Re: backing up logical logs to disk on Online, Ver. 5

We are running several HP9000/800 using disk backup logical logs. We have two scripts (stoplog.sh and startlog.sh) that we use to start and stop the backup logging process. We have 50 1MB log files configured for each system, and it takes approx. 20 - 40 minutes for each archive. When startlog.sh is executed, it modifes the 'LTAPEDEV' to be the new file name we wish to use. We use the format (pathname)/`hostname`/llog.`date +%y%m%d.%H%M%S` to uniquely stamp each file. This helps us in recovery processes, as we know the time each log file was created. During the archive process, backup logical logging is stopped. After the archive has completed, we move the llog* files to a backup directory and restart logging. We then use fbackup and nfs mounts to copy all the logs from the backup directories on all the HP's to one tape. Then the backup logs are removed. This has worked fine for several months. We have excercised recovery on our test systems, and we have not had any problems (yet). In article <4hl4c6$33j@news.iastate.edu>, gomsb@iastate.edu says... > >The Online Ver. 5 Admin Guide indicates that logical logs can only be backed >up to tape and that continuous backups of the logs requires an attached >console. > > 1) tapes are slow and in this day of large 2 Gb and 4Gb disks, dynamic > backup to tape only seems very restrictive > 2) we do not have a monitor and keyboard on our server(s) (40-50 of them; > we use a remote console access to logon to the servers) > > Is there any utility other than tbtape for backing up (and restoring) > logical logs? > Would tbtape work pointed at a raw disk device? (I doubt it since the > program appears to close, rewind and open the device--would disk > devices take such commands?) > Is there any other way to backup logical logs--direct to tape is not > possible for us? > Is the only alternative to use (max) 60 log files and hope (:-)) they > don't all fill between system backups (= Informix archives?)? > > We are required by client software to use Online, ver. 5. I would hope > that Informix has advanced somewhat with later versions. > >We are planning on several Gbytes of data, some of it fairly active, so >we would anticipate the logs to fill quite quickly. > >Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. > >Thanks kindly. > >Marvin Beck Iowa State University gomsb@iastate.edu