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ACRONIS TRUE IMAGE 9.1 - FOR LINUX User Manual

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User's Guide
Acronis
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True Image 9.1
Server for Linux

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  • Page 1 User’s Guide Acronis ® True Image 9.1 Server for Linux...
  • Page 2 Acronis True Image Server for Linux. All rights reserved. Linux is a registered trademark of Linus Torvalds. UNIX is a registered trademark of The Open Group. Windows and MS-DOS are registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation. All other trademarks and copyrights referred to are the property of their respective owners.
  • Page 3 G. Making telecommunication data transmission of the software. Acronis has the right to terminate this license if there is a violation of its terms or default by the original purchaser. Upon termination for any reason, all copies of the software must be immediately returned to Acronis, and the original purchaser shall be liable to Acronis for any and all damages suffered as a result of the violation or default.

  • Page 4: Table Of Contents

    UNNING CRONIS MAGE ERVER FOR INUX ............................11 EMOVING THE PROGRAM CHAPTER 3. GENERAL INFORMATION AND PROPRIETARY ACRONIS TECHNOLOGIES....12 ..............12 HE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN FILE ARCHIVES AND DISK PARTITION IMAGES ..................... 12 INCREMENTAL AND DIFFERENTIAL BACKUPS ............................. 13 CRONIS ECURE ........................
  • Page 5 Setting up one-time execution ......................54 ..........................54 ANAGING SCHEDULED TASKS CHAPTER 8. MANAGING ACRONIS SECURE ZONE ................ 55 ..........................55 REATING CRONIS ECURE 8.1.1 Activating and deactivating Acronis Startup Recovery Manager............ 57 ..........................57 ESIZING CRONIS ECURE ..........................58 ELETING CRONIS ECURE CHAPTER 9.
  • Page 6 Old and new disk partition layouts....................85 CHAPTER 14. ADDING A NEW HARD DISK ..................86 14.1 ............................86 ELECTING A HARD DISK 14.2 ..........................86 REATING A NEW PARTITION 14.3 .............................. 87 ISK ADDING SCRIPT Copyright © Acronis, Inc., 2000-2007...

  • Page 7: Chapter 1. Introduction

    Minimizes downtime Acronis True Image Server for Linux enables you to restore systems in minutes, not hours or days. An entire system can be restored from an image that includes everything the system needs to run: the operating system, applications, databases, and configurations. No reinstallation or reconfiguration is required.

  • Page 8: Features Of Acronis True Image Server For Linux

    Disk cloning and new disk deployment Acronis True Image Server for Linux can be used to clone an image onto multiple servers. For example, a company purchased several servers and needs similar environments on each of them.

  • Page 9: Technical Support

    Context Help Technical support Users of legally purchased copies of Acronis True Image Server for Linux are entitled to free technical support from Acronis. If you experience problems installing or using Acronis products that you can’t solve yourself by using this guide, then please contact Acronis Technical Support.

  • Page 10: Chapter 2. Installation And Operation

    If the setup could not compile the necessary module for your Linux distribution, please refer to the file HOWTO.INSTALL: /usr/lib/Acronis/TrueImageServer/HOWTO.INSTALL You can choose to install, besides Acronis True Image Server for Linux, Rescue Media Builder tool. With Rescue Media Builder you can create bootable rescue disks or their ISO images (see...

  • Page 11: Running Acronis True Image Server For Linux

    • To run the program under the X Window System interface, use the trueimage command or select Acronis True Image Server for Linux from the system tools menu. • To work in the console mode, use trueimagecmd and trueimagemnt tools, described Chapter 11 .

  • Page 12: Chapter 3. General Information And Proprietary Acronis Technologies

    Acronis True Image Server for Linux stores only those hard disk sectors that contain data (for supported file systems). This reduces image size and speeds up image creation and restoration from an image.

  • Page 13: Acronis Secure Zone

    Acronis Secure Zone is necessary for using Acronis Startup Recovery Manager (see below). Acronis Secure Zone helps the user to get rid of outdated backups. If there is not enough space for the new archive, older archives will be deleted to create space.

