Recovering one HPUX 11 system from anothers Ignite tape

[Phillip Culver]

We have two identically configured K580 servers, one of which was corrupted doing an abortive upgrade to a 64 bit kernel, w/o doing a backup first. Now multiuser mode cannot accessed,and remote access is impossible. I would like to use the make_recovery tape from the one functioning server to recreate the O/S,/var/ /etc, etc structure of the defunct one. Is this possible? I have unplugged the defunct one from the network. I am unsure how to do this, and even if its feasible. I would like to NOT have to rebuild it from the O/S layer if possible. Any ideas? Thanks.

[Christopher McCray_1]

As long as they are the same class server, you can do this. I use a generic ignite tape for each of my server classes to build new servers when they come in. Good luck.

Chris

[James R. Ferguson]

Hi Phillip:

Absolutely possible (and easy). In fact, this is the essential part of many, many disaster recovery cloning procedures at remote D/R facilities.

Use a current version of Ignite and do:

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

The '-I' option causes the subsequent use of the tape to be interactive.

When you "recover" your server, the installation of non-vg00 volume groups will be attempted using the mapfiles automatically generated from the "source" server. Due to differing hardware device files, the installation will appear to fail. It has not insofar as the boot volume (vg00) is concerned. You will have achieved your objective and can manually import volume groups that properly belong on the server you are rebuilding.

Regards!

...JRF...

[Eileen Millen · Accepted solution]

If you have Ignite version 3.3,

make_tape_recovery -AvI -d /dev/rmt/Xmn

older version would be
make_recovery -vAC -d /dev/rmt/Xmn

Xmn - 0mn is the default device if you are using it, you don't need the -d /dev/rmt/0mn
v is verbose
A is all of vg00

To recover, just interrupt the boot up and boot from the sequential device
You can do this off of the network and change the system name and IP information.
You have to be patient, there are a couple of places where the bootup process stops for about 5 minutes.
Eileen