Introduction:
The VMS command BACKUP is used to perform data transfers from disk todisk, disk to tape, or tape to disk. There is not an actual RESTORE command in VMS because the BACKUP command is used to restore or transfer data from tape to disk or disk to disk. Every system should have a Stand Alone Backup kit either on tape or on a disk.Every system should also have a current Image Backup(s) of all disk drives on the system. Some systems may have Data Backup(s) of their systems if the tape drive is not large enough to perform an Image Backup of all disk nightly or some systems will perform incremental backups of data e.g. every two hours.
Stand Alone Backup — a Stand Alone Backup kit contains programs that are necessary to boot your system with in case the VMS Operating system disk fails and you need to boot from a tape or from another disk. The kit can be built onto a tape or onto a disk using the following command:
$ @SYS$UPDATE:STABACKIT
It is recommended that you build this kit on a tape as well as on a secondary disk drive. Note: DO NOT build this kit on your VMS boot disk!
Image Backup(s) — Image backups should be performed of all of your disk drives once a day if your tape drive has the capacity to hold all the information on one tape. An Image Backup is a backup that contains a copy of your entire disk drive. For systems that cannot fit all data onto one tape, it is recommended that Image Backups be performed at least once a week for drives that contains data and at least once a month for the VMS system drive.
Syntax for a single Image Backup from one disk to tape:
$ BACKUP/REWIND/LOG/IMAGE/IGNORE=(LABEL,INTERLOCK) –
DiskDriveName: TapeDriveName:SaveSetName.Extension
Example (replace references to disk drive and tape drive names with your specific drive names):
$ BACKUP/REWIND/LOG/IMAGE/IGNORE=(LABEL,INTERLOCK) –
DKA100: MKA500:image.bck
$ DISMOUNT MKA500:
(Note: With VMS Version 5.0 or higher, the MOUNT will be performed automatically by the system so only the DISMOUNT is required)
Syntax for multiple Image Backups from multiple disks to tape:
$ BACKUP/REWIND/LOG/IMAGE/IGNORE=(LABEL,INTERLOCK) –
DiskDriveName1: TapeDriveName:SaveSetName1.Extension
$ BACKUP/NOREWIND/LOG/IMAGE/IGNORE=(LABEL,INTERLOCK) –
DiskDriveName2: TapeDriveName:SaveSetName2.Extension
Example:
$ BACKUP/REWIND/LOG/IMAGE/IGNORE=(LABEL,INTERLOCK) – DKA100: MKA500:image1.bck
$ BACKUP/NOREWIND/LOG/IMAGE/IGNORE=(LABEL,INTERLOCK) – DKA200: MKA500:image2.bck
$ DISMOUNT MKA500:
(Note: With VMS Version 5.0 or higher, the MOUNT will be performed automatically by the system so only the DISMOUNT is required)
Syntax for Image Backup from disk to disk:
$ BACKUP/LOG/IMAGE/IGNORE=INTERLOCK – DiskDriveName1: DiskDriveName2:
Example:
$ MOUNT/FOREIGN DKA200:
(Note: Disk Drives must be mounted FOREIGN to perform an IMAGE backup.)
$ BACKUP/LOG/IMAGE/IGNORE=INTERLOCK DKA100: DKA200:
$ DISMOUNT DKA200:
Note: To write save sets on a Files–11 disk, you must include the output save-set qualifier /SAVE_SET. The /SAVE_SET qualifier indicates to BACKUP that you want to create a save set, rather than a copy of the selected files, on the output volume. Disk-to-disk image backups (without using the /SAVE_SET qualifier) create a functionally equivalent copy of the entire disk.