  • Page 14: Acronis Startup Recovery Manager

    In some situations (e.g. if the operating system fails to boot, or when cloning a mounted disk), you might have to work with Acronis True Image Server for Linux without loading the OS. In those cases, you can use the Acronis rescue CD. It is highly recommended that you Chapter 10 Creating bootable media create it as described in Copyright ©...

  • Page 15: Working From A Remote Terminal

    (/dev/md0, ... /dev/md31), information of which is stored in /etc/raidtab or in dedicated areas of that partitions. Acronis True Image Server for Linux enables you to create images of active (mounted) software arrays similar to typical hard disk images.
  • Page 16 The following is an example of a list of drives obtained with the --list command (GUI wizards display a similar table). The system has three physical disks (1, 2, 3). Two dynamic volumes 4-1 and 4-2 are arranged across partitions 1-2 and 2-1. Hard drive 3 includes Acronis Secure Zone which is not normally imaged.

  • Page 17: Backing Up To Tape Drive

    General information and proprietary Acronis technologies Backing up to tape drive Acronis True Image Server for Linux supports SCSI tape drives. It can store backups on the tape and restore data from the tape, store large backups to multiple tapes, and append incremental/differential changes to a tape with the existing archives.

  • Page 18: Chapter 4. Main Program Interface Under X Window System

    Chapter 4. Main program interface under X Window System Acronis True Image Server for Linux features a user-friendly interface under X Window System. The main program window contains the menu, the toolbar, the Active Tasks pane and the main area. The main area contains operation icons.

  • Page 19: Status Bar

    Status bar At the bottom of the main window, there is a status bar, indicating Acronis True Image Server for Linux operation progress and results. If you double-click on the operation results, you will see the logs window.
  • Page 20 Disk information includes its physical parameters (connection, type, capacity, etc.). Partition information includes both physical (sectors, location on disk, etc.) and logical parameters (file system, free space, etc.). You can resize columns by dragging their borders with a mouse. Copyright © Acronis, Inc., 2000-2007...

  • Page 21: Chapter 5. Creating Backup Archives Under X Window System

    (see details in 3.1 The difference between file archives and disk/partition images This chapter describes creating backup archives using Acronis True Image Server for Linux Chapter 11 Cron GUI under X Window System.
  • Page 22 If you are going to create a differential backup, select the full backup which will be a base, or any of existing differential archives. Either way, the program will create a new differential archive file. Copyright © Acronis, Inc., 2000-2007...
  • Page 23 Data saved to a network disk, ftp-server or removable media will survive even if all your local hard disks are down. In addition to NFS, Acronis True Image Server for Linux supports the SMBFS network file system.
  • Page 24 If you prepare some more backup operations, they will be queued after the current one. Copyright © Acronis, Inc., 2000-2007...

  • Page 25: Backing Up Disks And Partitions (Image Backup)

    1. Invoke the Create Backup Wizard by clicking on the backup operation icon in the main program window. 2. Click Next. 3. Select Backup disks and click Next. 4. Select disks or partitions to back up. You can select a random set of disks and partitions. Copyright © Acronis, Inc., 2000-2007...
  • Page 26 If you are going to create a differential backup, select the full backup which will be a base, or any of existing differential archives. Either way, the program will create a new differential archive file. Copyright © Acronis, Inc., 2000-2007...
  • Page 27 Data saved to a network disk, ftp-server or removable media will survive even if all your local hard disks are down. In addition to NFS, Acronis True Image Server for Linux supports the SMBFS network file system.
  • Page 28 You can also close the progress window by clicking Hide. The backup creation will continue, but you will be able to start another operation or close the main program window. In the latter case, the program will continue working in the background and will automatically close Copyright © Acronis, Inc., 2000-2007...

  • Page 29: Setting Backup Options

    If you try to restore data from a password-protected archive, or append an incremental/differential backup to such an archive, Acronis True Image Server for Linux will ask for the password in a special window, allowing access only to authorized users.

  • Page 30: Pre/Post Commands

    Therefore, the database idle time will be minimal. Unchecking the Do not perform operations until the commands execution is complete box, checked by default, will permit the backup process to run concurrently with your commands execution. Copyright © Acronis, Inc., 2000-2007...

