Image size with make_sys_image

[Jonathan Caplette_1]

Hi guys,

I'm trying to do a Ignite DVD from a system here, and when I'm creating the image file with make_sys_image, the size on the file is getting bigger than 4.7 GB... How could I remain under the 4 GB size for my system image???

here is the make_sys_image command line I use:

/opt/ignite/date/scripts/make_sys_image -s local -d /var/tmp/image/archives -l 1 -n B.11.11_archive.gz

Regard
Jonathan

[Patrick Wallek]

What all is in your VG00? Do you have any non-OS stuff? What about saved patches? You could try running 'cleanup' to remove the save information for patches that have been superseded.

Is the /var/tmp/image/archives directory in VG00? make_sys_image could be backing up the image you are creating, thus adding to the file size significantly.

If you are in fact trying to create a DVD, then your B.11.11_archive.gz actually has to be 2GB or less. The warning given in the documentation is absolutely true!

[Jonathan Caplette_1]

I've check and my VG00 is only OS stuff... except for the mount point /var/tmp/image that contains the archives...

I've got this message:
* Preparing to create a system archive.
* Testing for necessary pax patch.
* Passed pax tests.

* Archiving contents of hpkrndb via tar to
/var/tmp/image/archives/B.11.11_archive.gz.
pax: oradata01/WFCP/temp.dbf : > 8GB. Not Dumped.

the oradata01 filesystem is on another VG, and uses SAN disks... is this means that make_sys_image is going through the other VGs???

Can I specify make_sys_image not to archive the other VGs than VG00 and exclude the /var/tmp/image filesystem???

Regards
Jonathan

[Michael Roberts_3]

make_sys_image doesn't 'know' about volumes only about the directories and files. You can exclude mount points or directories/files using the '-f /tmp/exclude_file' option of make_sys_image. To ignore /var/opt/images create a file that contains:

+ NO_ARCHIVE
/var/opt/images/*

and invoke make_sys_image :

/opt/ignite/date/scripts/make_sys_image -s local -d /var/tmp/image/archives -f /tmp/exclude_file -l 1 -n B.11.11_archive.gz

[Jonathan Caplette_1]

I tried what Michael told me... It worked, make_sys_image didn't take anything else than VG00... but... my archive file size is still a 2.9GB I tried the cleanup but I'm at the same point... Any other idea???

[Sandman!]

Jonathan,

Use the "-f exclude_file" switch to make_sys_image and specify all filesystems that are not in VG00 using the "+ ONLY NO_ARCHIVE" keywords followed by the non-root VG mount points or edit /opt/ignite/data/scripts/make_sys_image script and specify them under the LEVEL2_NO_ARCHIVE keyword.

regards!

[Sandman!]

Check if /tmp and /var/adm/crash are huge and part of VG00. If you don't need the files under them then you can safely exclude them also.

cheers!

[Sandman!]

Jonathan,

In your command line you're not specifying archive compression with the "-c" switch. use as follows:

/opt/ignite/date/scripts/make_sys_image -s local -d /var/tmp/image/archives -l 1 -n B.11.11_archive.gz -c g

This will create a gzip compressed archive.

cheers!

[Bob_Vance]

BTW
gzipped archive is the default when no "-c" is specified.


bv

[Bill Hassell]

Take a look in /tmp and /var. Analyze the space using:

du -kx /tmp | sort -rn
du -kx /var | sort -rn

This will show the biggest directories. /tmp should be fairly small (just a few megs) since most files are temporary and can probably be removed. To find the biggest files:

ll | sort -rnk5 | head -20

In /var, look at the big directories and either exclude them (such as Ignite and make_sys_image files), or remove/trim the files. /var/preserve contains temporary vi files and /var/adm contains lots of logfiles that may be trimmed. Also look at /var/adm/syslog and trim the mail.log and syslog.log files. Other areas that can be trimmed are /var/spool, /var/opt, /var/mail, /var/crash, or whatever your du -kx /var shows.