backup across network using file systems

[Jim Lewis_8]

In an environment of HP9000/712's and B180L's, what would be the quickest and safest way to backup files (maybe across file systems) to one location at another site. I would like to back up multiple files here in California and send them to Texas in case of a need to restore? fbackup doesnt seem to want to write to a file system (just tape) across the network. I already use fbackup to backup to DAT/DDS.

Thanks, Jim

[A. Clay Stephenson · Accepted solution]

Hi:

Actually you can output to stdout with fbackup. Just specify -f -.

I would do something like like:
fbackup -f - -g graph | compress > myfile
then rcp or ftp myfile to the remote site
and
cat myfile | uncompress | frecover -f -

Regards, Clay

[Sachin Patel]

Hi Jim,
If you want one filesystem copy to another system rdist is faster way to do it.

system to system remte copy.

Sachin

[Paula J Frazer-Campbell]

Hi
Another option is to NFS export ther file system to backup (as read only), then NFS mount it on the remote system.

On the remote - cd into the mount dir :-

find . |cpio -pudvm /

Just another option.

Paula

[harry d brown jr]

Remote mounts for backups - ugh!

Try this from the host you want to back up:

mknod /tmp/backup_pipe p
chmod a+rw /tmp/backup_pipe

tar -cvf /tmp/backup_pipe .

From the host with the tape drive (or remote host) try this:

remsh host2backup dd if=/tmp/backup_pipe |dd of=/dev/rmt/tapedrivename

works like a champ, and the server backing up the remote server doesn't really need root access, but it does need access to the /tmp/backup_pipe file. Also, you can play with the block size on "dd" to make it more efficient.

[A. Clay Stephenson]

Hi again,

Whatever method you use make sure that you pipe through sort sort of compression to lessen the network component - that is your killer piece of the puzzle.

[Jim Lewis_8]

I like the combination of the fbackup to compressed file and the use of dd from the remote site. I wish there was a way to create the file at the remote site because of disk constraints at the host(backup) site. Any thoughts on that? Thanks again....

[Magdi KAMAL]

Hi Jim,

You would be happy if you can buy "HP OpenView OmniBack II".

from a single ( or multiple ) site(s), you can schedule and monitor backups an really flexible manner. You can backup data locally or even remote to multiple tapes on different nodes ( media pool ).

If needed more info, just post your request !

Magdi

[A. Clay Stephenson]

Hi:

Okay this should be close:
fbackup -f -g graphfile -c configfile - | compress -c - | remsh remotehost uncompress -c - | frecover -c configfile

[Sanjay_6]

Hi,

You can try this

remsh -l "tar cvf - " | dd of= bs=64k

An equivalent cpio command may also work.

Thanks