SX-2000 Failed Drive, can't back-up

[AH64Armament]

Okay old guys... I need a bit of help remembering how (if possible) that you can back-up the running system to an RSD with a failed hard drive.

I've got an SX2000 that was installed in November 2006 - yeah, 6 months after Mitel announced EOL of the 2k.

This system is piggy-backed to 2 3300's that are currently running MiVB 6 - hasn't been upgraded since I upgraded them in 2014.

So, I get a work order telling me that they have a major alarm on the switchboard (on the 2k).
I get to the site and log in, expecting this to be as simple as the last bazillion times that I've had to go to the site... not this time.
This time, the A-Plane HDD has failed. B-Plane has no database and fails to sync.

The last backup was done by me in October 2019. Who knows what has been done by those tasked for maintaining this site since then.
Kick off a backup.. failed because it can't delete the files on the A-Plane HDD in prep for the backup to the RSD.

I would love to get a backup from running memory if it's possible.
Does anyone know if it is possible, and what the commands are to do so?

I can honestly say that I hope that the system is toast and they are forced to upgrade their rooms to ASU's on the 3300's or SIP ATA gateways (better IMO)... but the fact is that I would be the one having to do all the programming for them.

Anyhow, any help with the commands would be greatly appreciated... I do have the THB and 20+ years worth of notes and experience.

Oh, BTW, I can't even open a ticket with product support on this as it's an SX2000 and they haven't supported it in nearly 10 years.

 

[techymitel]

As far as I can remember, a data save will work from a system running on memory only (no working disk).

- Insert and mount the RSD:
vol mount rsd [RETURN]

System will return “FS info: Mounted volume of device RSD with name: <<VOLNAME>>”

- If a message like this is not returned, you need to format the RSD:
vol format rsd <<VOLNAME>> scratch [RETURN]

- Once mounted, and if required, view files already on RSD:
cat info *.<<VOLNAME>> [RETURN]

- Create a new file on the RSD (make <<FILENAME>> something like data_save_dd_mmm_yyyy) The ‘CAT’ is important on the end of the command.
file create *.<<VOLNAME>>.<<FILENAME>> cat [RETURN]

eg. file create *.site_1.data_save_14_mar_2021 cat [RETURN]

- Perform Data Save
data save *.<<VOLNAME>>.<<FILENAME>> [RETURN]
eg data save *.site_1.data_save_14_mar_2021 [RETURN]

System will return: “Delete the old log file? (yes/no)”

- Enter “y”, and [RETURN]

System will return “Existing Data Save will be deleted from Harddisk, Continue (yes/no)”

- Enter “y”, and [RETURN]

Once the Data Save has completed, the disk will automatically be dismounted.

Or if not (older software), manually dismount RSD:
vol dismo <<VOLNAME>> [RETURN]

- Remove the RSD.

 

[AH64Armament]

it's failing to do the backup right after
System will return: “Delete the old log file? (yes/no)”
- Enter “y”, and [RETURN]

I think this failure is because it can't write anything on the current HDD on the A-Plane.

The B-Plane drive has a blank database as it's been restarted and unable to sync the database from A-Plane to B-Plane.

The A-Plane hard drive sounds like it's tearing itself apart inside.

 

[SXWizard]

You could try this but if the HDD on the current active plane is failing you could end up with a dead system. Use sysuser as the vol name.
Backing Up and Restoring a Volume
VOlume Backup <volume name> ON <device>
Use this command with caution. Copies the contents of the specified volume (for example, SYSUSER) to the specified device (for example, RSD). If you specify SYSUSER as the volume name, you must reload the system to mount the hard disk again.
VOlume Restore <volume name> FROM <device>
Restores the contents of the volume (for example, SYSUSER) from the device (for example, RSD).

 

[techymitel]

You could also try a dbms save.

I think that may save db from memory to destination.

So create a file on the rsd and:

dbms save *.<<VOLNAME>>.<<FILENAME>>


Rebuild and should then be able to restore the db to a licensed (options) system:

dbms download *.<<VOLNAME>>.<<FILENAME>>

Then to save from ram to disk:

dbms save

 

[SXWizard]

Hopefully you have the MOSS for the system. If you need to re-build the HDD you will meed the options password.

