Cloning images can be collected from the L-Server after an OS is installed.
Stop the L-Server
For details on stopping L-Servers, refer to "17.1.2 Stopping an L-Server" in the "User's Guide for Infrastructure Administrators (Resource Management) CE".
Collecting a Cloning Image
In the orchestration tree on the [Resource] tab of the ROR console, right-click the L-Server created in "Chapter 14 Creating an L-Server for an Infrastructure Administrator", and select [Cloning] - [Collect] from the popup menu.
The [Collect a Cloning Image] dialog is displayed.
Configure the necessary items.
The cloning image is stored in the specified image pool.
For details on collecting cloning images, refer to "17.5.1 Collecting and Registering" in the "User's Guide for Infrastructure Administrators (Resource Management) CE".
Note
This function is not available if ServerView Deployment Manager is used on the admin LAN. Use the cloning function of ServerView Deployment Manager. For details, refer to "Appendix B Co-Existence with ServerView Deployment Manager" in the "Setup Guide VE".
When cloning, only the content of the first disk recognized in the BIOS (the boot disk) of the managed server is collected.
Data disk content (second disk onwards) cannot be cloned. Use other backup software and the copy functions of storage units to collect and deploy the data.
If multiple storage areas (Windows drivers or Linux partitions) are set in the first disk, all the partitions are cloned.
Disk | Windows Drive | Cloning Target |
|---|---|---|
First disk | C: | Yes |
E: | Yes | |
Second disk | D: | No |
F: | No |
When collecting a cloning image, work must be stopped because the managed server is restarted.
The first partition must be a primary partition.
Cloning images can be collected with the following file systems. Note that LVM (Logical Volume Manager) partitions are not supported.
NTFS
EXT3
EXT4
LinuxSwap
When the managed server is Windows Server 2012, collection of cloning images from system disks that include ReFS data areas is not possible.
The following conditions must be met for the managed server to collect the cloning image from and the managed server to deploy the cloning image to.
The model names are the same
The hardware configurations are the same, such as the optional cards and expansion cards, and their locations
The BIOS settings are the same for all servers according to the procedure in "8.2.7 Configuring BIOS Settings of Managed Servers" in the "Design Guide CE".
The LAN and SAN connections have the same redundancy methods and the same number of redundancy paths, and can access the same network devices and storage units
Note that LAN or fibre channel switches connected in a cascade configuration are viewed as a single device.
Some applications may require manual adjustments to function properly after cloning.
If necessary, manually perform such adjustments before or after the cloning process.
Up to four system image backup, restoration, and cloning image collection processes can be executed at the same time. If five or more processes are requested, the extra processes wait until the processes being executed are complete.
Restore operations executed by the backup/restore method during server switchover and failback also wait. When using auto-recovery and manual switchover operations with the backup/restore method, execute a maximum of three system image backup/restore or cloning image collection/deployment operations at the same time.
After collecting or deploying a cloning image, software required for connecting to external servers, etc. when the OS is started may not start correctly.
In this case, restart the OS after it is collected.
If the Watchdog (function that automatically resets or turns off the OS when a hang is detected because the OS does not respond for a certain period) function of the managed server is enabled, the OS may be automatically reset or turned off during cloning.
It is therefore highly recommended to disable the Watchdog function before a cloning operation.
For details, refer to the manual of the managed server.
When using MAK license authentication for activation for the following OSs, Sysprep can be executed a maximum of three times.
Microsoft(R) Windows Server(R) 2008 R2
Microsoft(R) Windows Server(R) 2008
Since Sysprep is executed when creating L-Server with images specified or when collecting cloning images, collection of cloning images and creation of L-Servers with images specified cannot be performed more than four times. Therefore, it is recommended not to collect cloning images from L-Servers that have had cloning images deployed, but to collect them from a dedicated master server.
As there is a chance that data will be damaged, do not perform collection or deployment of a cloning image while performing an iSCSI connection using a software initiator.
When using data disks, use the hardware initiator.
