Can I backup a Raw Device - Application Data

[gonko]

Hello,

I have created a number of RAW partitions on our Solaris 7 box using ln etc. These have been working fine. A disk has gone and has been replaced which held the raw data. They say that they cannot use the appliaction now . Is this correct? or is it an informix problem ?.
Should I have backed up the RAW data , if so how?

Regards

 

[daFranze]

Informix or Oracle or any other application using raw partitions create a structure on the partition, similar to a filesystem; if you replace a disk the structure is gone... If you want to use the disk/partition with your application again you just need to initialize it.

backup: you can run dd

# dd if=/dev/rdsk/c0t0d0s7 of=[i]/my/backup/dir/is/here/Informix/s7[/i]

Best Regards, Franz
--
Solaris System Manager from Munich, Germany
I used to work for Sun Microsystems Support (EMEA) for 5 years

 

[gonko]

Sorry, how do you initialise it? I think I have doen all I can...

Regards

 

[daFranze]

good question! ;-) ask the Informix admin how to do this, I\m just a Solaris expert...

Best Regards, Franz
--
Solaris System Manager from Munich, Germany
I used to work for Sun Microsystems Support (EMEA) for 5 years

 

[gonko]

Hello, what about the data that was on the broken disk?. Even though it was RAW data and we didn't back it up...it's gone?

 

[daFranze]

what do you mean by "broken disk"? can you acces the HDD? As long as you can do it you can backup/copy it...
Are you talking about a mirrored device? Or was it a striped volume? I need more info to tell you more what defect you have on this host...

Best Regards, Franz
--
Solaris System Manager from Munich, Germany
I used to work for Sun Microsystems Support (EMEA) for 5 years

 

[gonko]

Franz, format and iostat could not see the disk. This disk had about 5 raw partitions on it. We had it replaced and we could see it in format and iostat. Obviosuly there was Raw data on it but with the disk change this has obviously gone. It was not mirrored or anything.

Regards

 

[iribach]

format and iostat could not see the disk
you have probls, check the hw connections (cables)
last chance: probe-scsi[-all]

 

[gonko]

The old disk could not been seen.
It has been replaced and the new one is fine..

 

[daFranze]

if you need the data in the broken disk: there are companies which can rescue data, but they are very expensive...

if format and iostat connot see the disk the devicedriver cannot access it (many possible errors: disk is not responding, is to slow to respond or data is incorrect)

Best Regards, Franz
--
Solaris System Manager from Munich, Germany
I used to work for Sun Microsystems Support (EMEA) for 5 years