 

[AH64Armament]

SXWizard - I attempted that a few days ago and it failed due to the HDD-A failure and/or RSD drive failure.

techymitel - I'll try that next time I go to the site.


Here's what I've managed to do so far:
We received 2 new drives from Mitel - turns out they have the 68-pin connector and we don't have the adapters to connect the 50-pin ribbon cables to them.... Luckily, I found 2 new drives that I had in storage since 2012 or so.

I took the customer's backup RSD to my shop and was able to restore the newest available backup to our demo system. There are 2 holes that I can tell.
Currently restoring: Attendant Assignment
The following record(s) failed to restore. Correct via CDE.
Cannot access database error message.
[3/1/1/13/** Bad Data **/** Bad Data **//** Bad Data **/** Bad Data **/
** Bad Data **/1]
Currently restoring: Multiline Set Assignment

Currently restoring: Cluster Element Assignment
The following record(s) failed to restore. Correct via CDE.
Unable to translate the key data.
[3/** Bad Data **//** Bad Data **//]
Unable to translate the key data.
[4/** Bad Data **//** Bad Data **//]
Unable to translate the key data.
[5/** Bad Data **//** Bad Data **//]
Unable to translate the key data.
[6/** Bad Data **//** Bad Data **//]
Unable to translate the key data.
[7/** Bad Data **//** Bad Data **//]
Unable to translate the key data.
[8/** Bad Data **//** Bad Data **//]
Unable to translate the key data.
[9/** Bad Data **//** Bad Data **//]
Unable to translate the key data.
[10/** Bad Data **//** Bad Data **//]
Currently restoring: Remote Directory Number Assignment

We attempted to get this data from the running system, but the running database is so far gone that it kicked us out when trying to peek at them.

The site is running LW34 Release 2 UR4 (34.2.3.6) and I managed to find LW 34 Rel 2 UR 5 (34.2.7.4) and made an RSD with it.
I then loaded that RSD and formatted/copied that version to both of the drives that I found in storage.

On Monday, I will be going to the site with these two drives.
I'll replace the B-Plane drive with one of these. License it from the MOSS record. And restore the database from October 2019 from their old Backup RSD.
Hopefully that will work without the gaps in the database.

Regardless of the gaps, I will then do an activity switch and replace the A-Plane drive.


I am beyond ready for this site to retire this SX2000.

Thanks for all your help.
Mark

 

[AH64Armament]

Here's an update on this...
I installed a new drive to the B-Plane and loaded the OS to it. Restored the newest available backup. Activity switch and installed a new drive to the A-Plane. Copied sysuser from other, and joined the planes.

I've set the system to do an activity switch nightly and they haven't notified me of any issues with the PMS since.

I've also advised the vendor that if they turn off activity switch, they will be in the same predicament as we are currently. And if they do, I will refuse to work on the site.

They're working up some quotes to the site to upgrade/migrate the SX-2000 to the 3300. I recommended Grandstream SIP GXW-4248's and enough Single-Line licenses to accommodate them. Upgrade both of the 3300's on site to MiVB 8.x - this will accommodate these licenses and allow them to be resilient too.

Anyhow, it's working.. for now.

 

[miphoneman]

Have this kind of scenario at a hospital. We have 2 used/refurbed 50 pin SCSI drives and they both pass SCSI on POST. The #2 2K has a crashed HD on th A plane. No one has Moss sheet - original dealer went bankrupt, so for sure we can't format and reload LW34 to the system. Do have a copy of LW34 that has set on site since around 2009. We thought about doing a "RESTORE FROM OTHER", but not sure that will get us back, because we have to format the drive and hopefully we can do the restore routine. If anyone has any ideas, let me know. I am headed to my storage to find my Sony RSDs so I can play with another system (scrap pile) and do with it what I want.

Tell me what you'd do

 

[techymitel]

You say plane A is down.

If you replace the hard drive in plane A and load plane A from RSD to get desktop and can login, you should be able to load from other using the procedure here:

https://www.tek-tips.com/viewthread.cfm?qid=1772391