backing up with agent

[Vogra]

Hi All!
I'll try to backup a Alpha/openVMS 7-2.1 cluster with an backup agent (CA BrightStor Arcserver Backup Agent for Alpha/OpenVMS).
I'm new in VMS and I need some information about this backup metod:
what problem can occur if I get backup on systems disks? I have to backup only data disks and make image backup om systems disks?

thanx in advance.
Lima.

[Karl Rohwedder · Accepted solution]

I do not know this special software, but the general problem with such software is, how do you restore your system in case the disk on which the backup software together with its database is located is going bad? This is problably the VMS systemdisk also, which make things not easier.

I would feel very much better, if I had standard OpenVMS Backup of the systemdisk at hand (on tape, on another disk on the system...), which I can restore without the need for a special software.

regards Kalle

[Jan van den Ende]

Lima,

Welcome to the VMS forum!

Just to support Kalle: I would NEVER want to do without a GOOD and PROVEN RESTORABLE native backup of AT LEAST the system disk!

Why are you making backups? I suspect they are a necessary evil to be able to do a RESTORE. But with most of the foreign backup methods, Restore becomes a chicken-and-egg story: you need a running system do do the restore, but you need to restore to get a running system!
So, make sure you have an INDEPENDENTLY restorable system disk & Backup Agent!

And personally I would feel better if the backups of data disks also were Image Backups.

hth,

Proost.

Have one on me.

jpe

[Ian Miller.]

For background reading see
http://h71000.www7.hp.com/openvms/journal/v1/backup.html
http://h71000.www7.hp.com/openvms/journal/v3/backup_strategies.html
http://h71000.www7.hp.com/openvms/journal/v6/backups_using_networker.html