SLES 11 SP2 Creating bootable image

I have a running SLES 11 SP2 physical server (Dell R series). I wish to create its image on a usb hard disk such that I can install its exact replica on another physical server. Is it possible? If yes, what is the best method to do so?

On 07/12/17 08:24, alokpandey wrote:
[color=blue]

I have a running SLES 11 SP2 physical server (Dell R series). I wish to
create its image on a usb hard disk such that I can install its exact
replica on another physical server. Is it possible? If yes, what is the
best method to do so?[/color]

Is the new physical server exactly the same make, model, hardware
specification, etc. as the running one?

Obviously the USB hard disk storage would need to be larger than the
running server’s disk(s) - this could come done to bytes as formatted
capacity will be less than advertised capacity. USB hard disk will also
need to be formatted with a file system that can take large files (I’m
guessing your hard disks are bigger than 2-4GB!).

I would boot the running server from a rescue disk then use dd to make
an image of the disk(s) saving them to the USB hard disk. Note image the
disk(s) not the individual partitions.

Use something like “dd if=/dev/sda of=/mnt/usb/disk1.img” where /dev/sda
is the disk to image and /mnt/usb is where USB hard disk is mounted.

You can then boot the new server from the same rescue disk then copy
image to hard disk with something like “dd if=/mnt/usb/disk1.img
of=/dev/sda”.

If it’s the same hardware, etc. it should then boot though the network
configuration will need adjusting to take account of different MAC
addresses.

If it’s not the same hardware then you may need additional and/or newer
drivers. Storage could be different so disk may not be /dev/sda.

HTH.

Simon
SUSE Knowledge Partner


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Use “dump” and “restore” to create file system images. “Dump” and “restore” are provided by modern, production stable file systems. For example XFS:

https://access.redhat.com/documentation/en-us/red_hat_enterprise_linux/7/html/storage_administration_guide/xfsbackuprestore

https://forums.suse.com/showthread.php?10294-about-partition&p=40594#post40594

Or even better, use a virtual machine (which is hardware independent):
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virtual_machine

[CODE]Boot from SLED Installation-DVD. Press button . Choose “More” => „Rescue System“
Login „root“

mkdir /usr/lib/microcode/root

mkdir /usr/lib/microcode/home

mkdir /usr/lib/microcode/backup

mount /dev/sda1 /usr/lib/microcode/root

umount /dev/sda1

mount /dev/sda5 /usr/lib/microcode/home

umount /dev/sda5

mount /dev/sdb1 /usr/lib/microcode/backup

umount /dev/sdb1

mount

df -h

xfs_repair /dev/sda1

xfs_repair /dev/sda5

xfs_repair /dev/sdb1

mount -r /dev/sda1 /usr/lib/microcode/root

mount -r /dev/sda5 /usr/lib/microcode/home

mount /dev/sdb1 /usr/lib/microcode/backup

mount

df -h

Full Backup

xfsdump -l 0 -f /usr/lib/microcode/backup/Linux/ /dev/sda1

xfsdump -l 0 -f /usr/lib/microcode/backup/Linux/ /dev/sda5

df -h

umount /dev/sdb1

umount /dev/sda1

umount /dev/sda5

mount

poweroff

Remarque: „-l“ => small “L” like „Level“.[/CODE]

[CODE]Complete restore
=> Preparation (boot SLED12 installation dvd ans so on)

mount /dev/sdb1 /usr/lib/microcode/backup

umount /dev/sdb1

mount

df -h

xfs_repair /dev/sdb1

mount -r /dev/sdb1 /usr/lib/microcode/backup

umount /dev/sda1

umount /dev/sda5

mkfs.xfs -m crc=1 -fL root /dev/sda1

mkfs.xfs -m crc=1 -fL home /dev/sda5

mount /dev/sda1 /usr/lib/microcode/root

umount /dev/sda1

mount /dev/sda5 /usr/lib/microcode/home

umount /dev/sda5

mount

df -h

xfs_repair /dev/sda1

xfs_repair /dev/sda5

mount /dev/sda1 /usr/lib/microcode/root

mount /dev/sda5 /usr/lib/microcode/home

xfsrestore -f /usr/lib/microcode/root

xfsrestore -f /usr/lib/microcode/home

df -h

ls -alh /usr/lib/microcode/root

ls -alh /usr/lib/microcode/home

For SSD only:

fstrim -v /usr/lib/microcode/root

fstrim -v /usr/lib/microcode/home[/CODE]

[CODE]Install Boot Manager
=> Preparation (boot SLED12 installation dvd ans so on)

mkdir /usr/lib/microcode/root

mount /dev/sda1 /usr/lib/microcode/root
umount /dev/sda1

mount
df -h

xfs_repair /dev/sda1

mount -o discard /dev/sda1 /usr/lib/microcode/root

mount --bind /dev /usr/lib/microcode/root/dev/

mount --bind /proc /usr/lib/microcode/root/proc/

mount

chroot /usr/lib/microcode/root

grub2-install /dev/sda

grub2-mkconfig -o /boot/grub2/grub.cfg

exit (Exit chroot environment)

umount /usr/lib/microcode/root/dev

umount /usr/lib/microcode/root/proc

umount /dev/sda1

mount

poweroff[/CODE]