Cloning system with RLVs 1

[aixTim]

I have a system which uses Raw logical volumes that I am trying to clone (move onto different H/W).

I can use mksysb/savevg for rootvg & appvg, but I am stuck when it comes to my datavg which has the RLVs (along with 2 filesystems).

Is there a way of cloning this vg or do I have to let the app recreate the RLVs from its own data-set backups?

 

[sbix]

savevg and mksysb use backup, which doesn't recognize raw devices.
You will have to copy those lv with dd

 

[aixTim]

Yes - I'm aware that mksysb/savevg use backup and I can dd each individual lv. What I'm asking is if there is any way of cloning at a higher (volume group) level.

Someone out there must have had to clone an Oracle system at some time!

 

[sbix]

Which is the target media? Mag tape? Disk device? LAN?

 

[aixTim]

Probably mag tape - allthough the new box is on the same LAN.

The source vg is on SSA disk, the target is SAN attached disk (EMC). Could I attach the SSA to the new box, importvg from one of the SSA disks, morror onto SAN, break the mirror etc? At what point would oracle throw its teddies out of the cot and refuse to use it?

 

[sbix]

to mag tape the easiest thing is "dd if=rawdevice of=/dev/rmt0 bs=64kb"
Are you speaking about to take an ONLINE Backup of Oracle?
If so have you RMAN?
Are you speaking about a cold backup?

 

[aixTim]

No this is not an ONLINE backup of oracle or a cold backup, just shutting down oracle on one box and bringing it back up on another.

 

[theycallmetim]

TimCGEY - your export/import function should work. As long as the LVs are named the same ex: /dev/lv01 Oracle should never know the difference.

 

[sbix]

As theycallmetim said, if the disks where oracle and apps reside are physically connectable to the other box the importvg command will be enough

 

[swtbart]

Hi TimCGEY, I faced with this problem before. What I did was to use SYSBACK (is an IBM product). This is a very versatile product in order to make backups and restore, replacing the mksysb functions among other functionality.
As you can see in the following screen you can make a system backup including "non-JFS logical volumes"


Backup the System
Sysback Version 5.4.0.1

Type or select values in entry fields.
Press Enter AFTER making all desired changes.

[Entry Fields]
Backup Data Hostname [server001]
Device name [/dev/rmt0]
Create a Power Backup? no +
Report output type progress indicator +
Platform/kernel type for tape boot image [chrp/MP] +
Network install support to include [] +
Include non-JFS logical volumes? yes +
Rewind tape before starting backup? yes +
Forward to End of Tape before starting backup? no +
Compress data before writing to media? no +
User Description []
Buffer size (in Kbytes) [64] +#
Preserve physical partition mapping? no +
Exclude List File Name [] +/
Device name for remotlqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqk
PULL BACKUP OPTIONSx CONTEXTUAL HELP x
Hostname to Backup x x
x Press Enter or Cancel to return to the application. x
Non-rootvg Volume Grox x +
x If the data in non-filesystem, or "raw" logical volumes should x
x be included in the backup, this field should be set to "yes". To x
x exclude this data from the backup, press TAB to set this field x
x to "no". System logical volume types, such as "boot", "paging", x
x and "jfslog" will not be included. x
x x
x NOTE: If a logical volume name exists in the EXCLUDE LIST, it will x
x not be included in the backup regardless of the content of this x
x field. x
x x
F1=Help x F1=Help F2=Refresh F3=Cancel x
F5=Reset x F8=Image Enter=Do xe
F9=Shell mqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqj

 

[scottrisi]

I've found that mirroring LVs then brokening the mirror is the easiest and quickest way to move LVs from one device to another.
You'd add the new device to the current volume group.
Issue "lsvg -l yourvolumegroupname"
Then use smit the mirror all of the LVs in that volume group. "Add a copy"
After that are all sync'd up, go through smit again to break the mirror i.e. reduce the numbr of copies.