Networker

Re: [Networker] Recovering server's media database or index?

2007-08-27 12:37:40
Subject: Re: [Networker] Recovering server's media database or index?
From: George Sinclair <George.Sinclair AT NOAA DOT GOV>
To: NETWORKER AT LISTSERV.TEMPLE DOT EDU
Date: Mon, 27 Aug 2007 12:34:17 -0400
Davina Treiber wrote:
George Sinclair wrote:

How does one recover the server's media database and/or index if there
is no attached local tape drive, only storage node?
We're running 7.2.2 on Solaris with Linux storage nodes (also 7.2.2).

In our case, we use file type devices on the server, so the server's
regular data is written to tape on the storage node, but its index and
bootstrap are written to a file type device on the server. The file type
device is labeled into the same pool as the tape. The data on the file
type device is then auto staged (daily) to a clone pool on the storage
node. This clone pool has both the indexes and bootstraps. Periodically,
that clone pool data is manually cloned to a different clone pool, so
the server's index and bootstraps are ultimately contained on two
separate tape pools.

If we needed to recover this data, what is the procedure? It was always
my understanding that NetWorker insisted on a local device for backing
up the server's index and bootstrap but not sure about recovering? Might
seem silly to be asking this question now, but this was the way around
not having a local tape device that was explained to us, and I know I
must have asked about recovery at the time but can't recall the answer
or recommended method. Just a curiosity but would be good to know as
soon as possible if there's something we need to reconfigure.

Have you ever wondered why NetWorker has this restriction on backing up
the bootstrap to a local device?

Yes, I've wondered.

The answer is that not having that local device makes it very difficult
to run mmrecov. By circumventing that restriction in the way you have
done, you have removed a safety valve that the designers of NetWorker
provided for you.

I wish they'd redesign it.
In order to restore this safety valve there are a couple of things you
could do:
(1) Connect a local tape drive to the server as recommended by all the
documentation and training.
(2) Amend your staging procedures so that you always keep the latest few
bootstraps on the local disk device, perhaps by cloning rather than staging.

Good point. Just out of curiosity, what if we created a non-Legato backup (e.g. tar) of the information on the server's file type device before it was staged. In a worst case scenario, we wouldn't need the NetWorker software to recover that data from tape. We could then shut down NW on the server, copy the data into place where it was before it was staged and then restart NW. Or, even if it was necessary to completely re-install NW on the server, we could still re-create the file type device and copy this data into place? Maybe? Then again, it might not like that since it would have already assigned a new volume header?

If you needed to run an mmrecov with your current config you could
perhaps run mmrecov on another machine of similar architecture and copy
the files across, or you could temporarily connect a tape drive to the
server. You cannot run mmrecov from a storage node device.

To sign off this list, send email to listserv AT listserv.temple DOT edu and type 
"signoff networker" in the body of the email. Please write to networker-request 
AT listserv.temple DOT edu if you have any problems with this list. You can access the 
archives at http://listserv.temple.edu/archives/networker.html or
via RSS at http://listserv.temple.edu/cgi-bin/wa?RSS&L=NETWORKER



--
George Sinclair - NOAA/NESDIS/National Oceanographic Data Center
SSMC3 4th Floor Rm 4145       | Voice: (301) 713-3284 x210
1315 East West Highway        | Fax:   (301) 713-3301
Silver Spring, MD 20910-3282  | Web Site:  http://www.nodc.noaa.gov/
- Any opinions expressed in this message are NOT those of the US Govt. -
To sign off this list, send email to listserv AT listserv.temple DOT edu and type 
"signoff networker" in the body of the email. Please write to networker-request 
AT listserv.temple DOT edu if you have any problems with this list. You can access the 
archives at http://listserv.temple.edu/archives/networker.html or
via RSS at http://listserv.temple.edu/cgi-bin/wa?RSS&L=NETWORKER

<Prev in Thread] Current Thread [Next in Thread>