: effective for the desired goal, but ultimately overkill and bringing with it a lot of collateral damage. More often than not, there is a better option available than "restore from backup" to recover from a data entry mistake.
That said, there are a few valid scenarios when a database restore may be necessary and appropriate. I want to assure you all that when and if those situations present themselves, we are here to support you and restore all of your data (including RE NXT specific data). At this point in time, however, we simply cannot yet do this on request, so it's important to reset expectations around what does and does not warrant a restore. We have admittedly set a poor precedent in the past with making it clear what types of scenarios warrant a backup restore and we're actively working with our support and development teams to change our recommendations and best practices.
In the future, we will have a more seamless process for restoring any and all data to a point-in-time backup, but even then will want to limit how frequently that is done and for what reasons. We also look forward to providing additional tools, functionality, and safeguards (ie: Audit Trail) so that you have even more options for recovery in the event of a bad import or global change in a way that doesn't equate to "restore my data from yesterday".
Please know that we are very committed to supporting our users and their needs and as we progress into a truly SaaS and Cloud enabled world, we are similarly evolving our recommendations on how best to recover from the typical data entry or global change mistakes that should not necessitate a full restore.
Thanks,
Jarod Bonino
Product Manager, Raiser's Edge NXT
I've seen a couple of threads in the community recently that have understandably expressed some level of frustration, concern, and confusion around the current processes in place for restoring RE NXT data from a backup. Specifically, recent posts have pointed out that currently, the act of restoring Raiser's Edge data from a database backup requires something we refer to as a "Factory Reset". For more information on the "Factory Reset" process, feel free to give this knowledgebase article a read: https://kb.blackbaud.com/articles/Article/96120
I do realize that “Factory Reset” sounds alarming, but would ask that you read on to understand why this might not be as bad as it sounds. With any luck this post will clear up some of the confusion and put your minds at ease while helping to articulate our larger long term plans.
First of all, I want to assure everyone that NXT-specific data (attachments, profile pictures, etc) is fully secured, backed up, and restorable in the event of a “disaster recovery” scenario. This is not a matter of NXT data being insecure or your data being “at risk” in any way.
Now on to the heart of this post. Backup/Restores, by their very nature, will always have some degree of data loss associated with them, which makes them an absolute last resort for handling support issues. Let’s take one of the examples I saw referenced in a recent Community post: a global change gone wrong. Restoring the database from a backup prior to the global change means that any data added or updated in other parts of the system after the global change will be lost and need to be entered again. While the restore may solve your global change issue, it may very well introduce other issues (missing data) that may even go unnoticed if you don't happen to realize that one of your users was adding/editing data after your problematic global change. What's more, if you're relying on a database backup restore to solve this problem, your database is effectively "down" from a data entry standpoint as you wait for the backup restore to complete.
As we move into the next generation of Blackbaud solutions and as part of our SKY platform, we would much prefer to provide other solutions that don't involve support calls, down time, or require a need to re-enter or update records other than the ones impacted by the problem itself. Fixing an import mistake with a database backup restore is a bit like killing a mosquito with a cannon: effective for the desired goal, but ultimately overkill and bringing with it a lot of collateral damage. More often than not, there is a better option available than "restore from backup" to recover from a data entry mistake.
That said, there are a few valid scenarios when a database restore may be necessary and appropriate. I want to assure you all that when and if those situations present themselves, we are here to support you and restore all of your data (including RE NXT specific data). At this point in time, however, we simply cannot yet do this on request, so it's important to reset expectations around what does and does not warrant a restore. We have admittedly set a poor precedent in the past with making it clear what types of scenarios warrant a backup restore and we're actively working with our support and development teams to change our recommendations and best practices.
In the future, we will have a more seamless process for restoring any and all data to a point-in-time backup, but even then will want to limit how frequently that is done and for what reasons. We also look forward to providing additional tools, functionality, and safeguards (ie: Audit Trail) so that you have even more options for recovery in the event of a bad import or global change in a way that doesn't equate to "restore my data from yesterday".
Please know that we are very committed to supporting our users and their needs and as we progress into a truly SaaS and Cloud enabled world, we are similarly evolving our recommendations on how best to recover from the typical data entry or global change mistakes that should not necessitate a full restore.
Thanks,
Jarod Bonino
Product Manager, Raiser's Edge NXT
News
Blackbaud Raiser's Edge NXT® Blog
02/23/2018 1:40pm EST
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"I want to assure you all that when and if those situations present themselves, we are here to support you and restore all of your data (including RE NXT specific data)."
I'm sorry Jarod, your post has created more confusion for me. Does your post overide kb aricle you link to?
"At this point in time, however, we simply cannot yet do this on request, so it's important to reset expectations around what does and does not warrant a restore."
What does this mean? You say when we have an issue, we can request all data to be recovered, but then go on to say that you 'cannot do this on request'. Is it just me, or is that confusing?
You have given is us additional features in NXT that are great, but I don't want to utilise them, if I know that it could effectively be lost, based on some kind of discussion with Blackbaud as to wether you deem it worthwhile restoring, in the event of loss. In the same way that I know RE classic can be restored, can NXT be restored?