Hi,

Has anyone ever try the below mentioned scenario:

Steps:
1. Perfrom mksysb backup on source system (eg.S80)
2. Perfrom mksysb restore on target system (eg. Regatta)

Is installing the target system from scratch "cleaner"?

Thanks.

Yes, I've done this a few times. It isn't a problem as long as you have the AIX CD1 in as well as the mksysb tape - then any extra device drivers you need get pulled off the CD automatically. If your source system is on 5.2, you probably don't even need this as 5.2 installs all the drivers by default.

I did recently hit a problem where the source system was on 5.1ML5 and the CD was 5.1ML4 - it worked OK but kept on crashing after reboot until I booted off the CD and updated all the packages to ML5.

If you have a source system configured the way you want it, installing from a mksysb of that system is probably cleaner (and quicker) as you won't miss out all the configurations.

Remember that when the new system comes up, it will have the same IP address as the old system (unless you are using PSSP which sorts that out) so be careful.

Thanks for the comments.

Appreciate that.

The only danger may come from big differences between the original hardware and the final hardware, some devices (like special Ethernet adapters or hard disks) may be missing from the backup.
And, of course, HA/CMP in concurrent mode, hates restore from backup, you have to install the clvm part again.

Hi
As the other replies said. Restoring to another system is no problem.

But, you also asked if a new installation is cleaner, and the answer is YES. You may have advantages in using the mksysb method (maybe the users/application/WhatEver you want is already installed...) but a "New and Complete Overwrite" installation where you install ONLY what you need is "better" in my oppiniun.

I even do a new and complete if I have a server which I have done a upgrade on more than once before (if ex a server has been around on AIX 4.2 and 4.3.3, then i do not do another migration but save everything I need and make a new start.

But everyone has his/hers ways....

good luck //Sten

Worth noting that if you use PSSP and have SP attached servers then installing from a mksysb taken on another server is pretty much the only way to do a new install. You get your standard image, then roll it out across the environment.

Back on this topic of restoring from mksysb, just a quick question:

Will the jobs scheduled by my users using crontab command be activated when i restore the mksysb image in the new server?

Yes.

All rite man.....another one off the list!
Thanks iainr!