ignite-ux for dummies

[Fred Martin_1]

I know there are a lot of threads here for Ignite, and I'm reviewing them. Also reading the man pages on Ignite.

But I'm hoping someone can help me pare this down to the basics for what I need to do.

I have only one unix server (HP-UX 11.11).

I'm using DLT tape for backups (cpio, file-by-file). Doesn't work well for special files etc. and doesn't help much in the case of a lost operating system.

I'm told that Ignite can create a bootable tape, from which I can restore the OS and root file system, to an empty disk, after which I can restore the rest from my cpio tapes.

Is this a reasonable expectation? Is there an "Ignite for Dummies" someplace that will get me there in a hurry?

Or, is there something else I should be doing?

[Sundar_7]

Do a man on make_recovery (or make_tape_recovery) and run make_[tape_]recovery with -A option and happily live ever after :-)

[Geoff Wild]

Fred - your expectations are do-able.

Not for dummies, but:

http://docs.hp.com/hpux/onlinedocs/B2355-90837/B2355-90837.html

You would do a "make_tape_recovery"

Read section on "Creating a Bootable Recovery Tape"

Rgds...Geoff

[Fred Martin_1]

GYDHY$%$$@^#

As an aside, how do you convert man pages to a printable form?

[Geoff Wild · Accepted solution]

print man pages:

http://forums1.itrc.hp.com/service/forums/questionanswer.do?threadId=582649

Rgds...Geoff

[Doug Burton]

If you don't have it - download Ignite http://www.software.hp.com/products/IUX/index.html

Then run this command to make your bootable tape and copy vg00:
make_tape_recovery -v -I -x inc_entire=vg00 -a /dev/rmt/0mn

You may want to man the "make_tape_recovery" command first to see what's going on. Make changes if needed, etc.

Not sure if this helps but you may also wnat to try using "fbackup" for your backups. The command looks something like this:
fbackup -0 -f /dev/rmt/c?t?d?BEST -I /tmp/index -v

0 = Or "1" - (0 = full, 1 = incremental)
f = Device file to use
I = Directory to place index
v = Verbose

[Fred Martin_1]

Ok I'm reading man pages on make_recovery and make_tape_recovery ... they're the same but different. Can anybody tell me in 25 words or less why one or the other is more suitable to my purpose? I'm thinking make_tape_recovery is the one for me. Unless someone disagrees.

[Sundar_7]

Refer this document on the differences

http://www1.itrc.hp.com/service/cki/search.do?category=c0&mode=id&searchString=IUXKBRC00007029&searchCrit=allwords&docType=Security&docType=Patch&docType=EngineerNotes&docType=BugReports&docType=Hardware&docType=ReferenceMaterials&docType=ThirdParty

[Fred Martin_1]

I'm experimenting with make_tape_recovery, using this command line:

# make_tape_recovery -a $TAPE -A -I -p

($TAPE is our DLT device filename)

I get the following....

* Creating Control Configuration.
* Creating Archive File List
ERROR: list_expander returned an error.
ERROR: Failed to get the archive size and the list of files which will be in archive.
======= 11/04/04 11:26:44 EST
make_tape_recovery completed unsuccessfully

[Geoff Wild]

With -A, you need /var/opt/ignite/recovery/mnr_essentials.

Did you create that?

Why do -A at all?

Just do:

make_tape_recovery -a $TAPE -x inc_entire=vg00

Rgds...Geoff

[Fred Martin_1]

No I hadn't created the file.

I tried it per your syntax, though. Get the same error exactly.

No errors or warnings at all in the run except a few of these, which I would expect:
Volume group "/dev/vg01" is still active.

[Geoff Wild]

Strange - check for errors in /var/opt/ignite/recovery/latest/recovery.log

Rgds...Geoff

[Geoff Wild]

One more thing, what version of make_tape_recovery are you using?

what /opt/ignite/bin/make_tape_recovery


Rgds...Geoff

[Fred Martin_1]

A warning in the log:

WARNING: '/opt/vsifax3/lib/fxmacro/vsimacro' is part of a circular link.

The version is Ignite-UX Revision B.3.6.82

Ok I lied about only having one unix box, this is running on an older machine running HP-UX 10.20. Normally this machine is powered off, I just thought it would be safer to play on this one.

My production box is HP-UX 11.11 and Ignite-UX Revision B.5.1.33

[Geoff Wild]

Aha!

I've seen references to that circular error - usually means a patch (PHSS_26498) or install a newer version of ignite...

Rgds...Geoff

[Fred Martin_1]

Conquered a few fears and ran the same on the production box. Got the same error, though.

This is the 11.11 box, ignite was on it already after the OS install.

[Geoff Wild]

It may be the age of your ignite...

I'm at an HP class right now, the version here is:

Ignite-UX Revision B.5.4.50

You might want to download a newer version?

http://www.software.hp.com/products/IUX/download.html

Rgds...Geoff

[Fred Martin_1]

Got the downloads, now am at:
Ignite-UX Revision C.6.0.109

Same errors as before.

[Geoff Wild]

Okay - what is $TAPE set to? is it a no-rewind device?

Do you have a dds drive in server as well?

Rgds...Geoff

[Geoff Wild]

Try running it interactively:

make_tape_recovery -i


See how far it goes...

Rgds...Geoff

[Fred Martin_1]

$TAPE = /dev/rmt/c4t6d0BEST

It's our DLT tape drive.

Devices for the drive currently on our system:

/dev/rmt/c4t6d0BEST
/dev/rmt/c4t6d0BESTn
/dev/rmt/c4t6d0BESTb
/dev/rmt/c4t6d0BESTnb

[Fred Martin_1]

Interactively it only let me choose the no-rewind device. In any case, same result exactly:

* Creating Archive File List
ERROR: list_expander returned an error.
ERROR: Failed to get the archive size and the list of files which will be in
archive.

Doesn't seem to have a log file on this system.

[Geoff Wild]

Fred - I'm stuck...

Just ran it on this class machine:

* Backing Up Volume Group /dev/vg01
* /usr/sbin/vgcfgbackup /dev/vg01
Volume Group configuration for /dev/vg01 has been saved in /etc/lvmconf/vg01.conf
* Creating Map Files for Volume Group /dev/vg01
* /usr/sbin/vgexport -p -m /etc/lvmconf/vg01.mapfile /dev/vg01
vgexport: Volume group "/dev/vg01" is still active.

* Creating Control Configuration.
* Creating Archive File List
* Creating Archive Configuration

* /opt/ignite/bin/make_arch_config -c
/var/opt/ignite/recovery/2004-11-05,09:36/archive_cfg -g
/var/opt/ignite/recovery/2004-11-05,09:36/flist -n 2004-11-05,09:36 -r
64 -d Recovery\ Archive -t -i 1 -m t
* Saving the information about archive to
/var/opt/ignite/recovery/previews
* Creating The Tape Archive
Adding /opt/ignite/Version file to LIF.

Do you have a maintenance contract?
If yes, then I would place a call to HP...

Sorry I couldn't fix it for you....

Rgds...Geoff

[Fred Martin_1]

I have support but before I do that, a question: Do I need to have nfsd running to use this locally? I merely want a bootable tape of vg00, nothing else. When I try to run make_tape_recovery, I get the error described above. When I run /opt/ignite/bin/ignite, I get an error in the log that says nfsd is not running.

[Fred Martin_1]

I removed the circular link that make_tape_recovery was complaining about and now it seems to work OK (well, the -p preview works ok anyway)

More on the particular link in question:
http://forums1.itrc.hp.com/service/forums/questionanswer.do?threadId=744396