Performing an IBM i Disaster Recovery Operation

Use the following procedures to recover from a disaster.

You can recover to the same system or duplicate the system.

Note

If you duplicate the system, make sure that you update the TCP/IP configuration to avoid network issues on the source system.

The operation creates 2 restore jobs, a job that copies the DVD images and a job that restores the data.

The first job copies one of the following DVD images to the proxy server.

A physical DVD
A virtual DVD for a virtual I/O server environment
An image catalog for an iHost

The second job restores the data.

The software starts the DVD copy job (the status shows running) and places the restore job in a suspended state.

When DVD copy job completes, the software sends email. Use the DVD images to restore the minimum OS by following the IBM manual, and then restore the Commvault libraries.

Note

The Virtual Image files created during the DR process are in UDF format. You can use any software to burn the physical DVD media that supports UDF image format. The typical number of DVDs is between 5 to 7. The actual number depends on your system size.

After you restore the operating system and network, go to the CommCell Console and resume the suspended job.

Before You Begin

Verify and update the TCP/IP configuration.

Note

If the TCP/IP configuration changes, you must stop and restart the Commvault services.
Verify that the IASPs are configured correctly.
To restore to a new client, Adding an Additional IBM i Server.

Procedure

From the CommCell Browser, expand Clients.
Right-click IBM i LPAR, and then click 1-Touch Recovery Points.

The IBM i DR recovery Options dialog box appears.
Configure the 1-Touch settings.
1. From the Run workflow on list, select the client that the workflow runs on.
2. To change the number of retries before the job fails, in the Number of Retries before Failing box, type the new number.
  
  The software uses 3 as a default.
3. To change the time that the software waits to attempt a retry, in the Delay between retry attempt box, type the number of minutes that the software waits.
  
  The software uses 5 minutes as a default.
4. To change the timeout for the QSEC restore job, in the Timeout for QSEC Restore job box, type the new time
  
  The software uses 300 seconds as a default. This number depends on your system size and speed.
5. Click OK.
  
  The Client to restore dialog box appears.
From the Destination Client list, select the client.

You can select the same client or a new client.
Press Next.

The Source client dialog box appears.
From the Source client list, select the client where you performed the backup.
Press Next.

The Source BackupSet dialog box appears.
From the User Data BackupSet list, select the backup set that you want to restore.
Click Next.

The Select DR Backup Job to Recover dialog box appears.
Select the job:

The dialog box displays all the available DR jobs.
1. If there is more than one job, then from the Select DR Backup Job to Recover list, select the appropriate backup job.
2. The software restores the latest data by default, to change this option, clear the Restore Latest User Data check box.
3. Click Next.
  
  The Copy Precedence dialog box appears.
If you have multiple data copies and you want to restore from a copy, then in the Copy Precedence box, type the number for the copy that you want to restore.
Click Next.

The Restore Options dialog box appears.
Select the restore options.
1. To restore the private authority, select the Restore Private Authority (PVTAUT) check box.
2. To restore the spooled data file, select the Restore Spooled Data file check box.
3. To restore the logical files over the physical files that were created in the system, in the Identifier for Restore Deferred Objects box, type an alphanumeric string.
  
  This option restores the logic files over the physical files in case the files are not in the same library. For example, when you restore the data and the physical files and the logical files are in different libraries. IN order to restore the files, create an identifier, You can then restore by using that identifier. For example, if you use the "ABCD123" string as the identifier, you can restore the missing files at the end of the restore by using RSTDFROBJ. For more information, see the RSTLIB and DFRID options in the IBM manuals.
4. From the Force Object Conversion (FRCOBJCVN) list, select the object conversion.
  
  The default is *SYSVAL.
5. From the Allow Object Differences (ALLOWOBJDIF) list, select the how to allow object differences.
  
  The default is *NONE.
6. Click Next.
  
  The Output Log Options dialog box appears.
From the Output log destination list, select the log output option.

The default is *NONE. For more information, see IBM i File System Agent Advanced Backup - Log Output.
Click Next.

The DVD Image Restore Destination dialog box appears.
Specify the destination options:
1. From the Client to restore DVD list, select the client where the DVD images are restored.
  
  The client can be the Linux proxy host, the IHOST, or VIOS.
2. In the Destination path to store the DVD images box, type the full path for the directory where the DVD images are stored.
  
  Note
  
  The client must have enough disk space to hold the DVDs that the software creates as part of the recovery operation. If there is not enough disk space, then the job aborts and the DVDs are not valid.
3. Click Next.
  
  The Information dialog appears and displays your selections.
Click Begin Restore.

You can track the progress of the job from the Job Controller. For instructions on using the Job Controller, see Controlling Jobs.

What to Do Next

The software starts 2 jobs that you can view in the job controller.

The first job runs and creates the DVD images in the path on the client that you selected (Destination path to store the DVD images, Client to restore DVD).

The first job shows Complete and the second job shows as Suspended.

After the first job completes, perform the following operations:

Use the DVD image location in the destination path that you specified in the Select destination client dialog box, to prepare the DVD for a minimal Operating System Restore.

Follow the manufacturer steps to perform one of the following procedures that is based on your configuration:
- Create a DVD from the reinstall images
- ftp import, and then configure DVD images on your virtual I/O server, or ftp and then configure the DVD image catalog on the iHost
Restore the minimal Operating System for an IBM i File System Agent client.
Recovering System Data and Commvault Libraries from a DR Backup.
In the Job Controller, resume the second restore job that is in the Suspended state, For more information, see Controlling Jobs.

Note

If the suspended job failed, or you need to cancel the suspended job, then you can perform a full data restore operation. For more information, see Performing an IBM i File System Agent Full Data Restore Operation.