Backing Up Horizon Connection Server and View Composer Data

After you complete the initial configuration of Connection Server, you should schedule regular backups of your Horizon 7 and View Composer configuration data. You can preserve your Horizon 7 and View Composer data by using Horizon Administrator.

Horizon 7 stores Connection Server configuration data in the View LDAP repository. View Composer stores configuration data for linked-clone desktops in the View Composer database.

Note: By default, Horizon 7 automatically backs up Connection Server and View Composer data every day at 12 AM.

When you use Horizon Administrator to perform backups, Horizon 7 backs up the View LDAP configuration data and View Composer database. Both sets of backup files are stored in the same location. The View LDAP data is exported in encrypted LDAP data interchange format (LDIF). For a description of View LDAP, see View LDAP Directory.

You can perform backups in several ways.

• Schedule automatic backups by using the Horizon 7 configuration backup feature.
• Initiate a backup immediately by using the Backup Now feature in Horizon Administrator.
• Manually export View LDAP data by using the vdmexport utility. This utility is provided with each instance of Connection Server.

  The vdmexport utility can export View LDAP data as encrypted LDIF data, plain text, or plain text with passwords and other sensitive data removed.

  Note: The vdmexport tool backs up the View LDAP data only. This tool does not back up View Composer database information.

  For more information about vdmexport, see Export Configuration Data from Horizon Connection Server.

The following guidelines apply to backing up Horizon 7 configuration data:

• Horizon 7 can export configuration data from any Connection Server instance.
• If you have multiple Connection Server instances in a replicated group, you only need to export the data from one instance. All replicated instances contain the same configuration data.
• Do not rely on using replicated instances of Connection Server to act as your backup mechanism. When Horizon 7 synchronizes data in replicated instances of Connection Server, any data lost in one instance might be lost in all members of the group.
• If Connection Server uses multiple vCenter Server instances with multiple Composer services, Horizon 7 backs up all the View Composer databases associated with the vCenter Server instances.