  • Page 31: Compression Level

    You can limit the hard disk usage by Acronis True Image Server for Linux to a desired level. To set the desired HDD writing speed for data being backed up, drag the slider or enter the writing speed in kilobytes per second.

  • Page 32: Fast Incremental/Differential Backup

    If you frequently backup data to network drives, think of limiting the network usage used by Acronis True Image Server for Linux. To set the desired data transfer speed, drag the slider or enter the bandwidth limit for transferring backup data in kilobytes per second.

  • Page 33: Media Components

    Image Server for Linux to the rescue disk. Then you will be able to configure the restore task using Restore Data Wizard. Under Advanced tab you can select full, safe or both Acronis True Image Server for Linux loader version. The safe version does not have USB, PC card or SCSI drivers and is useful only in case the full version does not load.
  • Page 34 A full backup, when created on a tape drive, overwrites all data stored on the tape (see Backing up to tape drive for more information). In this situation, Acronis True Image Server for Linux will warn that you are about to lose data on the tape. To disable this warning, check the middle box.

  • Page 35: Chapter 6. Restoring The Backup Data Under X Window System

    Restoring the backup data under X Window System Chapter 6. Restoring the backup data under X Window System This chapter describes data recovery using Acronis True Image Server for Linux GUI under X Chapter 11 Window System. See for using console.
  • Page 36 Restoring the backup data under X Window System 3. Select the archive. If the archive is located in Acronis Secure Zone, select it to choose the archive on the next step. If the archive is located on removable media, e.g. CD, first insert the last CD and then insert disks in reverse order when Restore Data Wizard prompts.
  • Page 37 If the latter is the case, the settings will be applied only to the current restore task. Alternatively, you can edit the default options from the current screen. Then your 6.5 Setting restore options settings will be saved as default. See for more information. Copyright © Acronis, Inc., 2000-2007...
  • Page 38 15. The next selection allows you to keep useful data changes, made since the selected backup. Choose what to do if the program finds in the target folder a file with the same name as in the archive. Copyright © Acronis, Inc., 2000-2007...
  • Page 39 16. At the final step, the restoration summary is displayed. Up to this point, you can click Back to make changes in the created task. Clicking Proceed will launch the task execution. Copyright © Acronis, Inc., 2000-2007...

  • Page 40: Restoring Disks/Partitions Or Files From Images

    6.3.2 Archive selection 1. Select the archive. If the archive is located in Acronis Secure Zone, select it to choose the archive at the next step. If the archive is located on removable media, e.g. CD, first insert the last CD and then insert disks in reverse order when Restore Data Wizard prompts.

  • Page 41: Restoration Type Selection

    2. Click Next. 3. If you are to restore data from an archive, containing incremental backups, Acronis True Image Server for Linux will suggest that you select one of successive incremental backups by date/time of its creation. Thus, you can return the disk/partition to a certain moment.

  • Page 42: Selecting A Target Disk/Partition

    1. Select a target disk or partition where you want to restore the selected image. You can restore data to their initial location, to another disk/partition or to an unallocated space. The target partition should be at least the same size as the uncompressed image data. Copyright © Acronis, Inc., 2000-2007...

  • Page 43: Changing The Restored Partition Type

    1. Though seldom required, you can change the partition file system during its restoration. Acronis True Image Server for Linux can make the following file system conversions: FAT 16 -> FAT 32, Ext2 -> Ext3. For partitions with other native file systems this option is not available.

  • Page 44: Changing The Restored Partition Size And Location

    These changes might be useful if you are to copy your hard disk to a new high-capacity one by creating its image and restoring it to a new disk with larger partitions. Copyright © Acronis, Inc., 2000-2007...

  • Page 45: Restoring Several Partitions At Once

    Back to make changes in the created task. If you click Cancel, no changes will be made to disk(s). Clicking Proceed will launch the task execution. 2. The task will appear on the Active tasks pane of the main window. The task progress will be shown in the special window. Copyright © Acronis, Inc., 2000-2007...

