How to Set up Sysback for Remote Tape Backups

Answer

These procedures assume the following conditions exist:

• Both client and server are running the same version of Sysback.
• The server is the machine with the tape drive.
• The client is the machine which needs to be backed up.
• A client cannot back up to itself. Use a non-remote backup for this.
• You are logged on as root on both client and server.

This document applies to AIX Versions 4 and later running AIX System Backup and Recovery/6000 Versions 3.x and later.

Configure the server for remote backups

To perform a remote backup, use SMIT to set up the Sysback remote services on our server machine.

Enter smitty sysback and select the following menus options:

   Configuration Options
     Remote Services
       Server Options
         Configure Remote Services

Allow access to the Sysback server

Next you must allow access to the server. You can choose to allow access by host name, or you can allow all hosts. Also, you can allow either root or all users. Next, a menu will come up with the current settings and more options. You can allow specific devices, or "all" devices. Finally, if you want to allow backups to disk, you can specify the directories for this.

Enter smitty sysback and select the following menu options:

   Configuration Options
     Remote Services
       Server Options
         Add a Remote Client

• hostname = client_host_name
• username = root or all
• device = all
  or
  device = /dev/rmt1 /dev/rmt2 ... /dev/rmtX

Configure the client for remote backups

For a client to be able to perform network backup and recovery, it must have its remote services enabled.

Enter smitty sysback and select the following options:

   Configuration Options
     Remote Services
       Client Options
         Configure Remote Services

Add a server to the client's list of backup servers

Now that remote services are enabled you need to tell the client which servers are OK to use:

Enter smitty sysback and select the following options:

   Configuration Options
     Remote Services
       Client Options
         Add a Remote backup server

• hostname = server_host_name
• List directories = no for tape backups

Verify configuration

Sometimes the configuration does not result in complete communication. You should verify that communication exists between the client and server. If this fails, there could be a DNS or /etc/hosts discrepancy including multiple lines for the same host or IP, or non-matching reverse DNS. Sysback is very particular about this; upper and lower case will make a difference. Also, some earlier versions of Sysback were not too happy going through a firewall. To verify communication, do the following:

1. Log on to the client.
2. Enter smitty sysback and select the following menu options:

      Configuration Options
        Remote Services 
          Client Options
            List Remote Backup Servers
   

3. If this hangs or otherwise fails to list your server and its devices, enter the following command to remove Sysback:
   

   /usr/lpp/sysback/rmsysback
   

4. Re-install from your source media. Then follow the instructions in this document again. No customized Sysback user files will be affected so long as the usr/lpp/sysback directory is not deleted or moved before reinstallation of Sysback.
5. If Sysback still fails at this point, contact your AIX support center for troubleshooting assistance.

How to use the remote devices

To use a remote device:

• Use SMIT and perform your sysback as you normally would. When the device listing comes up, it will include any remote devices which are properly configured if currently accessible. Simply choose your device. If the device list does not appear, or it hangs up to a period of 45 minutes, then a least one of the servers are not available to the client. To resolve this issue, remove the server from the list of remote backup servers on the client.

  Make sure you have a tape in your drive and that the tape drive has been cleaned fairly recently.

• From the command line, use your normal sysback command and add
  -h <sysback server hostname> to access the remote device specified with the -f flag.

• For assistance with remote booting and recovery, refer to the product documentation or contact your AIX support center for assistance.