[OpenAFS] Homedir Backup Strategies

Frank Burkhardt fbo2@gmx.net
Wed, 14 Dec 2005 11:41:34 +0100


Hi,

On Tue, Dec 13, 2005 at 05:21:03PM -0800, lamont@scriptkiddie.org wrote:
> 
> Does it work to:
> 
> 1.  Have homedirs be forced-r/w mountpoints, use vos addsite / vos release for backups 
> and do 'vos convertROtoRW' as recovery?  I can't see why this one wouldn't work.
> 
> 2.  Do a 'vos copy' to another fileserver and then 'vos rename' the copy back to the 
> original name for a restore?  I'm concerned that the numeric ID of the volume would 
> change and that cache managers might wind up confused?
> 
> I'm trying to get fast on-line/near-line recovery in the event of a failed shelf or 
> otherwise corrupt fileserver, without going through 'vos restore' for every volume.  The 
> 'vos backup[sys]' command doesn't get me what I want because in the event of a shelf 
> failure the clone is gone as well.

What about this solution:

 1. Homedirs are RW-mountpoints (they always should be...), volumes are on fileserver
    f1.
 2. There's RO-copy of all homedir-volumes an a different fileserver (f2), updated
    on a regular basis (vos release).
 3. When f1 crashes, you do this:
    for v in [all homedir volumes]; do \
     vos convertROtoRW -server f2 -partition a -id $v; \
    done; \
    bos salvage -server f2
 4. Make sure f1 stays down!

There should be no change in volume ids but maybe other side effects that are
unavoidable in such a situation.
Example: ~/.Xauthority is not up-to-date -> users will have to relogin into
         their X-sessions.

Regards,

Frank