  • Page 46: Restoring Data With A Rescue Cd

    #/sbin/grub-install /device_name (/device_name is hd: hda, hdal, hda2, sdal, sda2 etc) Restoring data with a rescue CD To restore data from an archive, using a rescue CD of Acronis True Image Server for Linux, Chapter 10 Creating bootable media you initially have to create such disk as described in Insert the rescue CD and reboot (you might have to enable the CD bootup option in BIOS).

  • Page 47: Setting Restore Options

    Restoring the backup data under X Window System Selecting an archive when booted from a rescue CD In rescue mode Acronis True Image Server for Linux cannot access LVM disks. This means that an LVM volume image can be deployed on a MBR disk only.

  • Page 48: Files To Restore Exclusion

    You can specify commands or batch files to be automatically executed before and after the restore procedure. Click Edit to open the Edit Command window where you can easily input the command, its arguments and working directory or browse folders to find a batch file. Copyright © Acronis, Inc., 2000-2007...

  • Page 49: Restoration Priority

    Verification of the file system is available only when restoring disk/partitions under Linux (i.e. not in standalone Acronis True Image Server for Linux version, booted from the rescue CD) and only for Ext2, Ext3, Reiser4, ReiserFS, Linux Swap, XFS and JFS file systems.

  • Page 50: Chapter 7. Scheduling Tasks

    Chapter 7. Scheduling tasks Acronis True Image Server for Linux allows you to schedule periodic backup tasks. Doing so will give you peace of mind, knowing that your data are safe. You can create more than one independently scheduled task. For example, you can back up your current project daily and back up the application disk once a week.
  • Page 51 8. Next you will have to specify the name of the user who owns the executed task; otherwise no scheduled execution will be available. In the upper field, enter a user name. Enter a password twice in two fields below. Copyright © Acronis, Inc., 2000-2007...

  • Page 52: Setting Up Daily Execution

    If you select the weekly execution, set the Start time, specify the task execution periodicity in the Every x weeks box (every week, every two weeks, etc.) and check days on which to execute the task. Copyright © Acronis, Inc., 2000-2007...

  • Page 53: Setting Up Monthly Execution

    If you select the monthly execution, set the Start time and days on which to execute the task: • Day – on the specified date • The <specify a day> – on the specified day (e.g. on second Tuesday or fourth Friday); select this from the drop-down lists. Copyright © Acronis, Inc., 2000-2007...

  • Page 54: Setting Up One-Time Execution

    To delete a task with confirmation, select it and click Delete the Selected Task on the Active tasks toolbar. To rename a task, select it, click Rename the Selected Task on the Active tasks toolbar, enter the new task name and press Enter. Copyright © Acronis, Inc., 2000-2007...

  • Page 55: Chapter 8. Managing Acronis Secure Zone

    1. Before creating the Acronis Secure Zone, you can estimate its size. To do this, start backup and select all data you are going to backup into the Acronis Secure Zone. At the Set Backup Options step choose Set the options manually, then set compression level. You will see the estimated full backup size.
  • Page 56 Managing Acronis Secure Zone 5. After this, you will be prompted to activate Acronis Recovery Manager, to be able to start Acronis True Image Server for Linux at boot time by pressing F11 key. Alternatively, you can activate this feature later from main program window.

  • Page 57: Activating And Deactivating Acronis Startup Recovery Manager

    The opposite situation might arise if either partition lacks free space. 3. Select partitions from which free space will be used to increase Acronis Secure Zone or that will receive free space after the zone is reduced.

  • Page 58: Deleting Acronis Secure Zone

    5. Next you will see a list of briefly described operations to be performed on partitions (disks). After you click Proceed, Acronis True Image Server for Linux will start resizing the zone. Progress will be reflected in the special window. If necessary, you can stop the procedure by clicking Cancel.

  • Page 59: Chapter 9. Mounting Partition Images

    Restore Data Wizard (see , steps 1-9). The current version of Acronis True Image Server for Linux can mount an image archive only if all its volumes reside in the same directory. If your archive spans several CD-R/RW discs and you wish to mount the image, you should copy all volumes to a hard disk drive or network drive.
  • Page 60 Mounting partition images 5. If you are to mount an incremental image, Acronis True Image Server for Linux will suggest that you select one of successive incremental archives by date/time of its creation. Thus, you can explore the partition state to a certain moment.

