Tracy, System A = System which should be backed up System B = System which includes the tape drive 1) create an NFS share on System B 2) mount the NFS Share from System B to System A 3) Create a TMP dir on the NFS share. 4) create a pipe on System A which write onto the TMP dir on the NFS share. 5) use the dd command on System B to write from the pipe onto tape. Restore is only possible if you have an external Tape drive on System A. Don't forgett to verify the restore before you bring a backup strategy like this into production. Regards Frank

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Thanks again Frank. Regards, Tracy

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Tracy, I forgot one step, but I am sure you already recognize this. between step 4 and 5 is step 4.5 missing. Write your backup into the pipe. If you found the time to verify that the backup is valid, please let me know if it works on HP-UX. I tried this on AIX and it works fine, but I didn't have a HP-UX test envirnoment. So I was not able to verify it on HP. Have Fun Frank

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Frank, Thanks. You gave me a very good suggestion i.e to use NFS share. The following was what I did for testing as i only had so much time. :-) On system A: 1) edit /etc/exports /try 2) #exportfs -a 3) entry existed in xtab On system B (with tape drive): 1) create a new mount point #mkdir /tracy 2) #mount A:/try /tracy 3) #bdf showed the new mounted point /tracy 4) I did a backup of /tracy to local tape drive I am sure you have a very good reason for suggesting that i create a NFS share on system B. May i know why? I did not quite understand steps 3 through 5. I would appreciate it very much if you could explain to me. Thanks a lot for your time and patience. Regards, Tracy

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Tracy, Here the steps you need to complete (Not tested yet. Will try to test on our Production HP-UX systems on the next weekend, if you could verify earlier I would be happy if you let me know the resault) 3.1)System A: mknod -p /tracy/back_up_pipe 3.2) System B: dd conv=sync if=/tracy/back_up_pipe of=your_tape 3.3) System A: make_recovery -A -d /tracy/backup_pipe Have Fun Frank

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Tracy, change the order from step 3.2 and 3.3 Sorry Frank

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Tracy, I am so soory, the tape will not be bootable. I tryed it and found out that HP is to "inteligent" at this point. HP (UX 11) recognized that the pipe is not a block device and will not create a bootable "tape backup". So all you will have after this is a system file backup, which is not bootable. Never the less it works with AIX, but this didn't help you. So it seems so that you have to install at least the "ignite Server" or client. I know it is lot of work for only one system. Maybee if Rolf is reading this posting he will be able to find a work around for the backup problem. But this will mean you have to create a new posting, because Rolf will not read postings with more the 10 replyes. As subject write "Backup Problems" Have Fun Frank

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Frank, Thanks so much for your replies. I will look at the option of installing Ignite, hopefully soon. :) And will also create a new posting "Backup problems" then. Thanks again. You have been a great help. Regards, Tracy

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