Synchronizing Vital Data on 2 Unix Servers.

[salimwng]

OS Type: SCO Unix Sys/V

Hi,

I have 2 Unix servers installed on 2 different SCSI Controllers. Unix Server 1 is the main one which is being used. The 2nd Unix server has been setup just in case the 1st one fail. The problem is everyday after doing the backup of daily & vital data we have to restore the tape data to the second Unix server. Is there a way ( or program which does it ) that when both servers are switch on, the data are automatically replicated ( or synchronized or copied ) onto the 2nd Unix server ? Please note that both Unix servers have got TCP/IP installed onto.

Many thanks in advising me the best way.
Regards.
Salim

 

[Guest_imported]

you must " use cron"

 

[salimwng]

Thank you Motabar. However, i have checked the cron command and appears to be VERY complexed. I will much appreciate if you can advise me further details for doing it.

Thanks a lot.
Salim

 

[abovebrd]

rsync will do this.

http://samba.anu.edu.au/rsync/

-Danny
dan@snoboarder.net

 

[salimwng]

Thanks a lot Dany. I will download this freeware program right now and i hope i don't get any problem.

Am quite sceptic on this, because i am using SCO Unix Sys/V-Ver 3.2.4.2....quite an old stuff, but as long as it's doing the job.....am happy with it.

Thanks again Danny, will keep you posted about it.
Regards.
Salim

 

[salimwng]

Hi Dany,

I've downloaded the rsync and installation was successful on my system. I still cannot figure out how to make it run....there's no TCP/IP where i can insert in my options. Though i have looked at the site;

http://samba.anu.edu.au/rsync/

It does not explain about the synchronisation between 2 Unix servers in the same network.

Can you please help.

Thanks

 

[spddmon]

Hi Salim, in Unix 5.0.5/6, I used in a very similar situation, the command rcp, which uses host and user equivalence. After sitting up both machines to recognize each other, I used the RCP command in the CRON to copy all data to the backup server. I am not sure if this can be done on Unix 4.2!
It worked like a charm.

 

[salimwng]

Hi Medcomp,

I wanted to try the rcp too, but couldn't set both machines to recognise each other. Could you please help me How you setup yours ? Though platform is different the basis would be somekind same.

Will wait for you then,

Thanks for your input,
Regards.
Salim

 

[AbeMeister]

Salim,

I am also faced with the same scenario that you are. I have some input to offer, but because this thread is over a month old, I should ask -- Did you find a solution yet, or is your problem still outstanding?

 

[salimwng]

Hi AbeMeister,

I have been able to solve the problem of both; rcp and rsync. My system is working just fine now, just as i planned.

In fact, i am using rsync because of it's additional features present. It's not that user freindly i must admit, but after much fighting with the different options and syntax, i have been able to configure it properly.

My next challenge now is to have it copied from one Unix box to a Windows 98 PC's. Do you think this is possible ?

I will be glad to share any ideas with you Abemeister.

Thank you so much for asking.
Kind regards.
Salim

 

[AbeMeister]

Salim...

I am very happy that you were able to get your set up running. As for me, I am still trying to get off the ground.

I'm having a lot of trouble simply compiling for the OS. I have OpenBSD on my laptop which compiled rsync just like that.

I can't figure out how to compile on SCO. Please help me.

 

[salimwng]

AbeMeister,

Good to hear from you.

I'll try my best to help you get out of your problem.

On the very first, please tell me the Operating system you have. Do you have SCO Development system installed....this will be using by "make" for compiling the rsync. In case you do not have it, i will figure out something for you.

Waiting for you,

Thanks & regards.
Salim

PS: My email address is salimwng@bow.intnet.mu ( However, i prefer to post any mesg on here { unless personel } so that other users who make a search on the thread can obtain a solution.

 

[AbeMeister]

Understood. I will hold on to your email address close to my reference manuals.

I am using SCO OpenServer 5.0.5. I don't know if I have SCO Development system installed.

Did that come with the software, or is that free? I my feeble attempts, I did manage to get some components of Skunkware 98 installed. I just recently downloaded Skunkware 2000 and will be installing that today (hopefully).

 

[salimwng]

Abemeister,

I have got SCO Unix system V-Release 4.2. It is a different version from the above SCO open server you are using. Anyway, all Unix flavours are mostly the same i guess, and if your version is higher than mine, i most probably think that it will work. As for knowing whether SCO Development is installed, please check with the command custom on root and it will display all the applications which are installed.

Also do you have LLI + TCP/IP installed on the machine ?

It's already close to 7:00 p.m.. Am gonna go home and will check tek-tips at night to see if i can further help you.

Cheers.
Salim

PS: What is your name by the way ?

 

[AbeMeister]

Wow....you must be on the other side of the earth. I just got into work and am starting my day.

It would seem that I do not have the Development System installed. I found the CD and am looking at all the documentation to figure out how to get it installed. I also downloaded and burned a CD of the latest Skunkware 8.0 for SCO. It had RSYNC on it!!

I tried installing it, and it looked like it installed fine. But, when I tried to run it, it give me a missing library error. :: sigh ::

So, I'm going to try figuring out how to install the UDK (UnixWare/OpenServer Development Kit) and go ahead and do that. Maybe that installs the libraries needed for rsync to run. (please reply with any ideas and ) Wish me luck.

My name is Abe

 

[AbeMeister]

Okay....here we go....

I checked our production server, and it does have the UDK installed. Therefore, I think I just uninstalled it and reinstalled in on the backup server. (I'm doing all of the testing and work on the backup server -- they both are...well, were before i started messing with the backup....are identical to each other.

I think I got rsync installed. But when I try to run it, it gives me this weird error message:

dynamic link....[path of rsync] error opening /usr/lib/libthread.so.1

looks like a library file that doesn't exist...
I'll do more research to find out where that library file comes from.

 

[salimwng]

Hi Abe,

You are right we are on the opposite side of the earth. Am from Mauritius island, ( West of Australia and East of Madagascar ), more precisely in the Indian Ocean. A jolly 12 hours flight to reach you buddy.

I think you are on the right track. For the error mesg , i think it's a problem of library. Check for the path and environment variable also. You can check at the frequently asked questions on the rsync site. Most of the times the solution are there.

If you have above working correctly, then comes the complicated side of rsync;

Put your main Unix server as rsync server ( you can run it through inetd.conf in /etc as a listening daemon or you can run it any point of time ( root> rsync --daemon ).

Then on the backup server, you need to call up the main server through rsync. But for this to work on you need to do some quite changes. I do not know how it works for SCO Open Server, but logically the concepts should be the same.

If you do not get the proper command, i will write it down here for you.

One last thing Abe, the guy who invented rsync is SIMPLY FANTASTIC. It's an incredible tool for synchronising data's between servers. However do not forget to do the backups regularly.

Good luck.

Am here whenever you need me.

In Mauritius it's actually 1:00 am ( night ). Going to sleep now. Good day 4 u.

Cheers.
Salim