> From: Esther Filderman <moose+_at_CMU.EDU>
> To: alpha-osf-managers_at_ornl.gov
> Subject: (Q) NSR Questions
>
>
> Howdy.
>
> We're using Networker to backup the server [an 8400 5/300] and, at this
> time, 11 other clients (DU, Ultrix and SGI) in two groups. Our tape
> drive is a TZ877 7 cartridge tape jukebox.
>
> Question 1: I started the 2nd group just yesterday, trying it out with
> just one client to see if I set it up correctly. Well, it works.. with
> one major problem. One particular machine [an Ultrix DEC 5000/200] is
> set up to backup /, /usr and /var. The backups of / and /usr are done
> with no problem, but the backup of /var consistently dies. It has never
> done the full dump, so it keeps trying to do it. Eventually I will get
> a message saying:
> [host]:/var has been idle for 30 minutes as of [date]/
> [host]:/var is being abandoned by asavegroup
> It then says the backup of [host] was unsuccesfully completed.
> Group control will call the backup "finished" and will not restart it.
> But I cannot dismount the current tape, as nwadmin believes the tape is
> still being written to. The only way to get at the tape (that I've
> found) is to use /sbin/init.d/nsrd to stop and then restart the NSR
> daemons.
>
> Might anyone know what is causing this? What I can do or try to correct
> it? I'd really like to make sure /var is backed up, because of the mail
> spool.
No other way that I know.
>
> Question 2: Does anyone know if DEC distributes an NSR Solaris client?
Yes Give Sun Express a call 1-800-873-7869
>
> Question 3: When we change tapes in the jukebox, we've found we must
> run the inventory program to get it to recognize the new tapes. Is
> there away to avoid this?
>
Perhaps unmounting and the remounting the tapes.
> Question 4: I've been thinking about disaster recovery with NSR should
> the -server- get trashed. What are other folks doing about ensuring
> that they can restore their server and backup service with NSR should
> their server fail?
>
> We had an experience a few months ago where we lost our original tape
> indexes [they were overwritten] and we were unable to use the tapes
> because NSR would not recognize the labels without a db to match them
> to! I am considering doing an off-system non-NSR [probably tar :)]
> backup of the /var/nsr directory. Has anyone done anything like this
> and had success restoring things after a disaster?
>
Use vdump or tar to do so, there is a way to rebuild the index if
you prefer try the scanner command.
Infinet Postmaster
> Many thanks for your time and answers.
>
> ----------------------------------------------------------------
> Esther Filderman moose+_at_cmu.edu
> System Mangler Pittsburgh SuperDuperComputing Center
>
>
>
>
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Received on Sat Mar 16 1996 - 23:00:13 NZDT