system image backup in red hat linux

[Rommel T. Misa_2]

Is there a tool/command in red hat linux I could use to back up the system image (OS) of the server similar to Ignite-UX in HP-UX or mksysb in AIX? If there is none, how can I backup the OS in such a way that I could restore from tape?

Hope you could help.

Thanks,
ROMMEL

[Atul Gautam]

Rommel,

You can probably use "cpio", "dd", "backup", "restore" and "tar" utilities.

1) cpio --> Takes a very long time but you can extract selected files.
2) dd --> Good one and creates an exact copy but you'll not be able to extract selected files from that image.
3) backup --> Normal backup utility.
4) restore--> Normal restoration utility.
5) tar --> Most common but you cannot include special files.


Beside this, get proper advice from other xperts as well.


--
Atul

[Jaime Bolanos Rojas.]

Rommel,

Asumming your data is on a different disk than the OS, I would go with the dd command.

Just dd it to another disk, then at anytime you might have a problem with your OS, just take the bad disk out and put the image done with dd in and it should work fine.

Regards,

Jaime.

[g33k]

Jammie

Isn't there problem with diferent block size?

So he should have "backup disk", with same filesystem and also with same block size than it will be perfect solution... ofcourse if he will have dd in cron to make bakups regulary ofcourse.

[Craig Gilmore]

You might want to check mondorescue. The website is www.mondorescue.org.

This tool will create an image that you can use to rebuild your system. It has the capability to build a tape image. I've used it to create CD's and DVD's but I haven't used the tape capabilitites.

[Jorge Cocomess]

If your server system disk is mirrored, you can replace the second disk with the new disk and save the one you pulled out for safe keeping.

Any thoughts on this method?

Jorge

[Ansari27]

This method is good but again you have no out of system backup for your configuration done on the system.