Using DR Option to restore to a different server

[Kactus]

Hi,

I'm having trouble restoring data to a different server using the DR option.

1. I have created machine specific disks on my (source) server and performed a full backup.
2. I am now at a DR site and am trying to restore to another (target) server using the DR option.

The DR option starts but never seems to find the tape drive on my target server. It begins the process, asks for diskettes and things, then reboots but can't find the tape drive.

Tape drive not connected, you say? Not so as I performed a vanilla windows 2000 install, with arcserve and the DR option on the target and then successfully performed a full backup on this server - so the tape drive is definitely connected correctly.

I have since created machine specific disks for the target server.

What do I have to do to get this DR option to work? Can I cut and paste parts of the target machine specific disk to the source machine specific disk or vis-versa? And if so what parts?

Any other suggestions for getting around this problem are appreciated.

 

[vschumpy]

ARCserve version/patch level ? Tape drive/library make/model and how exactly is it connected to the server (make/model)

How exactly does the original server differ from the one you are trying to restore to now?

Was the original backup local or remote, and are you trying to restore locally or remotely?

What windows SP level was installed, and what Windows 2000 CD patch level was used to create the image or disks/is being used during recovery?

 

[Kactus]

Hi Vschumpy,

As far as the machines go, the source server is an ML 370 G1. The tape drive is a Compaq Storage Works SDLT 320.
The Target server is a proliant ML570 G3 with a Quantum SDLT 320.

Both tape drives are attached via SCSI cables and the backup and restore are being performed locally.

Can't tell you the patch levels, I'm afraid. I'm nowhere near the source server - I have grave concerns that a recovery utility that's been around for YEARS could be so fragile as to require specific patches to work.

Is there no way of simply editing the machine specific disk to get the process to continue?

Cheers,
Dave

 

[vschumpy]

Dave, the DR option is essentially intended to restore the server to the same server hardware, whilst going from a G1 to a G3 may not seem a big deal, DR as you are finding may well have problems handling it.

I would suggest that you try manually loading the appropriate SCSI driver for the G3 using F6 during the recovery, other than that you're pretty stuck as the DR option isn't intended or designed to recover to alternate hardware.

Some issues are fixed with loading SCSI drivers depending on the version and/or patch level you may be running - with the later versions having a majority of issues addressed, but the bottom line does not change, DR is not intended to recover to different hardware.

Certainly if you are using AS2000 or an earlier version you are likely to run into a lot more problems than more recent versions.

 

[Kactus]

Hi Vschumpy,

Okay, thanks for that. I think I'm going to give the DR option up as a bad joke. Explore some other options such as a Ghost image of the C: drive and use the backups for the data on D:.

Thanks for your help with this issue.

Cheers,
Dave