The Archive task replaces and extends the old Kiwi Syslog Server Archive functionality (in versions prior to 8.3.0). It allows you to copy or move logs from one location to another, compress the files into individual or single archives, encrypt those archive(s), create multi-part archive(s), create file or archive hashes, run external programs, and much more. Following the completion of an archive task, notification can be sent via e-mail, or a web-based report created on disk.
Any archive task can be scheduled to occur over any interval or at any date and time desired, or at application/service start-up.
Whether an archive task is scheduled or not, it consists of the following four parts:
| • | Source |
| • | Destination |
| • | Archive Options |
| • | Archive Notification |
Source:
Source Location:
The Source Location specifies the root folder from which files will be moved or copied. If the "Include subdirectories" option is checked, then all subfolders in the root folder will be included in the file processing. If unchecked, only files that exist in the source location will be processed.
Source Files:
The Source Files section defines which files will be included in the task processing.
Files that match the specified file mask, file size, and file age criteria are included in processing, those that do not match the criteria are excluded.
eg. In the figure above, *.txt files that are at least 500 MB AND at least 6 months old are processed.
Destination:
Destination Location:
The Destination Location specifies where files matching the source file criteria will be copied or moved to.
If the "Build subfolders" option is checked, then directory structure that exists in the source location will be preserved.
If the "Build subfolders" option is not checked, then the file paths will be "flattened" and any directory structure that exists at the source will be lost.
Destination Files:
The Destination Files section determines how files will be transferred from source to destination.
Move/Copy files from source to destination:
Selecting "Copy Files from Source to Destination" leaves existing files intact at the source. Selecting "Move Files from Source to Destination" means that files are deleted from the source location once they have been copied.
When copying or moving files from the source to the destination, an optional date-time stamp can be added.
Use a dated file name:
The "Use dated file names" option adds a date-time stamp (in the specified format) to each file as it is moved or copied. The formatted date-time stamp will be inserted into the destination file name at the location specified, either:
| • | Before the beginning of the filename, ie. DATETIMESTAMP-filename.log, or |
| • | Before the end of the filename, ie. filename-DATETIMESTAMP.log |
Use a dated folder names:
The "Use a dated folder name" option adds a date-time stamped root folder at the destination, into which all matching files will be moved/copied.
Adjust file/folder date(s) to that of the previous ... :
With either date-time stamp option, the target date used can be adjusted to the previous day, week, month, or year.
This setting is particularly useful when running a scheduled archive at the beginning of a new period, whilst having the archived logs reflect the fact that they contain information from the previous period.
eg. Consider a scheduled archive task, set to occur every day at midnight: This setting will adjust the current date, so that the target file is named to reflect; that the contents of the archived logs contain data from the previous day.
Archive Options:
Zip Options:
Zip files after moving/copying:
If selected, a zip file containing the destination files will be created.
Compression Level:
None
No compression. Files are stored in the zip file as raw data.
Low
Minimum compression. This setting takes the least amount of time to compress data. For the Deflate compression method, when compared to the Medium setting, this setting usually gives noticeably faster compression times in exchange for about 1% to 15% larger compressed files.
Medium
Normal compression. This is the best balance between the time it takes to compress data and the compression ratio achieved (this statement applies to both to the Deflate and the Burrows Wheeler (BWT) compression methods).
High
Maximum compression. This setting achieves the best compression ratios that the compression algorithm is capable of producing. For the Deflate compression method, when compared to the Medium setting, this setting significantly increases compression time for only slightly smaller compressed files. We recommend that you use this setting only when you really need to achieve the smallest possible files and when compression time is totally unimportant.
Compression Method:
Stored
No compression or decompression should be applied at all.
Deflate
Use the Deflate compression method. This algorithm provides fast compression and decompression speeds and achieves pretty good compression.
Deflate 64
Use the Deflate64™ compression method. This method takes longer to compress data than Deflate, however it provides better compression.
BurrowsWheeler
Use the BWT compression method. This algorithm often provides superior compression on many popular file types such as database, picture, text and executable files. It takes longer to compress or uncompress data with this algorithm vs. the standard Deflate algorithm.
All files into a single Zip:
If selected, this option ensures that all files in the destination location will be achived into a single zip file.
