backup of system image to tape

[Volvocars]

Hello,

Last week a took a system image of an itanium rx2620 and has put it on a datadisk. Because I have no tape device available on that system available and is not in a cluster. I copied the 13nov.bck to our test cluster who is equiped with a tapedevice.

If I want to backup the image 13nov.BCK to tapedevice mkc300.
NVX$ BACKUP DATADISK9:[TEMP]13NOV.BCK;2 $4$MKC300:13nov.bck/sav. This command works but
than I got my Image within 13nov.bck and I see
with backup/list $4$MKC300:13nov.bck/sav I see I rule 13nov.bck. The system puts the original saveset in a new saveset. So far this is normal.

For testing I did a backup of the original image to another disk
BACKUP DATADISK9:[TEMP]13NOV.BCK;2 DATADISK8:[TEMP]*.*;*.
With the backup/list datadisk8:[temp]13nov.bck
I get a detailed description of the image and that is what I want.

When I try to apply the last command for the tapedevice mck300
NVX$ BACKUP DATADISK9:[TEMP]13NOV.BCK;2 $4$MKC300:*.*;* this is not working
%BACKUP-F-SAVSETNAM, save-set name must be in first list element

The preceding commands for the tape were
NVX$ INITIALIZE/MEDIA_FORMAT=COMPACTION $4$MKC300: 13NOV
NVX$ MOUNT/FOREIGN/MEDIA_FORMAT=COMPACTION $4$MKC300: 13NOV
%MOUNT-I-MOUNTED, 13NOV mounted on _$4$MKC300: (NVX)

How can I put an existing saveset on tape and do a backup/list of the contents of the original image backup.

Mario Dhaenens
Mdhaene1@volvocars.com

[Karl Rohwedder]

From what I understand, you are trying to duplicate an image backup on a disk-saveset to tape, so that you may be able to restore it directly from tape to a disk.

To achieve this, you must just COPY the saveset to tape. If memory serves me right:
- init tape: label
- mount/record=nn/block=nn tape label
- copy image.bck tape:

NN ist the recordsize of the saveset (DIR/FU).

AFAIK, the layered product SAVESET Manager is able to copy with such problems, also.

regards Kalle

[Robert Gezelter]

Mario,

From what I understand of your posting, you:
- created a BACKUP Save Set on a disk
- then used BACKUP to write that Save Set to a tape

That process has created, in effect, a tape containing a Save Set whose contents are another Save Set.

To restore the Save Set, two steps are necessary:
- Restore the Outer Save Set. e.g.
BACKUP :savesetname/SAVE
- Restore the Image Save Set
BACKUP :/SAVE /INITIALIZE/IMAGE

I hope that the above notation is clear. Also, follow the manual carefully concerning restoring system volumes on IA64, there are Intel-related Volume ID concerns.

- Bob Gezelter, http://www.rlgsc.com

[Jan van den Ende]

Mario,

Yes, Kalle is right: if you want to transfer the saveset from disk to tape, use COPY.
What you are trying to do, is creating a saveset from the file containing the saveset. In itself nothing wring with that, as lang as you realise that upon restore you get a saveset on disk, (which can then be restored into its constituents from there).

The error you get, is because the output sabesetname ( $4$MKC300:*.*.* ) has an invalid syntax. You can not use wildcards, so if you want the name to be 13NOV.BCK, you wil just have to spell it out.

hth

Proost.

Have one on me.

jpe

[Volker Halle]

Mario,

note that continuation tape processing will most likely not work, so if the saveset does not fit onto ONE tape, you can't do this.

Volker.

[comarow]

A few minor thoughts.

Creating a save set of a save set generally is unsupported. That said, it will probably work.

As far as a tapes spanning multiple tapes. That is supported IF the the tape drive is supported. If it doesn't, ask HP to log an engineering escalation.

[Steven Schweda]

> Creating a save set of a save set
> generally is unsupported.

Really? I thought that a save set was
simply a file created by BACKUP, and I would
be profoundly amazed if BACKUP were unable to
deal with any valid file, especially a file
which BACKUP itself had created.

Or did I misunderstand, and you were actually
trying to say something which made some sense?

