moving a disk and its file system to new hardware

[David DiBiase]

unfortunately we have no network connectivity or external media available so I need some suggestions.

I have 2 very large file systems on a disk in my local rx2660 (11i v3) and I need to ship this disk to be installed in its sister rx2660. The receiving site has very little UNIX experience.

Any step by step you might have would be greatly appreciated.

[Robert-Jan Goossens]

Hi David,

Could you post a bdf output of this filesystem?

The easiest is to create an instruction for your remote admin to import the volume group on the sister RX.

Regards,
Robert-Jan

[Pete Randall]

Connect the disks to the new system. Run ioscan -fnCdisk before and after to locate them. Then build a directory for your new VG: mkdir /dev/vg01. Now use mknod to build the special files: mknod /dev/vg01/group c 64 0x010000 (usually the minor number, 01 in 0x010000, is set to match the vg number). Then run vgimport: vgimport /dev/vg01 /dev/dsk/cXtYdZ. Without any connectivity between the two systems, there is no way to transport a map file, so any non-standard lvol names will probably be lost.

That's a very basic outline of what I think needs to be done. Hopefully it will be of some help.


Pete

[F Verschuren · Accepted solution]

vgexport -m /tmp/mapfile.map
cat /tmp/mapfile.map
(and type over the data in this file on the new server (ore copy the data over some other way)

install the disk in the new server
ask the receving side to recreate the map file
let them create a new vg group file
(see previus replay)
insf -v to create the new hartware flies


vgimport -m /tmp/mapfile.map /dev/dsk/newhartware1 /dev/dsk/newhartware2

After that a vgchange -a y "new vg"
and the file systems are now mountable...

[NouZ]

I will give all the steps

Scenario 1

System A :your Fs located
#bdf
#vgdisplay -v vgxx | grep "PV Name"
#umount
#vgchange -a n vgxx
#vgexport -s -m /tmp/vgxx.map
copy this map file to System B through CD/Tap etc
fbackup -f /dev/rmt/0m -i /tmp/vgxx.map
Physically detach the disk and connect to System B

System B
Physically attach the disks of vgxx
#frecover -f /dev/rmt/0m -i /tmp/vgxx.map -xv
#ioscan -fnC disk:confirm all disk are detected and claimed
#mkdir /dev/vgxx
#ll /dev/*/group : find out unused minor number
#mknod /dev/vgxx/group c 64 0xXX0000
#vgimport -s -m /tmp/vgxx.map vgxx
#vgchange -a y vgxx
#mkdir /mnt | create all mount point
#vgdisplay -v vgxx :confirm all PV/Lv
# mount /dev/vgxx/
#vi /etc/fstab : edit fstab
#bdf -v

Now verify your FS/ file

=================================================================
Scenario 2

take FS backup to tap by using tar/fbackup/cpio etc
copy to system B

[OldSchool]

I've you've spare disks available, also consider making / keeping at least one mirror copy locally. at least until the originals are safely installed and funtioning in their new location. Just as a backup in case something gets lost / damaged in transit.