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  3. March 2020

Re: How to erase all data on a Power server so it can be transported safely

Hi Laurence

seems like if you had a replicating VTL at both ends you could save a lot
of the work.
Maybe you should revisit getting one of those on site and then moving it
later (if needed) as it seems that would get around a lot of your
encryption and travel restrictions.

Depending on what costs you come up with it might even pay for itself.

On Mon, Mar 9, 2020 at 6:23 PM Laurence Chiu <lchiu7@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:

I don't look at encrypting the tape backup but installing certificates etc
seem like a bridge too far in the time frame we have.

I'll go back to our support vendor and ask them if it's doable. We do have
a SKLM server in the data center where the power server is located so that
might be an option if the hardware supports it

On Mon, Mar 9, 2020, 5:45 PM Peter Dow <petercdow@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:

I was thinking more of the amount of time re-installing and restoring
everything. And transferring files over the network can be time
consuming too.

But if that's not a concern, then doing a double backup of non-sensitive
data, buying new disks, etc. seems doable.

I'd also like to note that after some quick googling, it appears that if
you're using BRMS for backup, you can encrypt it. Or if you have the
appropriate hardware, the hardware can do it. See
https://www.ibm.com/support/pages/methods-encrypt-saves-ibm-i



On 3/8/2020 9:33 PM, Laurence Chiu wrote:
I think I made that comment. The tapes are not encrypted so we have the
same issue. I proposed this solution
Take a full backup of the server (maybe two)
Delete all the application data and take another backup. The tape
should
not have no sensitive data on it
Ship the server without drives but with the tape.
At the other side buy 6 new disks (not that expensive given the size of
the
project), install them and then restore from the tape so the OS and
application are now back.
In the interim transfer the application database over the internal
network
so it's secure and restore to the server.

This method means we have 6 drives sitting in the first location but
once
Covid19 has died down, we can take them over in person to be used as
spares.
Does this sound like a reasonable option? No budget issues buying new
drives

On Mon, Mar 9, 2020 at 4:45 PM Peter Dow <petercdow@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:

Doesn't the travel ban apply to the tapes being transported in person?

I would think disks are no harder to transport in person than the
tapes.


On 3/8/2020 8:41 PM, Laurence Chiu wrote:
Sounds good and I'll recommend it.

Of course taking the drives on the plane would be easier but I'm
managing a
potential travel ban because of Covid 19.

And we can't ship the backup tapes because they're not encrypted. And
it
would take too long to set that up given the tight timeframe we're
working
to.

On Mon, Mar 9, 2020, 4:29 PM DrFranken <midrange@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
wrote:

FIrst I would recommend TWO tapes not just one. All the eggs in one
basket and such.

Second you would simply want to IPL from an IBM i install DVD. From
that
install the Licended Internal Code. That will format the load source
drive.
Once installed, in service tools you will need to END RAID. Once
that
completes then use work with disk units and under problem recovery
procedures initialize and format all the remaining drives.

Note that you will require 'several hours' to perform all these
steps.
Of course you'll need to 'un-do' these steps on the other end when
reloading.

Here is a 'dumb question'. Why do you not simply remove the drives,
pack them in a proper case, and carry them? STILL do the backups OF
COURSE but MAN you will save a lot of time and grief!!!


- Larry "DrFranken" Bolhuis

www.Frankeni.com
www.iDevCloud.com - Personal Development IBM i timeshare service.
www.iInTheCloud.com - Commercial IBM i Cloud Hosting.

On 3/8/2020 11:15 PM, Laurence Chiu wrote:
We want to move a Power Server from one location to another. The
data
on
server is Raid 6 is not encrypted. Our users have asked that the
drives
be
completely erased to protect the data being lost before shipping
and
then
restored at the other side using a tape that had been securely
transported
in person.

I have no idea how to do that since the drives are 15K SAS drives
and I
don't know how you could erase them via IBMi since you just can't
erase
that part of the Raid that contains the data can you? And if you
remove
them all to be erased you will have to find a PC that can access a
SAS
drive.

Unless I've missed something here.

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