> As far as a tapes spanning multiple tapes.
> [...]

Tapes don't span tapes. A save set might
span tapes. What are you talking about?

[Volvocars]

Hello Carl,

I tried the copy command too and the copy did actualy work. So I got I step ahead of the previous methode.

When mounted the tape with the label 13nov with mount/foreign, so far no problem. But when I did
backup/list $4$MKC300:13nov.bck /sav
I got a message that the tape was not in the ANSI format.

Best regards

Mario

[GuentherF]

"I got a message that the tape was not in the ANSI format."

That could be because the COPY was done to a foreign mounted tape. Was it?

/Guenther

[Volker Halle]

Mario,

it would be quite helpful, if you could provide the complete commands and screen output from your test (just use cut & paste or use SET HOST/LOG 0 and attach the .LOG file as a .TXT file to your next reply).

This would reduce speculation and may lead to a faster diagnosis.

Volker.

[comarow]

Sorry, a file can span tapes in both copies and backups.

[Volvocars]

Hello,

I am trying to reproduce the exact fault by taking the backup of the image saveset with the copy command. I hope I can give you some extra input within the next hour.

Mario

[Volvocars]

Hello Gunther,

After the copy command I recall that I have indeed done a Mount/foreign to mount the tape again. How should the mount have to be performed in this case ?

Mario

[Volvocars]

Hello guys,

In attachment, you have the logging which I have carried out.

NVX$ DISMOUNT/nounload $4$MKC300:
NVX$ MOUNT/FOREIGN/MEDIA_FORMAT=COMPACTION $4$MKC300: 13NOV
%MOUNT-I-MOUNTED, 13NOV mounted on _$4$MKC300: (NVX)

NVX$ backup/rew/list $4$MKC300:
Listing of save set(s)
%BACKUP-F-LABELERR, error in tape label processing on $4$MKC300:[000000].;
-BACKUP-F-NOTANSI, tape is not valid ANSI format

How can I make a descent listing of what image is currently on the tape in tapedevice $4$mkc300? Full log see attachment. Thanks in advance

Best regards,

Mario

[Volker Halle · Accepted solution]

Mario,

please use the commands as suggested by Karl:

$ INITIALIZE/MEDIA_FORMAT=COMPACTION $4$MKC300: 13NOV
$ MOUNT/FOREIGN/MEDIA_FORMAT=COMPACTION $4$MKC300: 13NOV/BLOCK=nn/RECORD=nn
$ COPY DSA1800:[TEMP]13NOV.BCK $4$MKC300:

'nn' is the recordsize of the saveset (DIR/FU 13NOV.BCK).

Backup expects ANSI tape labels. This will only work, if you mount the tape as an ANSI labeled tape - WITHOUT using /FOREIGN.

Volker.

[Volker Halle]

Mario,

I've just tested the instructions given. They do work:

$ backu *.com test.bck/save
dir/full test.bck

Directory USERDISK1:[HALLE]

TEST.BCK;1
...
Record format: Fixed length 32256 byte records

$ init $3$MUA1: test
$ mount/block=32256/record=32256 $3$mua1: test
%MOUNT-I-MOUNTED, TEST mounted on _$3$MUA1: (CHARON)
$ copy test.bck $3$mua1:/log
%COPY-S-COPIED, USERDISK1:[HALLE]TEST.BCK;1 copied to $3$MUA1:[]TEST.BCK;1 (19 records)
$ dism/nounl $3$mua1:
$ back/lis $3$mua1:/save/rew
Listing of save set(s)

Save set: TEST.BCK
Written by: HALLE
Date: 28-NOV-2006 19:56:53.87
Command: BACKU/LOG *.COM TEST.BCK/SAVE
Operating system: OpenVMS Alpha version V8.2
...
Block size: 32256
Group size: 10
Buffer count: 44

[HALLE]ANALYZE_CRASH.COM;1 25 15-AUG-1997 16:16
...

Volker.

[GuentherF]

Though shall not mount the tape /FOREIGN before copying the save set file to tape. ;-)

/Guenther

[Volvocars]

Hello Karl, Gunther,

I managed this afternoon to try the backup again and it worked. Thank you very much with your solution.