Mirror boot disk using LVM

[Alexander Laing]

Hi! I am new to the forum.

I am trying to mirror a boot disk using two SCSI disks, each one on a different controller.

I go through the necessary steps but when I issue the command
"lvextend -m 1 /dev/vg00/lvol"
I get an error saying that the '-m' is an illegal option. I look at the man pages for "lvextend" and it shows '-m' as a valid option.

I am running HP-UX 11i. I don't know if it would make a difference but I do not have MirrorDisk/UX installed, I'm trying to do this using LVM only.

Thanks in advance.

[T G Manikandan]

You need to have Mirror/UX installed on the system to support LVM mirroring.
This is a prerequisite product for LVM mirroring.

Only that product can turn on the -m option of lvextend.

You cannot do that without Mirror/UX.

Thanks

[James A. Donovan]

The man page may list -m as a valid option, but you can only use it if you have the MirrorDisk/UX product.

See these threads for instruction on how to create a mirrored boot disk without Mirror/UX. It's more difficult to maintain, but it is doable.

http://forums.itrc.hp.com/cm/QuestionAnswer/1,,0xafc36af52b04d5118fef0090279cd0f9,00.html

http://forums.itrc.hp.com/cm/QuestionAnswer/1,,0x37204b3ef09fd611abdb0090277a778c,00.html

[Steven E. Protter]

Okay, without Mirror/UX you can't do the mirroring thing. No license, no mirroring on this OS. Period, no way around it.

Complete procedure.

Obtain a valid code word from HP. That will cost some bucks.

swinstall

action

add code word

Enter the information provided by HP.

Mirror/UX will become visible and you can install it.

It will require a boot.

Procedure for mirroring now.

1> pvcreate -B /dev/rdsk/xyz

2> vgextend /dev/vg00 /dev/dsk/xyz

3> mkboot /dev/rdsk/xyz

4> mkboot -a "hpux (;0) /stand/vmunix" /dev/rdsk/xyz

-a auto_file_string If the -a option is specified, mkboot
creates an autoexecute file AUTO on
device, if none exists. mkboot deposits
auto_file_string in that file. If this
string contains spaces, it must be quoted
so that it is a single parameter.

or use

4> mkboot -a "hpux -lq /stand/vmunix" /dev/rdsk/xyz

5> lvextend -m 1 /dev/vg00/lvol1 /dev/dsk/xyz -do this for all the lvols on root disk.

6> lvlnboot -R

7> lvlnboot -v To check if you see both the disks as boot disk.


Put in real disk invormation and you're done.

Good Luck.

SEP

[Michael Tully]

Sorry but you can't mirror logical volumes with the mirrorDisk/UX software.
As you probably realise this is software is not free and must be purchased.

If you wanted to keep a virtual copy you could run a regular 'dd' to a different disk.

Regards
Michael
"When I have trouble spelling, it's called fat finger syndrome"

[Sunil Sharma_1]

Hi,
it means you don't have mirror disk UX installed.

get the lic. from HP and install it using swinstall and then use same command it will work.
Enjoy
Sunil

[Alexander Laing]

Thanks for the advice!

I will take the MirrorDisk/UX route and purchase the necessary license to mirror disks on our servers.

Also, thanks for the quick response.