  • Page 61: Unmounting An Image

    If you do not, the virtual disk will disappear after your server is turned off. To unmount an image, click Unmount Image and select the folder to unmount. Copyright © Acronis, Inc., 2000-2007...

  • Page 62: Chapter 10. Creating Bootable Media

    Chapter 10. Creating bootable media You can run Acronis True Image Server for Linux on a bare metal or on a crashed computer that cannot boot. You can even back up disks on a non-Linux computer, copying all its data sector-by-sector into the backup archive.
  • Page 63 When using 3.5” diskettes, you will be able to write on a diskette (or a set of the diskettes) only one component at a time (for example, Acronis True Image Server for Linux full version). To write another component, start Bootable Media Builder once again.

  • Page 64: Chapter 11. Console Mode

    Console mode Chapter 11. Console mode Console is a natural part of Linux OS. Acronis True Image Server for Linux supports it through the trueimagecmd command line tool. It provides a way to initiate data backup cron’ and recovery operations. Trueimagecmd also enables you to automate backup with ‘...

  • Page 65: Common Options (Options Common For Most Trueimagecmd Commands)

    Common options (options common for most trueimagecmd commands) Option Description Archive location Access to archives Archive name Other than ASZ filename:[filename]* Specify the password for the archive (if Other than ASZ password:[password] required) Specify the password for the ASZ (if required) Copyright © Acronis, Inc., 2000-2007...
  • Page 66 * To access a NFS network drive, specify the image file name as follows: nfs://hostname/share name:/remote filename For example: trueimagecmd --list --filename:nfs://dhcp6- 223.acronis.com/sdb3/nfs_root:/mike/md1.tib shows contents /mike/md1.tib archive. /mike/md1.tib located dhcp6- 223.acronis.com node in /sdb3/nfs_root directory exported by NFS. Copyright © Acronis, Inc., 2000-2007...

  • Page 67: Specific Options (Options Specific For Individual Trueimagecmd Commands)

    Hostname may be specified with username and password as: username:password@hostname For example: trueimagecmd --list --filename:smb://dhcp6- 223.acronis.com/sdb3/mike/md1.tib shows contents of /mike/md1.tib archive. /mike/md1.tib is located on dhcp6- 223.acronis.com node in /sdb3 directory exported by Samba. 11.1.3 Specific options (options specific for individual trueimagecmd commands) Option Description create Specifies numbers of the hard disks to be imaged (comma separated).
  • Page 68 Choose what to do if the program finds always] in the target folder a file with the same name as in the archive: older – this will give the priority to the most recent file modification, Copyright © Acronis, Inc., 2000-2007...
  • Page 69 Zone. number] Sets the Acronis Secure Zone size (in sectors). If not specified, is set as size:[ASZ size in sectors] an average between the maximal (using unallocated space and free space on all the listed partitions) and minimal values.

  • Page 70: Trueimagecmd Usage Examples

    • This will create an incremental image of the partition above: trueimagecmd --partition:1-1 --filename:backup.tib \ --create --incremental • This will create an image of partition 1-1 in the Acronis Secure Zone: trueimagecmd --partition:1-1 --asz --create • This will restore a partition from backup.tib: trueimagecmd --partition:1-1 --filename:backup.tib \...

  • Page 71: Restoring Files With Trueimagemnt

    Acronis True Image archives as if they were kernel space block devices. The program implements the user level part of the Acronis True Image Server for Linux user mode block device service. The large part of functionality is handled by the snumbd kernel module.
  • Page 72 A test command. Mounts a file, specified in -f|--filename option, containing valid Linux filesystem, as if it is Acronis True Image archive. The command may be used, for example, to estimate an image compression level, by comparing the time, necessary for copying a file from the image, with the time for copying the mounted (non-compressed) file.

  • Page 73: Trueimagemnt Usage Examples

    --list • This will mount the archive backup.tib of partition with index 2, to /mnt/backup: trueimagemnt --mount /mnt/backup --filename backup.tib --index 2 • This will unmount a partition mounted at /mnt/backup: trueimagemnt --umount /mnt/backup Copyright © Acronis, Inc., 2000-2007...

