1-Touch for AIX

Topics | How To

Overview

Preventing Duplicate Data Backups

Setting up 1-Touch for AIX

Recovering Data in Case of Disaster

Recovering the System to a Specific Level

License Requirements

Overview

1-Touch for AIX allows you to recover systems with defective components (e.g., inaccessible root, crashed disk) quickly and efficiently. The feature can recover systems without requiring the reinstallation of operating system files that have been lost. 1-Touch uses file system restore capabilities, and it restores data backed up by the default backup set that is configured for 1-Touch.

The feature also involves a 1-Touch server, which is used to boot the client. A 1-Touch server is required for each subnet in a network that contains 1-Touch clients. The 1-Touch server provides the Internet Protocol (IP) address, boot parameters, and files for the 1-Touch clients to be booted. In effect, the 1-Touch server secures the required information from the 1-Touch client's backup and then uses this information to recreate the client's environment.

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Preventing Duplicate Data Backups

During a full backup for a client configured for 1-Touch for AIX, the default subclient uses the mksysb utility to back up the root volume group along with the information for all the affected volume groups. The mksysb utility backs up all the files on the root volume group including data files. Therefore, when a default subclient uses mksysb during a backup, and if data files are stored on the affected root file system, the same data will be backed up to the media twice unless you exclude the user data directories from mksysb. You can resolve this problem by following the appropriate step in Setting up 1-Touch for AIX.

Setting up 1-Touch for AIX

Complete the following tasks to set up 1-Touch for AIX:

  • 1-Touch for AIX backups are not supported for a WPAR client.
  • 1-Touch for AIX backups are supported for AIX 6.1 clients that have a System Workload Partitioning (WPAR) environment installed on the root volume. The WPAR environment creates a file system, and this file system has a mount option that is set to false by default. To enable 1-Touch for AIX backups, be sure to set this option to true.

  • This feature is not supported when bootable partitions are on the disk arrays (snapable disk).

  • For the 1-Touch clients with link aggregation or ether channel, ensure that the standard network adapter is configured for the communication with NIM server.

  1. Read the minimum requirements specified in System Requirements - 1-Touch for Unix.

  2. Ensure that the 1-Touch Recovery Server is a dedicated AIX machine running the NIM Master server environment.

  3. The 1-Touch server can be in the same subnet as the client computer, or it can be in a different subnet. However, if they are in different subnets, ensure that there is no network firewall between the server and the client.

  4. Verify that the NIM master server and the CommServe names are resolved correctly using /etc/hosts or bind.

  5. If necessary as discussed in Preventing Duplicate Data Backups, include a list of data folders to be excluded from mksysb in a text file located at <software_install_folder>/BASE/iDataAgent/srtarexcludes on the client machine .

    In the next two steps, be sure to install the 1-Touch server software and the AIX File System iDataAgent on the rootvg and to the same installation directory path on the appropriate computer.

  6. Install the product 1-Touch server software (CVGx1Touch) on the 1-Touch server. See Install the 1-Touch Server Software for step-by-step instructions.

  7. Ensure that the AIX File System iDataAgent is installed on the client computer. See Install the Unix File System iDataAgents for information on installing the AIX File System iDataAgent.

  8. Ensure that the data that you will be restoring has been backed up by the default backup set that has been configured for 1-Touch. As appropriate, see Configure the Subclient for 1-Touch and Start a Backup.

  9. If the 1-Touch client host ID (mac address) has changed since the most recent 1-Touch backup, be sure to update the client's Ethernet address within the /etc/ethers file on the 1-Touch server. Otherwise, you will not be able to boot the 1-Touch client.

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Recovering Data in Case of Disaster

Use the following procedure to recover data in case of disaster.

  • Try to avoid the unconditional overwrite of the root directory on a live file system. This is a mechanism that allows an unconditional overwrite of open files in the root directory (/) on a live file system. Performing such a restore can result in an inconsistent system that may also fail to boot. Use this option AT YOUR OWN RISK.

  • Restores to a read-only file system will result in the job completing with errors. These errors are usually the result of "failed" files that are produced for in-place restores to the read-only file system that could not be run.

You can recover the system to a specific system state level based on an identified backup job or on data that was backed up before an identified date.

Use the following procedure to recover the system to a specific level.

Required Capability: See Capabilities and Permitted Actions

To recover the system to a specific level:

  1. From the CommCell Console, right-click the appropriate backup set, click All Tasks, and then click 1-Touch Recovery to access the Submit 1-Touch Recovery Request wizard.
  2. In the Select a Job step, select the backup job from which you want to restore the data and then click Next. The most recent backup job will be displayed at the top of the list. This information will be used to restore the operating system.
  3. In the Select Recovery Options step, click the appropriate fields to select your options. If desired, click Advanced to set any additional restore options and then click OK. Then click Next. This information will be used to restore the data.
  4. In the Summary step, review the options that you selected. As appropriate, use the Back and Next buttons to navigate to and change options in the affected dialog boxes.
  5. When you are finished, go to the Summary dialog box and click Finish. The recovery should complete.

License Requirements

This feature requires a Feature License to be available in the CommServe® Server.

Review general license requirements included in License Administration. Also, View All Licenses provides step-by-step instructions on how to view the license information.

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