Re: Using SAVSTG to get a quick system backup

Richard Schoen wrote:

Anybody using this method for backing up and
restoring systems ?

We were going to do a SAVSTG along with a regular
system save before wiping a machine we're going to
use for new OS testing.
Any thoughts or gotchas ?

To enable going back to the original system image, in the lab we would always make *two* save storage requests. One was performed immediately before the upgrade [performance or other] testing, and one was performed with the full system save which was usually done the night before. Two save storage were always taken because in the event of any media errors, the entire SAVSTG would be worthless; i.e. the saved data will not restore because the feature is an "all or nothing" feature, since the save request creates a full binary image of the disks from which no partial restore is supported [at least not without random and potentially vast amounts of object & data damage]. Thus the full system save is only taken as a secondary fall-back; hoping not to use. Having a functional restore from a save storage versus possibly having to restore from the full save is worth the little extra work of the second request; i.e. to have an identical image restored versus the result of a DR restore was ideal, regardless how valuable a DR test might be, that was not what was being tested when using save storage media.

Regards, Chuck