True Image Server Linux - RAID problem

Linux server with hardware RAID controller with 2x250gb drives in a mirror config. Total disk usage is no more than 5.5gb. Latest version of True Image (3625).
Output of trueimagecmd list:
trueimagecmd --list
Num Partition Flags Start Size Type
---- -------------------- ----------- ---------- ---------- -----------
Disk 1:
1-1 sda1 (/boot) Pri,Act 63 208782 Ext3
1-2 sda2 Pri 208845 487990440 None
Dynamic Volumes:
2-1 VolGroup00-LogVol00 483590144 Ext3
2-2 VolGroup00-LogVol01 4063232 Linux Swap

Command used to backup:
trueimagecmd --create --harddisk:1 --compression:9 --filename:smb://10.10.10.250/backups/backup.tib --progressn

I end up with a 14.3gb file which verifies ok. When I mount the image file I only get the /boot partition.

trueimagemnt --mount /mnt/test --filename:smb://10.10.10.250/backups/backup.tib

How do I get the entire backup to mount correctly? (ie the /dev/mapper/VolGroup00-LogVol00 filesystem) /dev/sda1 mounts ok.

Also, I tried to mount this on a Windows machine using True Image but it doesn't work, I assume because it's a Linux filesystem?

Thank you!

 

Hello 99problems,

Thank you for choosing Acronis Linux Server Disk Backup Software.

We are very sorry for the delay with the response.

Please be aware that the current build (3625) of Acronis True Image 9.1 Server for Linux displays Linux dynamic volumes (LVM) as partitions of the additional hard drive. In other words, Disk 1 represents your hardware RAID array which is, by the way, recognized correctly, partition 1-1 is your boot partition which is not a part of LVM, partition 2-2 is where two dynamic volumes 2-1 and 2-2 "reside". That's why you should backup volumes 1-1, 2-1 and 2-2 in order to get the "correct" image of your entire hard drive.

Thank you.
--
Alexey Popov

 

Thank you Support, by adding --partition:1-1,2-1,2-2 it seems to be backing up the entire drive. I ran out of space on my target system while performing the backup. So that leads me to my next question. Does Acronis backup the entire disk including empty space? The server has a 250gb drive with less than 10gb of used space. The backup file grew to over 60gb before I ran out of space and I was using a compression level of 9. The backup file is on a remote system via smb. Why is the backup file so large?

Thank you!

 

Hello 99problems,

Please be aware that if the file system of a backed up disk\partition is supported and not corrupted then only the actual data is included into the resulting image archive. The free space is not being backed up in this case. In case the file system of a backed up disk\partition is not supported or corrupted Acronis True Image creates a "raw" sector-by-sector image of every sector of the backed up disk\partition including the so-called free space. In fact, Acronis True Image has no idea of some sectors representing the free space as it does not recognize the file system. Please take a look at this previous thread for further details.

As it is mentioned at the Acronis True Image 9.1 Server for Linux System requirements page it currently supports the following file systems: FAT16/32, NTFS, Linux Ext2, Ext3, ReiserFS, XFS, JFS and Linux SWAP. Thus, if any of your partitions are having a non-supported file system then your backup might be larger than it is expected.

Please also note that even if the file system of a backed up disk\partition is intact the compression rate might be almost unnoticeable when backing up the already compressed files such as '.jpg', '.mpg', '.mp3', '.ZIP', '.RAR', etc.

If all your partitions are having a supported file systems and you are not backing up any compressed data, but the size of the resulting image archive is still considerably larger than you expect it to be then please check each partiton of your hard drive using 'fsck' command with the respective parameters, create new image and see the result.

If the problems persists after checking the hard drive then please do the following:

- Download Acronis Report Utility and run it on any Windows based machine;

- Select the "Create Bootable Floppy" option;

- Insert a blank floppy disk in the A: drive and proceed with creation of the bootable floppy;

- Boot the computer having the issue from this beforehand created diskette and wait for the report creation process to finish;

- Collect the report file from the floppy.

Please also let us know the exact sizes of both actual data you backup and resulting backup archive.

Then please submit a request for technical support. Provide the files and information collected in your request along with the step-by-step description of the actions taken before the problem appears and the link to this thread. We will investigate the problem and try to provide you with the solution.

Thank you.
--
Alexey Popov