Unable to backup Unix Server from Tape Appliance

[zoeythecat]

Hi All,

I have a Compaq True64 (Alpha) server here. I have a disk to disk backup appliance. I am trying to backup our Unix server from this backup appliance. I can browse the unix server from the Netvault backup software and I can select the directories I wante to backup but when I attempt to process the backup the backup jobs reports "Waiting for Media" and "No media requests for the job". So I can browse the directories but I cannot connect to the media. I believe the problem is I can ping from the Backup Appliance to the Unix Server but I cannot ping from the Unix server to the backup appliance. Any ideas on how I can get this working?

Thanks in advance,
Zoey

 

[Mike042]

It would be helpful to know the version of Tru64 you are using, the make (& model) of the "Backup Appliance" and what software it is using on which Operating System.
Is this a new installation or have you had it working in the past and it just suddenly stopped working ?
If you cannot ping the "Backup Appliance" from the Unix server, how is the system trying to resolve the IP-Address ? DNS or entry in /etc/hosts or ... ?

Sorry to pose more questions than suggest answers, but I need more information before I can guess at a solution.

Regards.

Mike

 

[zoeythecat]

Mike,

Thanks for your reply.

(1) What is the command to verify the version of True64? I have general knowledge of the Unix system so forgive me for the lack of. If I do a uname -a I get V4.0 1091 alpha. Is this what you are looking for?
(2) The backup appliance we are using is a Cybernetics HSTC-1208. The software is Netvault 7.0 on a Linux system.
(3) I have had this working in the past. I did not go forward with the backup of our Unix box at that time because the transfer rate was very slow. I started revisiting this recently to see if txfr rate was improved but now I have this problem.
(4) Yes, I believe the Unix box may be trying to resolve via DNS but again not positive on this.

* To add something here. We do have a rule in our firewall that allows any traffic from our Unix box to the Backup Appliance. This was how I was able to months ago get this working. At that time I was able to ping to both (I.E - from the Unix box to the Backup Appliance and vice versa). One thing I plan on troubleshooting is to see if I can modify the rule to allow traffic both ways.

I'll let you know how I make out. Thanks again for your reply and sorry for the lack of information.

Regards,
Zoey

 

[Mike042]

Hi Zoey,

Here are my answers/comments:
(1) From memory, I think V4.0 (1091) is Tru64 v4.0E. I usually use the following command to find it:
strings /vmunix | grep '(Rev. '
(2) I have not used this backup hardware or software before so I would not know how it should work. But because it is Linux based, I would hope all the usual Unix to Unix communications work.
(3) As it was working in the past has anything changed to affect it. Have any passwords expired ?
(4) If the file /etc/resolv.conf exists and contains the IP-Address(es) of your DNS server(s) then you are probably using DNS. But it wouldn't hurt for both machines to have the Hostname & IP-Address in each others /etc/hosts to see if that makes any difference.
And as you say, the Firewall rule(s) need checking.

I hope that helps.

Mike

 

[zoeythecat]

Mike,

This helps a great deal. I was able to check the /etc/resolv.conf file and dns does resolve here. There were a couple of name servers defined there. I tried adding the backup appliance to this file to see if it would work but it did not. It may or may not have something to do with the firewall rule. I will be checking this Monday. Thanks for your helpful answers/suggestions. I will let you know Monday how I make out.

Thanks,
Zoey