make_recovery tape

[gimini]

Does make_recovery allows fore multiple tapes?
I wanted to create recovery tape for all file systems on boot disk by using -A option,but the
the make_reconery command kept running endlessly with no error message.I then realised that the data on boot disk(o.s and database) is larger than the capacity of tape.Would that be the reason?
I have a D class system and a DDS2 tape drive from which the CE perform dailly backups.
thank you all for any suggestions.
Note:this customer has all his stuff on one disk.

[Sanjay_6 · Accepted solution]

Hi,

check out the ignite faq,

http://www.software.hp.com/products/IUX/iux_faq

Look at the section 4.10

hope this helps.

Regds

[James R. Ferguson]

Hi:

Yes, Ignite's 'make_tape_recovery' will allow you to span multiple tapes. You will need to compose the tape interactively (as opposed to via a cron job).

BTW, use 'make_tape_recovery' which replaces the older 'make_recovery'. Get current software here:

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

To capture all of vg00, do:

# make_tape_recovery -x inc_entire=vg00 -I -v -a /dev/rmt/0mn

Regards!

...JRF...
Regards!

...JRF...

[gimini]

Hi Sanjay and James,
Sorry I could not reply sooner because the service was not available.
In the iux-fag site sent to me by Sanjay(sec. 4.10) it is clear that make_recovery can allow
for multiple tapes. But it occured to me that while I performed the make_recovery with -A ,the dbase was up and probably some users were loged in,could there be some locked files?
Do I need to shutdown the dbase?
Anyways I wiil to assign points to both of you since I am a new comer to this forum.

[James R. Ferguson]

Hi again:

Your server and its primary services can be running when you make your Ignite recovery tape. This is because, Ignite recovery is designed (principally) for the recovery of vg00 -- the core OS. Ignite is not intended as a backup tool for a server, at large.

You will note that in the syntax I suggested in my original post, the 'make_tape_recovery' command specifies only vg00. I presume that your database does *not* reside within this volume group.

If you were recovering your server at at remote site you would use the Ignite recovery tape to recreate your vg00 (and hence core configurtion -- kernel settings, patch levels, users, etc.) and *separately* you would recover from backup your non-vg00 filesystems.

If you needed to restore only vg00, for instance, you would use your Ignite recovery tape and simply 'vgimport' your non-vg00 volume groups, making the data on them "known" to the OS.

Occassionaly, when you run 'make_tape_recovery' you will see a few messages to the effect that a file could not be found (stat-ed). This is a reflection that a temporary file was present as Ignite began to collect information about files, but the file had been removed at the point it would have been copied. This is not at problem.

Once again, I urge you to obtain a current version of the Ignite software; install it (no reboot is required); and use the 'make_tape_recovery' in lieu of the older 'make_recovery' which it replaces.

Regards!

...JRF...

[gimini]

Hi James,
As I mentioned in my original message , the customer has all his dbase (engine and data) within vg00 which contains one disk only and has no other disk in the system .And this is my main concern to make a full vg00 recovery tape.But anyway I am interested in following your suggestion to install the new version of make_recovery but it would be easier fo me to have it on HP cdrom to install it directly,so is the new version bundled on hp apllications CDs?

[James R. Ferguson]

Hi (again):

OK, sorry I missed the fact that your customer's database also resides on vg00.

In that case, if you truly want to capture it as merely a part of vg00, then you *must* shutdown all access to the database. Otherwise any use of the Ignite tape without further recovery of the database will undoubtedly leave you with a corrupt, inconsistent database.

You should certainly consider crafting your Inite recovery to *exclude* the database directories on vg00. Here again, the use of 'make_tape_recovery' offers benefit. You can add an exclusion string (or strings) to your syntax:

'-x exclude=file|directory'

As for obtaining the Ignite software from an Application CDROM, you could. I can't remember on which CD it resides, but a version is available there. The download of a current version is so quick, however, that I urge you to obtain the latest from the link I originally posted.

Regards!

...JRF...

[Michael Tully]

Hi,

The filesets for Ignite can be found on both
Application CD set and of course on any of
the Support Plus CD's. If you can't download as suggested by James, use the latest Support
Plus CD you have. These can generally be later
version. Most people don't always order an
update of the Application CD set. You can
order any of these CD's on line as long as
you that facility.

-Michael