Backup OS before upgrade

[Donald Thaler]

Is there a recommended type of system backup that should be done before an operating system upgrade or patch. We currently back up all the directories to tape.

[Robert-Jan Goossens]

Hi Donald,

Yes, the recommended backup of the OS is by using a make_tape_recovery, have a look at the Ignite software link.

Ignite creates a bootable image on tape or the network.

http://h20392.www2.hp.com/portal/swdepot/displayProductInfo.do?productNumber=IGNITEUXB

Regards,
Robert-Jan

[Pete Randall]

The Ignite make_tape_recovery backup is ideal because you can boot from the tape drive and restore your boot disk to it's pre-install state very simply.


Pete

[Avinash20]

Ignite-UX created a bootable image.
This will allow us to restore the backup in case if the server panics or doesn't come up after upgradation or patch installation

Syntax:
Install Ignite-UX product as provide above

# make_tape_recovery -v -x inc_entire=vg00 -a /dev/rmt/Xmn

Replace Xmn by tape device

To get the tape device
# ioscan -fnC tape

The above make_tape_recovery will take the backup only the filesystem which belongs to vg00. It is always advisable to take the backup of only OS filesystem via Ignite, since system restoration times reduces drastically.

You could take the other non-OS filesystem backup via fbackup, tar or any other backup utilities.

Please assign points.

[James R. Ferguson]

Hi Donald:

The Ignite recovery tape is one recommendation, of course. If you think the patch process, you need to have not only your kernel in sync with various libraries, but you certainly want your IPD (Installed Product Database as described by the '/var/adm/sw' directory contents) in line with the various files in '/usr', /opt', '/etc' and '/sbin'.

Thus trying to guess what you should backup and/or restore is foolhardy.

If you are running 11.23 or later, you should look at DRD as another strategy:

http://h20392.www2.hp.com/portal/swdepot/displayProductInfo.do?productNumber=DynRootDisk

http://docs.hp.com/en/5992-5856/index.html

Regards!

...JRF...

[Steven E. Protter · Accepted solution]

Shalom,

If the tape drive is supported for boot:
make_tape_recovery -v -x inc_entire=vg00

If note: make_net_recovery

Direct the output to an NFS share.

SEP

[Torsten.]

Several options:

1) ignite (to tape or network)

2) use DRD (dynamic root disk)

3) shutdown OS and remove a mirrored disk, boot in quorum mode. After checking that all patches working, insert the disk again and sync the mirror (caution with boot loader patches!) - less preferred

[Johnson Punniyalingam]

Hi Donald,

>>>Is there a recommended type of system backup that should be done before an operating system upgrade or patch<<

Yes , Ignite backup most recommended.

make_tape_recovery

>>We currently back up all the directories to tape.<<

Above mentioned File System level backup,

Ignite take image of your Operating System.



Thanks.
Johnson

[Donald Thaler]

thanks to all who responded, it would appear that since i can't boot from the tape library (hp msl2024),per HP, the only option i have is the make_net_recovery, the drd option requires a free disk and i don't beleive i have any 'free disks' on the system. I have the ignite software installed, and i've downloaded a number of the ignite manuals (can't wait to read them). Does anyone have a sample command that references the make_net_recovery procedure ? A picture is worth a 1000 words, and in this case it might be a gigabyte of words..

[Torsten.]

I would try to boot/restore from the library.

Boot the install DVD and select the "restore from tape" option.

Just put the tape into the drive before. ;-)