Using the SERVDATA.NDS file for disaster recovery.

(Last modified: 15Jan2003)

This document (10016775) is provided subject to the disclaimer at the end of this document.

goal

fact

Novell Intranetware 4.11

Novell NetWare 4.2

Novell NetWare 5.0

Novell NetWare 5.1

Novell NetWare 6.0

symptom

One server in a multi-server tree experienced a disk failure involving the SYS volume.

fix

The SERVDATA.NDS file is created in SYS:SYSTEM by your tape backup software and backed up on tape if you are using a backup software with SMS compatibility. The file allows you to retain user home directory pointers and print queues when one server in a multi-server tree has crashed. The DSMAINT -PSE procedures discussed in TID 2920601 produce the same result for NetWare 4.x servers.

IMPORTANT: Do not delete the old server or volume objects from the tree before starting this procedure. With this procedure, there is no need to create a dummy object as suggested in the DSMAINT -PSE TID 2920601.

To Designate a Server as a new Master
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If the failed server held the master replica of any partition, you need to use DSREPAIR to designate a new master on a server which holds a Real copy (Read/Write or Read/Only)
In addition, you need clean up the replica rings.

To designate a new server to hold the master replica for a partition and to notify the other servers about the change, Load DSREPAIR on a server which holds a real copy (Read/Write or Read/Only) of the effected partition:

LOAD DSREPAIR | Advanced Options Menu | Replica and Partition Operations. | Select the partition that needs to be edited | Designate This Server as the New Master Replica.
The replica ring now has a new Master Replica. All replicas participating in the ring will be updated that there is a new master.

To Clean up the Replica Rings
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LOAD DSREPAIR | Advanced Options Menu | Replica and Partition Operations. | Select the partition that needs to be edited | View replica ring | Selected the failed server | Remove this server from the replica ring.

Authenticate as one with rights to ROOT when prompted.
After reading the explanation message, type " I agree" to continue. All the servers participating in the replica ring will be updated about the changes. Repeat this procedure for each replica ring that the failed server participated in.

To use SERVDATA.NDS:
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1) Replace the defective hardware.

2) Install NetWare using the same internal IPX number and servername as the original server, but use a dummy tree name.(Example: Temptree) Do not install the server into the production tree.

3) Restore the servdata.nds file from tape to the SYS:SYSTEM directory.

4) Load INSTALL (NW 4.x) or NWCONFIG (NW 5.x/6.x) and select Directory Options | Remove Directory Services from the server. This will remove the dummy tree from this server.

5) Load NWCONFIG | Directory Options menu, select Directory Backup and Restore Options | then select Restore local server information after hardware failure. This option will look for the SERVDATA.NDS file in the SYS:SYSTEM directory to restore the home directory pointers and print queue pointers.

6) Replace any replicas that existed on the server prior to the crash. Replicas cannot be restored from the SERVDATA.NDS file.

document

Document Title:	Using the SERVDATA.NDS file for disaster recovery.
Document ID:	10016775
Solution ID:	1.0.14492692.2323529
Creation Date:	16Sep1999
Modified Date:	15Jan2003
Novell Product Class:	NetWare Novell eDirectory

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