mirror software and image software for suse 9

[A.K.]

Hi Guys,
We have two RX4640 that will be running SLES 9 S3 and will host DB2 database on the internal disks.
I am looking for mirror software that will provide same ease of use and capabilities as MirrorDisk/UX does for HPUX.
Also, I am looking for image software the will provide same ease of use and capabilities as IGNITE does for HPUX.

I will appreciate answers from people that actually used the software’s under the same circumstances more or less and not just recommendation from the web (I can Google too you know …:c) ).

Thanks in advance,
A.K.

[Ivan Ferreira]

You can mirror disks with mdadm, newest versions of linux can mirror the data with LVM.

You can use mondo rescue to do some kind of IGNITE UX.

[Don Vanco - Linux Ninja]

I don't know that it's quite to the level of IGNITE, but you can script something that call on boot in a "standard image".

There are a number of ways to image a Linux server, from AutoYaST that's included in SLES (installing against a network based repository), to other tools like System Imager or CloneSys (see Google) - scripting the ignite-like functions is rather dependent on the release, but here's what Red Hat offers (and you should be able to replicate with relative ease on SuSE)

As part of the boot, the rc.sysinit file looks in the root for a file named .unconfigured - if it finds it the server will run tools that are typically required to make a server unique. (the 'rhgb' bits relate to the Red Hat Graphical Boot)

Here's the gist:
# Configure machine if necessary.
if [ -f /.unconfigured ]; then
if [ -x /usr/bin/rhgb-client ] && /usr/bin/rhgb-client --ping ; then
chvt 1
fi

if [ -x /usr/bin/system-config-keyboard ]; then
/usr/bin/system-config-keyboard
fi
if [ -x /usr/bin/passwd ]; then
/usr/bin/passwd root
fi
if [ -x /usr/sbin/netconfig ]; then
/usr/sbin/netconfig
fi
if [ -x /usr/sbin/timeconfig ]; then
/usr/sbin/timeconfig
fi
if [ -x /usr/sbin/authconfig ]; then
/usr/sbin/authconfig --nostart
fi
if [ -x /usr/sbin/ntsysv ]; then
/usr/sbin/ntsysv --level 35
fi

# Reread in network configuration data.
if [ -f /etc/sysconfig/network ]; then
. /etc/sysconfig/network

# Reset the hostname.
action $"Resetting hostname ${HOSTNAME}: " hostname ${HOSTNAME}
fi

rm -f /.unconfigured

if [ -x /usr/bin/rhgb-client ] && /usr/bin/rhgb-client --ping ; then
chvt 8
fi
fi


Once you get used to the tools in SuSE to change the base config data quickly, you might even find using mdadm and mirror drives as a viable alternative to cloning servers (I do it now with the hardware RAID card)

Obviously, you'll need to take the DB2 installation into consideration and how its config requirements might affect your ability to image a system for redeployment under another personality.

AutoYaST was rather lacking in SLES 9. I don't know that it improved even in SP3. It's far better in 10 and you could likely script a complete install (including DB2 with some scripting) -vs- an image, but of course that likely doesn't help you at this moment....

Good luck -
Don

[Oliver Schwank · Accepted solution]

Hello A.K,

please do not hurt yourself in using the md driver. Buy the HP SmartArray controller for your system and do the RAID in HW.

About 2,5 years ago I had been evaluating like you a solution for doing the same things like IgniteUX under Linux. Result had beent there is no product which could do that - HPUX is sometimes no bad environment ;-) - one that did come close in some aspects had been Mondo Rescue.

Only problem had been it was not ready for the Integrity platform. Since then Bruno did work on it and there should now support for IA64 and EFI. Please have a look at:

http://www.mondorescue.org/

Bye

Oli

[Theodore Pardike]

Storix SBAdmin for recovery.
www.storix.com

I use it for SLES 9 on x86.
Don't know if it supports Itanium.

They seem to have a very knowledgeable support staff.

Ted

[Thomas Ries]

I also was looking quite some time for a simple backup/restore tool for Linux. A few weeks ago I stumbled across the following:

http://mkcdrec.ota.be/

Looks quite promising to me.

- Command line driven
- Supports backup media: Tape, CD, DVD
- CD/DVD medias are bootable (it also claims to support OBDR [One Button Disaster Recovers] for tapes)
- Boot image is based on your current kernel, this includes all required drivers for special hardware (RAID controllers, etc)
- full support for SW Raid
- and more

Backup is based on TAR archives with compression and splitting across multiple medias.The restoration process can be fully automatic or with interaction of the user. This allows e.g. restoring only a single partition.

/Thomas

[Van den Broeck Tijl]

@Thomas Ries: you can optionally take mkCDrec (which is great) even a step further by integrating it in existing backup solutions using ReaR (also from Gratien D'haese http://rear.sourceforge.net/)

[A.K.]

Thanks a lot for all the responses , I will assign point at a later time.
I see a lot of responses for imaging but not too many for mirroring.
Does anyone knows if soft raid (see link below )
http://www-uxsup.csx.cam.ac.uk/pub/doc/suse/suse9.3/suselinux-adminguide_en/sec.yast2.system.raid.html
will work on the root disks in case one fails(will I be able to boot from secondary).
Also, seems like mondorescue is recommended by all(almost), however, I was unable to find the version for ia64.

Thanks,
A.K.

[Don Vanco - Linux Ninja]

Look at the docs on CD1 of SP3 - there are some 800 pages of info there. Not sure if (software) root raid is supported on ia64, but it should be in the release notes or how-tos included with the docs.

I know LILO was a bit finicky about root raid, not sure aboot elilo though.....

Don

[A.K.]

The CD documentation is actually the link I posted , same thing no reference to root disk mirroring .
I would like to explore the HP SmartArray controller option mention by Oliver.
Does anyone knows the specific model number for the RX4640 ?
Thanks,
A.K.