backupios command

Purpose

Creates an installable image of the root volume group either onto a bootable tape, file system, or DVD.

Syntax

backupios -file {Directory} [-nosvg]

backupios -file {File name} [-mksysb] [-nosvg]

backupios -tape Device [-nopak] [-verify] [-nosvg]

backupios -cd Device {-udf | -cdformat} [-accept] [-nosvg]

Description

The backupios command creates a backup of the Virtual I/O Server and places it onto a file system, bootable tape, or DVD. You can use this backup to reinstall a system to its original state after it has been corrupted. If you create the backup on tape , the tape is bootable and includes the installation programs needed to install from the backup.

If the -cd flag is specified, the backupios command creates a system backup image to DVD-RAM media. If you need to create multi-volume discs because the image does not fit on one disc, the backupios command gives instructions for disk replacement and removal until all the volumes have been created.

Note: Vendor disc drives may support burning to additional disc types, such as CD-RW and DVD-R. Refer to the documentation for your drive to determine which disc types are supported.

If the -file flag is specified, the backupios command creates a system backup image to the path specified. The file system must be mounted and writable by the Virtual I/O Server root user prior to running the backupios command (see mount command for details). Backing up the Virtual I/O Server to a remote file system will create the nim_resources.tar image in the directory you specify. The Virtual I/O Server must have root write access to the server on which the backup will be created. This backup can be reinstalled from the HMC using the installios command.

The backupios command empties the target_disks_stanza section of bosinst.data (which is part of the nim_resources.tar image) and sets RECOVER_DEVICES=Default. This allows the mksysb file generated by the command to be cloned to another logical partition. If you plan to use the nim_resources.tar image to install to a specific disk, then you need to repopulate the target_disks_stanza section of bosinst.data and replace this file in the nim_resources.tar image. All other parts of the nim_resources.tar image must remain unchanged.

Prior to backing up the root volume group, the backupios command saves the structure of all user-defined volume groups by calling the savevgstruct command for each volume group defined. To avoid having all user-defined volume groups backed up, use the -nosvg flag.

Note: The backupios command backs up only the volume group structures that are activated. The structures of volumes groups that are deactivated are not backed up.

Flags

-accept	Accepts licenses.
-cd	The Virtual I/O Server backup is placed onto DVD-RAM media.
-cdformat	Creates final CD images that are DVD sized (up to 4.38 GB).
-file	The Virtual I/O Server backup is placed in a file.
-mksysb	When the -mksyb flag is used, the resources used by the installios command are not saved in the image.
-nopak	Disables software packing of the files as they are backed up. Some tape drives use their own packing or compression algorithms.
-nosvg	Prevents the volume groups structure of user defined volume groups from being saved as part of the backupios process.
-tape	The Virtual I/O Server backup is placed onto a tape.
-udf	Creates a UDF (Universal Disk Format) file system on DVD-RAM media. The default format is Rock Ridge (ISO9660).
-verify	Verifies a tape backup. This flag causes the backupios command to verify the file header of each file on the backup tape and report any read errors as they occur.

Exit Status

See Exit status for Virtual I/O Server commands.

Examples

To generate a backup to the optical device named /dev/cd1, type:
```
backupios -cd /dev/cd1 -cdformat
```
To generate a system backup to a tape device named /dev/rmt0, type:
```
backupios -tape /dev/rmt0
```

Related Information

The mount command and the savevgstruct command.