How to clone a server using ignite?

[Geetha_1]

I have a machine that has its /usr filesystem corrupted. I can't fsck it. This machine is a clone of an another machine on the network (same subnet). The machine with the problem can only come up in single user mode. If I try to bring it up in multi-user mode, it complains that the INIT process is spawning too rapidly.

How do I use ignite to clone the master to the client? I have done this before with make_recovery but never on a machine without a tape/cd-rom drive. I know I have to use make_net_recovery - but am not sure about all the details. Can someone who has done this give me a detailed procedure. Thanks.

[Steven E. Protter]

You can:

do a make_tape_recovery on a good server and boot off that tape on bad. There is an interactive action that lets you change hostname and ip address.

or:

boot the bad server of a recent 5.x or above Ignite server and use another machines make_net_recovery to rebuild the bad server.

or:

Boot off a golden image, though I don't think this meets your need.

SEP

[Geetha_1]

Steven,
I don't have a tape drive on both machines so option 1 is ruled out. How do I do the second option (make_net_recovery) - can you please give me the detailed steps? Thx.

[Juan Manuel López]

I think you can use ignite with option "-i" interactive mode, to clone the machine.
Then, when you start the instalation to clone machine with ignite, you will be able to set Ip address and hostname.
See make_recovery man pages for more information, or continue the thread.

Juanma.

[DCE · Accepted solution]

The are multiple steps necessary to do what you want to do

1. set up an ignite server with adequate space for the make_net_recovery archives

2. configure the ignite server to accept the network backup

3. run the nertwork backup

4. set up the clone process for the server to be cloned

All this is documented in chapter 9 of the ignite manual

http://docs.hp.com/en/B2355-90893/index.html

It is actually well documented, and works quite well - I just did three servers last week using the info in chapter 9

[Geetha_1]

Will try it out and let you know. Thx.