How does NetVault:Backup manage Linux and Unix link files?
When NetVault:Backup backs up a soft link, it is backed up as a special link file. The behaviour of backup and restore depends on whether the soft link is to the linked-to target file is a relative or absolute location.
Example A (relative): file2 -> ../file1
Example B (absolute): file2 -> /var/tmp/file1
In Example A, when the soft link is restored, the linked-to target file must exist in a directory relative to the restored soft link file, otherwise the soft link will be broken. If you restore the soft link to another location, the target file must be moved to a directory relative to the soft link file.
In Example B, when the soft link is restored the linked-to target file must exist in the same location, otherwise the soft link will be broken. If you restore the soft link to another location, and the target file is in the same location, then the link is OK.
When NetVault:Backup backs up a hard link, it is backed up like a regular file with meta-data identifying it as a hard link. The data of the linked-to target file will be backed up, as well as the meta-data.
When the hard link is restored in the same restore job as the linked to target, and the "Attempt to restore hard links" option is selected, then the hard link will still be a hard link.
When the hard link is restored without the linked-to target, the restored file will contain the data of the linked-to target file, but will not retain the link relationship with the target. Therefore, the file is a regular file, and no longer a hard link, even if the "Attempt to restore hard links" option is selected.
