I think you're overworrying this.
bparchive, a misnomer, IMO, is just bpbackup with a twist.
If, and only if, the backup to tape is successful then the primary file is
deleted. I've never fed it a directory, just files, so I've never stumbled
on this little behavior described in the tech bulletin. We use this command
constantly, to keep filesystems clean. It's a little like poor-man's HSM.
For our most critical data, the stuff the SEC cares about, we do a double
backup, first feeding the list of files to be backed up to bpbackup, then,
if the return code is 0, feeding the same list to bparchive using a
different tape pool. We could probably use ITC for this but when we started
the process it wasn't available. I've never tested the bparchive & ITC
interaction.
Netbackup happily expiring your archive is what I'd expect. When you
specify policy & schedule on your bparchive command you're selecting this
behavior. Our SEC stuff writes to an 8-year retention. If you don't want
to expire your data, then feed it to a policy/sched that has infinite
retention.
My only complaint about bparchive (other than the name is misleading) is
that to restore or list the archived files (bprestore & bplist), you have to
specify the "-A" flag. Why treat the restores any differently, I've always
wondered.
Anyway, my $.02.
-M
-----Original Message-----
From: veritas-bu-admin AT mailman.eng.auburn DOT edu
[mailto:veritas-bu-admin AT mailman.eng.auburn DOT edu]On Behalf Of Wayne T
Smith
Sent: Wednesday, March 08, 2006 9:04 AM
To: veritas-bu AT mailman.eng.auburn DOT edu
Subject: Re: [Veritas-bu] bparchive
NetBackup "archive" has always been a pet-peeve of mine. Most people, I
think, have images of the Smithsonian or Louvre when they think of the
word "archive" and get a warm, fuzzy feeling about keeping important
things, forever, in an archive. But NetBackup archive just gives me a
chill! Allow me to explain, please ...
Right now, you have your data, and it is backed up, with probably
multiple copies in your backup/restore system(s). When you use
NetBackup "archive", NetBackup makes a copy of the files and ERASES your
primary copy. NetBackup now has the primary copy of your data, and it
is a completely untested copy -- maybe you can restore it, maybe you
can't. Now, unless and until you make copies of your archived data,
you have no backups. Data with no backup is data that you can afford to
lose. Oh yes, ... and NetBackup will happily expire your archive.
Maybe that's good ... maybe not. Finally, there is no connection
between your original system and data and the data in NetBackup, except
the rather independent NetBackup catalog and any manual records you
might make. Those NetBackup catalog entries are based on the machine
that last held the data, not the application that might find the data
important.
To answer your questions. (1) bparchive is probably as safe as your
backups, except you've probably been using your backup policies for a
while and your archiving appears new, and (2), as should be quite clear
by now, I have no use for bparchive.
However, the tech note you quote is only important if a directory you
archive is changing during the archive process ... something that would
appear intrinsically dangerous for backup or bparchive.
Hope this helps!
cheers, wayne
Shyam Hazari wrote, in part, on 3/8/2006 8:45 AM:
> I am planning to archive some of the old files on my unix servers(
> user related files). I already generated the file list and kept it in
> a file. My intention is to backup first(bpbackup), next use bparchive
> to archive the files. But after reading the following technote, I am
> little concerned. Now the questions is, How safe is bparchive ? Anyone
> used bparchive recently ?
>
> This is the technote I was referring to. The technote talks about
> archiving directories, but in my case I am arching individual files.
>
> http://seer.support.veritas.com/docs/281323.htm
_______________________________________________
Veritas-bu maillist - Veritas-bu AT mailman.eng.auburn DOT edu
http://mailman.eng.auburn.edu/mailman/listinfo/veritas-bu
|
