Backing up the switch 1

[GeorgeHusson]

We have an 11C. I need to know how to back it up. The only thing I have done to date is back up our MAT database and we could use it to restore the switch if it were to go dead.

What can I do about backing up the switch itself. I know you can get a PCMCIA card and do it from a load. I don't think my superior beings will want to do that. Is there some way to do it via the PC?

Thanks for your help.

--George / San Francisco

 

[wdhb]

Yes there is. In MAT, or OTM I guess, you can do a Data Dump. When Opt11c's & mimis do their midnight backup, they only backup to the SSC card's daughterboard flashROM & don't back up the internal drive. Hence, it is a good idea to invoke this maually from time to time or when you make changes. The backup of MAT, only backs up your extn/CPND data and not the system configuration. Hence, it is agood idea to keep a full backup. You use a standard floppy. You can do this either remorely, or on site to a local tty. You need to do a normal edd in LD43, then do an XBK in LD143. This works well using Procomm, as you can save the backup to any drive. Read the NTP's 1st

 

[atascoman]

You can also archive your database to your PCMCIA card in LD 143. You type UPGRADE at the prompt and then select utilities. Then select archive database. This is the same utility you get when you do a software install. You do have to be logged in on port 0 though.

 

[Burgal]

I tried that, an EDD on ld 43. Got some error saying that the device wasn't ready to write to. I assumed this was the pcmcia card, as we don't have one in the unit. I then proceded to do a backup from ld 143 which did an xmodem transfer to my pc and resulted in a 160kb file. Does this sound reliable, or ok, or am I doing something wrong?

 

[unkalary]

You must have a PCMCIA card to do the backup other than to do a backup to PC. Make sure the PCMCIA card has been formated with Windows 95 or 98. If you format it with Win2K or XP it wont work. Place the PCMCIA card in the left slot on the CPU. You must be on TTY Port 0. Go to LD143 and type UPGRADE. Once you get the menu go to Option 3 Utilities. Under this choose ARCHIVE database. Next choose to archive customer database. It will ask you for a name of the file. Once it is done take the CARD out and place it in a safe place. You are done

 

[Burgal]

Thanks. I doubt we'll be buying one of those pcmcia cards so we'll stick with backing up to the PC with ld143 XFM or whatever that code was.

thanks.

 

[mjpearson]

I found that the 11c is very particular about the brand of PCMCIA card. You might have to experiment to find a card that will work.

 

[RFWatts]

I have found that the most compatible card the Sandisk 48Mb compact flash with a PCMCIA/CF adapter. I have run into problems with larger (64Mb) cards being recognized, but I've never had a problem with the 48Mb cards.

While were on the subject, can someone explain the difference between the backup using ld 143-upgrade, and the ld 43 bko database backup?

 

[wdhb]

LD43 does a backup to 2 areas of memory on the SSC card. 1st it rewrite to the flash ROM on the SSC card daughterboard. 2nd, it does a backup to the z drive on the SSC card itself. LD143 allows you to backup to an external media. If you use upgrade you can backup to a PCMIA card installed in the SSC card. If you use an XBK you can backup to a locally or remotely connected tty (think it has to be tty0), ie say your laptops floppy or c: drive.

When you do an external backup, the data is copied from the z: drive on the SSC card & not the flashROM on the daughterboard. As the midnight backup only rights to the flashROM, make sure you have done a backup in LD43 to make sure that the z: image is up to date. Pays to invoke this manually from time to time, or when you have nmade any chages.

 

[toptater]

I'm sorta new to this so excuse any stupid questions. Is the "z drive" also a daughter board? We are a school district with 37 Option 11 C switches. We backup with LD 43 anytime we make changes & it's also run as a nightly routine, we also periodically use LD 143 and back up/archieve to a flash card....thinking this is backing up the customer's specific configuration and specific info (DNs, TNs, RDB, etc). Today we had a problem and lost the daughterboard on the SSC card. We had to call in reinforcements to tell us this. I'm just wondering what "exactly" have we lost? Any help you can give this novice is appreciated. We've had no official training and all systems are no longer under warranty

 

[wdhb]

The z: drive is hardwired to the SSC card. If you lost the daughterboard, the contractor should have been able to restore your customer data & switch configuration from either the z: drive or the PCMIA archives you have been making. So the short answer you should not have lost anything.

 

[cmawbey]

I have a detailed info sheet on all backups on all options

if you want it mail me at

colin.mawbey1@virgin.net



Colin

 

[toptater]

Thanks for the response and for the info sheet offer. :-D

 

[fred1971]

I use a SimpleTech cards and they work fine.