Originally posted by: SystemAdmin

Hi - now we're going into production I had planned to setup a backup scheme for our HMC.

However, the backup file seems to be HUGE - it won't fit onto a DVD-RAM, and my 6.5GB NFS also doesn't seem to be big enough, so I have no idea how big it wants to go!

Our last backup came out at 2.5GB, when it was managing 7 Power6 boxes (each with 1 LPAR). It's now managing 15 Power6 boxes, still with only 1 LPAR each. Would you expect the backup to be this large? Is there something I can do to clean up the HMC and shrink it's backup down?

Cheers,
Nath

Originally posted by: dukessd

Checkout the following commands: lshmcfs, monhmc, chhmcfs, to see what is going on and clean up some old files.

More info:
http://www-01.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=isg3T1010852
http://www-01.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=isg3T1011000

If it is still over the size of a DVD call IBM for advice and root access and they will help you clean up some more.

Originally posted by: esv

I believe the custom information in the HMC, such as users, passwords & their home dirs, managed servers information, network attributes, firewall attributes, DNS, NTPD and time zone should fit in a mini laser disk. With that information and the recovery DVDs, we should be able to rebuild them with no problem.

I don't understand why a HMC critical information backup must be in the GB range.

best regards,
esv.

Originally posted by: SystemAdmin

thanks for the info, it's very useful.

However, unfortunately the backup is still too big, even after clearing out the temporary files. I've spoken to System P support and apparently the backup is working as it should, but the increased backup size is an artifact of the number of service packs on there.

Unfortunately, we also don't have any space left in that volume group, so I'm a bit at a loss!