Data Backup(s) — Data backups are usually performed on systems that have tape drives that are not large enough to hold the entire image of the disk drive. For Production only systems, the following set of data should be “backed up” on a daily basis:
$ BACKUP/REW/IGNORE=(LABEL,INTERL)/LOG COMMON_DATA: – MKA500:common.bck
$ BACKUP/NOREW/IGNORE=(LABEL,INTERL)/LOG PRDN_DATA: – MKA500:prdsys.bck
$ BACKUP/NOREW/IGNORE=(LABEL,INTERL)/LOG PRDN_ORD:[SET*]*.* – MKA500:orders.bck
For Business Systems, add the following command lines:
$ BACKUP/NOREW/IGNORE=(LABEL,INTERL)/LOG –
FILE_DISK:[COM_FILES…] MKA500:comfil.bck
$ BACKUP/NOREW/IGNORE=(LABEL,INTERL)/LOG CUS_BAC: – MKA500:cusbac.bck
$ BACKUP/NOREW/IGNORE=(LABEL,INTERL)/LOG CUS_LST: – MKA500:cuslst.bck
$ DISMOUNT MKA500:
———————————————————————————————– Optional: (use the following commands to include programs as well as data)
$ BACKUP/REW/IGNORE=(LABEL,INTERLOCK)/LOG –
DKA200:[LabName…] MKA500:data.bck
$ DISMOUNT MKA500:
Note: Replace DKA200 with the disk drives that contain your data and LabName with the exact directory name.
———————————————————————————————– Some systems can be set up to back up data incrementally e.g. every two hours to ensure an updated set of data. For real time data backup, you should use software or hardware shadowing.
Procedure for Restoring data or images from tape to disk:
In the event that you lose your VMS system disk, you must use the Stand Alone Backup tape or a Stand Alone Backup kit built on a disk to boot your system with to allow the use of the BACKUP command to restore information.
>>> BOOT MKA500: (Place the Stand Alone Backup tape into the tape drive and boot from the BOOT prompt, When system is booted, the “$” prompt will be available to allow the use of the BACKUP command.)
$ Restore the Image Backup of the first save set from the tape to the first disk drive
$ Restore the Image Backup of the second save set from the tape to the second disk drive
–Press the Halt button or F5 function key to obtain the BOOT prompt (“…”)
>>> BOOT DKA100: (Reboot system from the drive that contains the VMS Operating system)
$ Restore any data on top of the image backups
Note: during the restore process using the Stand Alone Backup, the MOUNT/DISMOUNT command will not work and is not needed.
Restore Example using the Stand Alone Backup Tape/Disk:
>>> BOOT MKA500:
$ BACKUP/REW/IGNORE=LABEL/LOG/IMAGE MKA500:image1.bck – DKA100:
$ BACKUP/NOREW/IGNORE=LABEL/LOG/IMAGE MKA500:image2.bck -DKA200:
Press the Halt Button (Square gray button on back of 3100 models) or F5 function key to obtain the Boot Prompt (“>>>”)
>>> BOOT DKA100:
$ BACKUP/REW/IGNORE=LABEL/LOG MKA500:common.bck DKA200:[000000…]
$ BACKUP/REW/IGNORE=LABEL/LOG MKA500:prdsys.bck DKA200:[000000…]
$ BACKUP/REW/IGNORE=LABEL/LOG MKA500:orders.bck DKA200:[000000…]
Disk and Tape drives capacities:
Use the following specifications to determine how much data can be “Backed up” at one time:
Disk Drives Capacities: RZ-23 100 megabytes RZ-24,RZ-24L 245 megabytes RZ-25,RZ-25L 535 megabytes RZ-26,RZ-26L 1.05 gigabytes RZ-28 2.00 gigabytes
Tape Drives Capacities: TZ30 95 megabytes, uses CompacTape I TK50 95 megabytes, uses CompacTape I TK70 296 megabytes, uses CompacTape II TLZ08 2.2 gigabytes, uses 8mm Helical Scan Tapes TZ85 2.6 gigabytes, uses CompacTape III TLZ06 4.0 gigabytes, uses 4mm Digital Audio Tape (DAT) TLZ07 8.0 gigabytes, uses 4mm Digital Audio Tape (DAT) TZ86 6.0 gigabytes, uses CompacTape III TZ87 20.0 gigabytes, uses CompacTape III
To find out what type of drives you have installed in your system, type:
$ SHOW DEVICE D
Device Device Error Volume Free Trans Mnt
Name Status Count Label Blocks Count Cnt
DKA100: Mounted 0 VMS 471564 215 1
DKA200: Data 0 PRDNCTRL 1237773 1 1
$ SHOW DEVICE DKA100:/FULL or DKA200:/FULL
$ SHOW DEVICE M
Device Device Error Volume Free Trans Mnt
Name Status Count Label Blocks Count Cnt
MKA500: Online 0
$ SHOW DEVICE MKA500:/FULL
Note: Third Party hardware may not show the drive type when the SHOW DEVICE/FULL command is used.