How to Set up Sysback for Remote Tape Backups


Contents

About this document
Install device support for network booting
Configure the server for remote backups
Allow access to the Sysback server
Configure the server for network booting
Configure the client for remote backups
Add a server to the client's list of backup options
Verify configuration
How to use the remote devices

About this document

These procedures assume the following conditions exist:

This document applies to AIX Versions 3.2.5 and later running AIX System Backup and Recovery/6000 Versions 3.x and later.


Install device support for network booting

The recommended method is to install the following device packages on your Sysback server:

If there is not enough space on the system to install these packages, use the following procedure to install with the correct amount of space:

  1. Log on to the client and enter the following commands:
  2.  lslpp -l | grep devices > /tmp/list
     more /tmp/list
    

  3. Log on to the server.

  4. Insert your AIX media into the server CD-ROM and enter the following commands:
  5.  mount /dev/cd0 /mnt
     rcp client:/tmp/list /tmp/lst
     installp -acd /mnt/usr/sys/inst.images -f /tmp/list
    

Configure the server for remote backups

To perform a remote backup, use SMIT to set up the Sysback remote services on our server machine.

Enter smitty sysback and select the following menus options:

   Configuration Options
     Remote Services
       Server Options
         Configure Remote Services

Allow access to the Sysback server

Next you must allow access to the server. You can choose to allow access by host name, or you can allow all hosts. Also, you can allow either root or all users. Next, a menu will come up with the current settings and more options. You can allow specific devices, or "all" devices. Finally, if you want to allow backups to disk, you can specify the directories for this.

Enter smitty sysback and select the following menu options:

   Configuration Options
     Remote Services
       Server Options
         Add a Remote Client
Complete the Add a Remote Client fields as follows:


Configure the server for network booting

Next you need to set up the network boot configuration. Without this, there is no way to boot the machine should it go down. You can't actually boot from a remote tape drive, so this procedure will build a boot image and configure the boot servers.

Enter smitty sysback and select the following menu options:

   Configuration Options
     Network Boot Config
       Add a Network Boot Client

Complete the Add a Network Boot Client fields as follows:


Configure the client for remote backups

For a client to be able to perform network backup and recovery, it must have its remote services enabled.

Enter smitty sysback and select the following options:

   Configuration Options
     Remote Services
       Client Options
         Configure Remote Services

Add a server to the client's list of backup options

Now that remote services are enabled you need to tell the client which servers are OK to use:

Enter smitty sysback and select the following options:

   Configuration Options
     Remote Services
       Client Options
         Add a Remote backup server


Verify configuration

Sometimes the configuration does not result in complete communication. You should verify that communication exists between the client and server. If this fails, there could be a DNS or /etc/hosts discrepancy including multiple lines for the same host or IP, or non-matching reverse DNS. Sysback is very particular about this; upper and lower case will make a difference. Also, some earlier versions of Sysback were not too happy going through a firewall. To verify communication, do the following:

  1. Log on to the client.
  2. Enter smitty sysback and select the following menu options:

       Configuration Options
         Remote Services 
           Client Options
             List Remote Backup Servers
    
  3. If this hangs or otherwise fails to list your server and its devices, enter the following command to remove Sysback:
    /usr/lpp/sysback/rmsysback
    
  4. Re-install from your source media. Then follow the instructions in this document again.
  5. If Sysback still fails at this point, contact your AIX support center for troubleshooting assistance.

How to use the remote devices

To use a remote device:


How to Set up Sysback for Remote Tape Backups: sysback.rmt.svcs.quickref.sys ITEM: FAX
Dated: 99/06/22~00:00 Category: sys
This HTML file was generated 99/06/24~12:42:14
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