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] [-nomedialib]
backupios -file {File name} [-mksysb] [-nopak ] [-nosvg] [-nomedialib]
backupios -tape Device [-blocks Number] [-nopak ] [-verify] [-nosvg] [-nomedialib]
backupios -cd Device {-udf | -cdformat} [-accept] [-nosvg] [-nomedialib]
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.
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.
Flags
| Flag name | Description |
|---|---|
| -accept | Accepts licenses. |
| -blocks Number | Specifies the number of 512-byte blocks to write in a single output operation. Default is 100. Should be used with tape device only. |
| -cd | Specifies the cd device name on which the image is to be stored. |
| -cdformat | Creates final CD images that are DVD sized (up to 4.38 GB). |
| -file | Specifies the directory on which the image is
to be stored. Enter the complete directory pathname. Images are reinstalled
using NIMOL. Note: When the -mksysb flag is used, the NIMOL
resources are not saved in the image. With -mksysb option,
specify filename. Note: When the -mksysb flag is used, the
NIMOL resources are not saved in the image. With -mksysb option,
specify filename.
|
| -mksysb | Creates an image without the NIMOL resources. |
| -nomedialib | Prevents the contents of the media repository from being saved as part of the backupios process. |
| -nopak | When the -nopak flag is used with the -tape flag, the -nopak flag disables software packing of files because the files are backed up. Some tape drives use their own packing or compression algorithms. When the -nopak flag is used with the -file flag, the -nopak flag excludes files that are listed line by line in the /etc/exclude_packing.rootvg file from being packed. |
| -nosvg | Prevents the volume groups structure of user defined volume groups from being saved as part of the backupios process. |
| -tape | Specifies the tape device name on which the image is to be stored. |
| -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
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