  • Page 74: Chapter 12. Other Operations

    Tools group or click Validate Backup Archive on the toolbar. 2. Click Next. 3. Select the archive to validate. The Acronis Secure Zone can be selected only as a whole because all its contents is considered as a single archive. 4. Click Next.

  • Page 75: Email Notification

    - when the operation failed (check Add full log to the notification to add the full operation log to the message) - during the operation when user interaction is required. 12.2.2 WinPopup notification To set up WinPopup notification, select Tools -> Options -> Notifications -> WinPopup: Copyright © Acronis, Inc., 2000-2007...

  • Page 76: Viewing Logs

    12.3 Viewing logs Acronis True Image Server for Linux allows users to view its working logs. They can provide information about scheduled backup results, including reasons for failure, if any. To invoke the log window, select Show log on the toolbar or from the Tools menu.
  • Page 77 To sort messages by a particular parameter, click its header (click again to reverse order) or the Arrange Icons by button (the second from the right) and select the desired parameter. You can also change column width by dragging the borders with a mouse. Copyright © Acronis, Inc., 2000-2007...

  • Page 78: Chapter 13. Transferring The System To A New Disk

    Everything else, including the installed operating systems, data and disk labels, will remain the same. Note that you can not clone, add or replace mounted disks, so you will have to run Acronis True Image Chapter 10 Creating Server for Linux from a rescue CD in such cases. How to create a rescue CD see in bootable media.

  • Page 79: Security

    13.3.2 Selecting the source disk If the program finds several partitioned disks, it will ask you what is the source (i.e. the older data disk). Copyright © Acronis, Inc., 2000-2007...

  • Page 80: Selecting The Destination Disk

    After you select the source disk, you have to select the destination to clone to. The previously selected source becomes grayed-out and disabled for selection. If either disk is unpartitioned, the program will automatically recognize it as destination and bypass this step. Copyright © Acronis, Inc., 2000-2007...

  • Page 81: Partitioned Destination Disk

    Along with the disk number some additional information is provided: capacity, label, partition and file system information. Partition types — primary, logical — and unallocated space are marked with different colors. Next you will see the cloning script. Copyright © Acronis, Inc., 2000-2007...

  • Page 82: Old Disk Data

    If you decided to destroy the old disk data on the previous step, you will have to select the destruction method now: • Quick — one-pass destruction (takes several minutes) • Normal — guaranteed multipass destruction (takes additional time) Copyright © Acronis, Inc., 2000-2007...

  • Page 83: Selecting Partition Transfer Method

    The first method is less secure but is still suitable for most cases. 13.3.8 Selecting partition transfer method Acronis True Image Server for Linux will offer you the following data transfer methods: • As is • Proportional — the new disk space will be proportionally distributed among cloned partitions •...

  • Page 84: Partitioning The Old Disk

    In some cases, some partitions may still be transferred "as is" or be enlarged to the lesser extent compared to the other. "As is," Acronis True Image Server for Linux transfers unsupported and damaged file systems. Note that FAT16 partitions have a 2 GB maximum size limit.

  • Page 85: Cloning With Manual Partitioning

    Transferring the system to a new disk After you click Proceed, Acronis True Image Server for Linux will start cloning, indicating the progress in the special window. You can stop this procedure by clicking Cancel. In this case, you will have to re-partition and format the new disk or repeat the cloning procedure.

  • Page 86: Chapter 14. Adding A New Hard Disk

    To add a new disk, you must first install it on your server. Note that disk cloning and disk addition operations are not available for mounted disks. In such cases, you will need to run Acronis True Image Server for Linux from a rescue CD. 14.1 Selecting a hard disk Select the disk you've added to the server.

  • Page 87: Disk Adding Script

    Add New Disk script After you click Proceed, Acronis True Image Server for Linux will start creating and formatting new partitions, indicating the progress in the special window. You can stop this procedure by clicking Cancel. In that case, you will have to re-partition and format the new disk or repeat the disk add procedure.

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