I am OpenVMS newbie, currently i have a dec3000-300x running on OpenVMS 7.1 OS in my department. I want to do system backup for that server. My idea is to backup the whole system to tape and restore the system from tape to other hard disks (dka200, dka300). In case of the current hard disks fail i can quickly replace those fail ones by good ones. Is my idea workable?
Your idea is workable, but there are easier solutions.
If you do have a spare disk that you want to be a complete copy of the original, you could simply do a BACKUP straight to it:
[code:1:07cb55aed3]$ MOUNT/FOREIGN DKA200:
$ BACKUP DKA0:/IMAGE/IGNORE=INTERLOCK DKA200:/INITIALIZE[/code:1:07cb55aed3]
This will make a complete backup of DKA0: onto DKA200:. This copy is then usable in its place if needed (although you'd want to change its SCSI ID to be the same as the disk its replacing since it's likely that the system startup scripts would expect that).
If you are licensed for volume shadowing, then you could simply set it up so that VMS maintains a mirrored disk set. You would have to update the startup scripts to reflect a new boot device name (DSA0, but then VMS would automatically maintain both drives giving you not only a real-time backup, but also fault tolerance.
malmberg August 04 2022 No more VAX hobbyist licenses. Community licenses for Alpha/IA64/X86_64 VMS Software Inc. Commercial VMS software licenses for VAX available from HPE.
ozboomer July 20 2022 Just re-visiting.. No more hobbyist licenses? Is that from vmssoftware.com, no 'community' licenses?
valdirfranco July 01 2022 No more hobbyist license...sad
mister_wavey February 12 2022 I recall that the disks failed on the public access VMS systems that included Fafner
parwezw January 03 2022 Anyone know what happened to FAFNER.DYNDS.ORG? I had a hobbyist account here but can longer access the site.
gtackett October 27 2021 Make that DECdfs _2.1A_ for Vax
gtackett October 27 2021 I'm looking for DECdfs V2.4A kit for VAX. Asking here just in case anyone is still listening.
MarkRLV September 17 2021 At one time, didn't this web site have a job board? I would love to use my legacy skills one last time in my career.
malmberg January 18 2021 New Hobbyist PAKs for VAX/VMS are no longer available according to reports. Only commercial licenses are reported to be for sale from HPE
dfilip January 16 2021 Can someone please point me to hobbyist license pak? I'm looking for VAX/VMS 7.1, DECnet Phase IV, and UCX/TCPIP ... have the 7.1 media, need the license paks ... thanks!
, but then VMS would automatically maintain both drives giving you not only a real-time backup, but also fault tolerance.