If not selected, a zip file will be created for each file in the destination location.
Multi-part Zip (.zip, .z01, .z02, .z03, etc.) / Split size:
A multi-part zip file is a zip file that is split into multiple files, all in the same folder. All the parts of a multi-part zip file usually have the same filename but with a different (numbered) filename extension. If this option is selected, a multi-part zip file will be created with a split-size corresponding to amount set in the "Split size" setting.
Encrypt Zip file:
If selected, zip file encryption will be applied to each and every zip file created, with the password, encryption type, and encryption strength specified.
Encryption password:
The Encryption Password property contains the case-sensitive password to be used for encrypting or decrypting files.
The password specified in the applies to all the files being zipped.
If the Encryption Password property is empty, ie. if no password is provided, then any newly zipped files will not be encrypted.
Passwords can be up to 79 characters long.
Encryption Type:
Compatible
Traditional zip encryption (weak)
WinZip AES
WinZip 9.0's AES encryption (strong)
Encryption Strength:
The Encryption Strength property allows you to specify the strength of the encryption (in bits). Does not apply to the "Compatible" encryption type.
Preserve Paths in Zip file(s):
The Preserve Paths property allows you to specify whether or not the created zip file(s) include path information from the destination files.
Archive Options:
Run External Program:
Run program after each file is moved/copied:
The selected Windows program will be executed after each file has been moved or copied from the source location to the destination.
The command-line parameters specified will be passed to the selected executable.
Wait for program completion:
The time to wait for program completion. Programs or processes that are still running after this period of time has elapsed; will be terminated.
Run program after all files are moved/copied:
The selected Windows program will be executed after all files have been moved or copied from the source location to the destination.
The command-line parameters specified will be passed to the selected executable.
Wait for program completion:
The time to wait for program completion. Programs or processes that are still running after this period of time has elapsed; will be terminated.
Archive Notification:
E-mail format:
The archive report can be generated and sent in either HTML or plain-text format.
Send Report by e-mail:
If selected, an e-mail containing the archive report will be sent to the e-mail address specified in the "Recipient(s)" field.
Recipient(s):
Comma or semi-colon delimited list of e-mail addresses, which are to receive copies of the archive report.
Include file hashes in report:
If selected, a file hash value will be generated for each file processed.
Generate Hash before zip:
A hash value will be generated from the source file, before it is zipped. Hash values will be included in the report that is generated.
Generate Hash after zip:
A hash value will be generated from any zip files that are created as part of the archiving process. Hash values will be included in the report that is generated.
Hashing Method:
Specifies the type of Hash that will be generated from the file.
MD5
MD5 (Message Digest Algorithm 5) is a secure hash algorithm developed by R. Rivest in 1991 at RSA Data Security, Inc. The algorithm takes a message of arbitrary length and produces a 128-bit message digest. MD5 is a popular hash algorithm and it is considered reasonable secure. However, some people have reported potential weaknesses in it. It is also reported that it is possible to build a special-purpose machine to find a plaintext matching given hash-value in a few weeks.
SHA1
The SHA-1 (Secure Hash Algorithm 1) was proposed by the U.S. National Institute for Standards and Technology (NIST) for certain U.S. federal government applications. The algorithm takes a message of arbitrary length and produces a 160-bit message digest. Compared to 128-bit hash functions, the 160-bit hash-value of SHA-1 provides increased security against brute-force attacks. SHA-1 is considered stronger than MD5.
SHA256
SHA256 (or SHA-2 as it is known, Secure Hash Algorithm 2 (256)) was proposed by the U.S. National Institute for Standards and Technology (NIST) for certain U.S. federal government applications. The algorithm takes a message of arbitrary length and produces a 256-bit message digest. The SHA-2(256) algorithm was designed to produce outputs that provide security comparable to that projected for the Advanced Encryption Standard (AES ).
Send Report to disk:
If selected, an file containing the archive report will be sent to disk using the file name and path specified.
Variable options:
Selected variables will be inserted into the file path. This aides in creating dated or date-time stamped report files, to avoid overwriting the same report file each time an archive task is run.
Use absolute paths in report (don't use relative paths):
If selected, the report that is generated (either to disk or e-mail) will show full file paths instead of relative paths, which are the default.