topic Re: restore from one linux server to another in Operating System - Linux

restore from one linux server to another

tom quach_1 — Sat, 26 Jan 2008 01:11:05 GMT

Hi There,

i have 2 identical oracle linux 5 servers.
server-A
server-B

server-B has all applications(ebs12) installed and configured.
i like to restore everything from server-B to server-A using dataprotector 5.5
Would you think it works?
my purpose is to have application on server-A without re-install and re-configure it.
Please let me know your thoughts.

Thanks in advance
Tom

Re: restore from one linux server to another

Steven Schweda — Sat, 26 Jan 2008 03:28:48 GMT

> [...] without re-install and re-configure it.

How much of the stuff on B knows that it's on
B, so that if you simply copy it to A, it'll
be confused? And if you don't know how much
such stuff there is, how much risk are you
willing to accept?

If you're sure that none of the stuff on B
cares where it is, then what could go wrong?

Re: restore from one linux server to another

palaniappan.sp — Sat, 26 Jan 2008 12:09:39 GMT

Hi,
This is quite risky job.But if u know all the related files whichever required for ur application.
You can do onething, By ghosting it is possible.But the hw ur r using should be identical, otherwise it will ask for drivers for unkknown hw.
Ghosting b/w m/c to m/c and hdd to hdd on same m/c is possible.
Ghosting SW are G4L and G4U (opensource)and symantech (lic).....
or
U have to tar the related files and scp to system A from B.Then from u have to untar it in system B. But this is tension work....

Regds
Palani

Re: restore from one linux server to another

Steven E. Protter — Mon, 28 Jan 2008 11:57:45 GMT

Shalom Tom,

This depends totally on the typ of applicatoin.

If you know where every single file is you can make a tar file preserving full path, transfer it and untar it.

You should not do this for rpm based applications, the information on the application will not be in the rpm database.

Dataprotector instread of tar?

It will work if you can identify every file associated with the application.

You could try whole system replication:
http://www.acronis.com
http://www.mondorescue.org

SEP

Re: restore from one linux server to another

tom quach_1 — Mon, 28 Jan 2008 21:17:14 GMT

Thank you all for information on this topic.

what i concern is the O.S itself.
Would i be able to replace the O.S and all of its files and reboot.
i am using dataprotector. so i properly would restore every to second node with identical file system and reboot.

i will try it later to see if it works or not.
Thanks for your helps!
Tom

Re: restore from one linux server to another

TwoProc — Tue, 29 Jan 2008 17:11:25 GMT

Tom, are these two HP Proliant Servers that are essentially the same?

If so, the way we clone them is to pull a single disk from the mirrored root drives and stick it in another box and boot it. Answer the prompts correctly, in which you indicate that the mirror is going to rebuilt from the disk (and not the image in the server itself), and the system bounces right up with your new OS and will mirror to the other drive of the root pair.

Mirroring a system this way - on Proliants at least take about 7 minutes or so. If you don't count letting the mirroring process finish. This is because you can start using the server way before the mirroring is complete.

Afterwards, just go in and change the server name and IP address(es) if not dynamically assigned, and off you go.

Re: restore from one linux server to another

tom quach_1 — Wed, 30 Jan 2008 01:09:38 GMT

Thanks-TwoProc,

Yes they are two HP Proliant Servers
each one has hardware RAID5 so i do not think i can pull out a disk and insert to another.
Thanks for your help.
Tom

Re: restore from one linux server to another

TwoProc — Fri, 01 Feb 2008 20:52:39 GMT

Well, we've got them as hardware RAID, but the root volumes with two identical disks are just simple mirrors. My data areas are R5, that is for applications, etc.

We did this on purpose so that replacing and cloning was simplistic as possible.

Maybe you could make changes so that you could do this?

Re: restore from one linux server to another

tom quach_1 — Fri, 01 Feb 2008 21:29:59 GMT

Thank you all,

i will try some of the suggestion.