AIX Recovery Procedures

[tsmtodd]

Does anyone have a list of things one would NOT want to recover from TSM during the recovery of an AIX server via mksysb restore then TSM restore?



I have successfully restored an AIX server from mksysb via NIM to different hardware, and now I need to restore the rest of the files from TSM. This would include files that have changed since the bi-weekly mksysb, and files that did not get restored by the mksysb restore due to exclusions (/etc/exclude.rootvg) and locations (data in other volume groups).

What things should I not restore in order to ensure the server keeps functioning?



Thanks in advance.

 

[sgabriel62]

If I remember correctly located in the /etc directory are configuration parameters which have a large impact if overwritten after restoration, I would exclude this /etc directory, only restore singular files as required if restoration of this directory is a must.



Steven

 

[heada]

If at all possible, don't restore anything in the rootvg. The rootvg should be restored from a mksysb or the like (NIM, sysback, etc) If you restore files into the rootvg, depending on the type of system, you could corrupt the ODM, SDR, lpp database, etc.



If you must restore files into the rootvg, make sure that they are not system files (most of /; /usr; /etc; /var; /tmp) Overwritting a system file could do "Very Bad Things" (tm)



It is our policy that all application data is stored in a VG other then the rootvg. If this is not an option, put it in it's own filesystem. For example WebSphere wants /usr/WebAS, so I create a /usr/WebAS filesystem rather then installing in /usr.



If you don't know what is a system file and what isn't, look at a clean AIX install. If the file is there, treat it like a system file.



-Aaron

 

[tsmtodd]

OK. Don't restore /; /usr; /etc; /var; /tmp from TSM. Got it, thanks.. that's what I was looking for.

Our mksysb backups are scheduled twice a month, and of course, our TSM backups are daily. We also try (very hard) to keep application specific data in VGs other than rootvg. But, there are still changes to rootvg filesystem data throughout the two weeks. If I can restore all other filesystems from TSM besides these, and be safe, I should be good to go.



If I list all rootvg filesytems in /etc/exclude.rootvg except those listed above, can I assume a working system will be restored? Of course, I would restore those other filesystems from TSM.