From: Jenny Butler (jbutler@utmem.edu)
Date: Wed Sep 18 2002 - 10:05:45 EDT
The question I had was whether to preserve, online or off, the original UNIX
system disk that was built prior to doing a cluster creation using Tru64
UNIX
v5.1 PK2 and TruCluster v5.1. I have since cluster creation upgraded the
entire
cluster to v5.1A PK2 and have changed the software and disk configuration
some.
I received answers from Rochelle Lauer, Tom Webster, alan (no signature),
and Corinne Haesaerts - one other that I cannot find now, sorry.
The consensus from all except one was to save the disk at least offline, in
case
of a catastrophic cluster failure such that I would have to go back further
than
the cluster create to recover. The points, which I had pretty much
considered
also, were that you need a bootable disk that knows the hardware
configuration
and the network and custom settings that were initially done and propagated
to
the cluster might take time to recreate. Also, some people may not have
done
detailed documentation of what they did and settings they chose up through
the cluster create.
All things considered, I have done a vdump of root, usr, and var to two
separate
tape cartridges. I have also moved these file systems to a smaller disk and
taken
that disk out of my storage configuration. I will put it in and do a test
boot to
be sure I can use it. When I do the next upgrade on the cluster, I will
probably
recycle this disk. We do regular full vdump backups of everything on the
cluster
and I cannot picture a case where I cannot take a clean disk, the
distribution CD
to boot from, and my latest vdump of the cluster disk and member boot
partitions
and restore to a useable state...maybe I'm being overly optimistic! I also
have
tape backups of the entire cluster file system - all disks just prior to
going production
on the cluster. Since we are now reconfiguring and deploying different
software
on it, I will do the same thing before production use.
I appreciate the advice. I am always more comfortable dealing with a new
situation
when I have the shared wisdom of others who have been there.
Thanks, Jenny Butler
jbutler@utmem.edu
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