Restoring Ignite images across different server models.

[John E. Goetz]

Can you take an Ignite image from a rp2470 and install on a rp3440? Also can you take an Ignite image from a rp5470 and install on a rp4440?

[Todd McDaniel_1 · Accepted solution]

John,

this is a very tricky thing, trying to ignite from one type of server to a different model.

It is very likely you will have hardware issues with OS on the new box. Unless your lan card and all fiber cards are the same types and any other type of card.

Remember you are also restoring the kernel on the new host/model. So you would definitely have to rebuild the kernel for h/w compatibility.

I would say you will cause more trouble than you are trying to save.

Starting with a clean install on the new system and then Tarring up config files and such as well as passwd etc from the old box is your best bet

[Alex Georgiev]

Short answer: Yes.

I have two rp5470 test systems, and several rp2470 & rp4440 production systems. I've cloned the prod to test and test to prod systems with no issues. Unless you have any exotic or outdated hardware, you should not run into issues.

Now, do keep this in mind:

You have to use a recent version of both Ignite-UX and HP-UX. If you are using an outdated version of Ignite-UX, it may not understand or support some of the newer hardware. The reverse can also be true - if your destination system has outdated hardware (say, something that's not supported after HP-UX 11.0) and a very new Ignite-UX, your hardware may not be supported any more.

The way I understand it, the kernel that Ignite-UX uses to boot your system in recovery mode is different from the OS kernel that will run after the recovery. Thus, both Ignite-UX and HP-UX have to support the hardware.

I highly recommend the "Successful System Cloning" white paper: http://www.docs.hp.com/en/5991-0733/5991-0733.pdf

The basic rule of thum for cloning your system is this:

1. Make sure that the hardware on the destination system is neither too old nor too new

2. Get the latest version of Ignite-UX

3. Ignite, baby, Ignite!

Hope that helps!

[Alex Georgiev]

Forgot to mention step #4:

4. After the recovery is done and the OS boots up run an ioscan and look for any unclaimed hardware. If you have any, you may have to install HW enablement patches and/or enable kernel modules to support the hardware.

In some cases, if you have "exotic" hardware like ATM cards on your destination system, you may have to install extra bundles from an HP-UX CD.

[Tim Nelson]

My 2 cents.

This will work as mentioned if the HW is close enough. i.e. CPU platforms are relatively the same. Obviously trying to put 11.11 on a IPF server is not going to work. Even if they are close, i.e. 750mhz to a 850mhz may cause issue. You may also end up missing patches for newer hardware, MP, or core as they will not apply to the rp5470 but are needed for the rp4440.. Re-run patch install analysis afterwards just to be sure.

For implementation of disparaging platforms I typciall cold install the first system. run my "custom new system script" that copies host files, printer configs, users, groups, etc.. from an existing server to the new one. I then use the new server as the ignite origional for other new servers.

Good luck.