Hi All,
Our system is AIX 5.1.
1. I wrote a srcipt to tar only FOUR directories:
tar -cvf /dev/rmt0.1 / >> /logs/coldbackup
tar -cvf /dev/rmt0.1 /usr >> /logs/coldbackup
tar -cvf /dev/rmt0.1 /var>> /logs/coldbackup
tar -cvf /dev/rmt0.1 /opt >> /logs/coldbackup
However at the end, I found it tar ALL the directories in my system, such as /tmp, /abc, /def, ....etc. So what's the problem? I shouldn't put tar / (root) in the script? if there is alternative method (command) to backup root file system only and exclude any mounted file system and the link to them?
2. I saw there is some limitation on using tar to backup the file size which is bigger than 2 G, so how to solve this?
Thanks
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Gheist I have not used much of unix but loads of linux ... Recent versions of kernels and compilers came out with large file support which allows you to overcome limitation of 2Gb ... This support is standardized for sure ... If you wish to verify, check the man pages for recent releases of glibc (man 2 open for example) ... However for enabling these options to be used, programs need to be compiled for LFS support enabled through compiler switches
Sunny, tar will happily write directly to tape. There is no probblem (apart from the obvious need to _exlude_ things instead of _including everything_ a couple of times:-). GNU tar isn't necessarily POSIX, so will "overcome" the POSIX header limitations.
Gheist, for 5.1 the "tar limit" might be 2GiB ("enforeced" in the tar header), on 5.2 it's up to 8 GiB/archived file... "ustar" header... empirically tested to work too:-).
But the correct answer has already been given (by gheist): You should be using mksysb to back up the rootvg, and possibly backup to dump any othe volume groups. Has the added bonus of drastically simplifying restore.
If for some reason you still want to make a tar dump, you should perhaps look at getting GNU tar, since the OS version will not preserve sparce files (amongst other things)... You can get one prebuilt from http://www.bullfreeware.co
You might want to explore the possibilitys of the -C and --one-file-system with that one... Removes the need to create "exlude lists".
-- Glenn
export TAPE=/dev/rmt0.1
tar c /
:-)
default is TAPE=/dev/rmt0.0
for full bakup:
1) make mksysb bootable tape
2) make volume group file backups (smit, snoop commands using Esc-6)
3) make backups from applications using raw aio volumes (db2, informix, oracle etc)
4) label tape(s) and write restore guide :-)
mt is your good friend for rewinding/forwarding tape ( read man mt )
you need eof mark on tape to start new backup.
... AFAIK, #1 run from smitty is exactly the same as running "mksysb -i" :-).
Both mksysb and backup/restore have excellent well, at least OK) man-pages.
... And don't forget to take any database you have offline before dumping... Else you need a) really expensive backup system with really expensive "connector module" (like Legato Networker / BSM for Oracle:-), or b) some knowledge on how to make a script/sql-script to take "selected parts" ... "soft offline" ,,, and just dump the (at the moment) invariant db file/raw device (or do battle with rman). Going for a completely offline setup is very much simpler (especially when restoring) than any online setup.
-- Glenn
hi,
It looks a little too late to answer this anyway,..but here it goes anyway...
I belive the question is why other directories than the ones specified in the script landed in the tape the answer is because tar does not respect filesystem boundaries, if you want to backup just / (root filesystem) I would recommend you use the backup command in the following way...
find / -xdev -print | backup -ivf /dev/rmt0.1
that way only the rootfs will be sent to tape.
regards,
esv.
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by: sunnycoderPosted on 2004-04-19 at 22:17:48ID: 10865957
Hi terrywong,
What version of tar are you using ?
tar -cvf <archive name>.tar <directory to archive>
is the normal way of using tar command ... It does not look same to me
For your second problem, I think recompiling your tar program with large file support should solve the problem
Sunnycoder