Linux full system Backup/Recovery

[Rigido]

Hi,
probably we will start using Linux LPAR (Linux on Power) and a question come up: how can we protect against a "system destructive" failure?
On AIX you have mksysb and you can use a NIM and the resulting image to net-install the system. Is there something similar for Linux?
I read something about ReaR and it looks like it is possible to integrate it with TSM (should I use ISP?), did someone try?
Any other tips?

Thanks.

 

[RecoveryOne]

Rigido,
I use ReaR for my linux workloads that are not virtual. However, I'm not running them on Power hardware. x86 only so YMMV.
I recommend you give it a shot, clone from the latest git and build the rpm or whatever package you want to use for your distro. The nice thing is its all shell scripts so I wouldn't think the CPU would matter much.

I've used it to successfully test restore two physical linux boxes, and worked without issue. Only real complaint I had is if your disk geometry changes you have to spend some time setting that back up, or you run into issues.
Thankfully, I've not had to rely on it for a production level issue!

You can use the tsm scheduler to call a preprocesses and run rear if you expect your base os to change daily. Or be lazy and do what I did:

# ReaR system image before TSM backup. The below will run checklayout and if changed make a new rescue ISO.
0 0 * * 6 /usr/sbin/rear checklayout || /usr/sbin/rear mkrescue

Edit/create some config files (their docs are spot on) and give it a whirl.

Just in the event of a restore, need to use another client restore and burn the iso. Boot off it, and then start bringing back your data. Again, I cannot stress enough do it a few times. Get comfortable with it.

 

[Rigido]

I use ReaR for my linux workloads that are not virtual.
I recommend you give it a shot

Thank you RecoveryOne, I will try it as soon as I'll be back in office.
I think I'll try FOG too, it looks more PXE/network boot oriented.

Ciao.

 

[RecoveryOne]

I never looked into FOG. In fact, not even sure if I was aware of it till now. Reading their main wiki page, seems that it doesn't make independent images.

I stuck with ReaR due to ease of readability of the scripts. ReaR makes it very clear from the project level that their scripts they use are meant to be read by novices vs some magical expressions
Also, to compare it to a NIM box, both REAR and NIM make a disk image file that I can write to media to boot from. One less step in the restore chain.
The other thing I like about it is that check layout I posted above. So if someone else on my team changes the OS, and the checklayout runs, it will build a new boot ISO.

Anyhow, let me know about your experiences with FOG if you go down that road.

 

[spictera]

You can also use software from Crisite
Or if it is a virtual server, backup the guest os (KVM) directly to the Spectrum Protect server using SPFS
Or mount the SPFS file system directly on your server, and dump the rear data to that mount-point.
All operations that goes via this mount-point will go directly to the Spectrum Protect backup server.

https://www-356.ibm.com/partnerworld/gsd/solutiondetails.do?&solution=56435&lc=en