Restoring the system configuration

Use this procedure to restore the system configuration in the following situations: only if the recover system procedure fails or if the data that is stored on the volumes is not required.

Before you begin

This configuration restore procedure is designed to restore information about your configuration, such as volumes, local Metro Mirror information, local Global Mirror information, storage pools, and nodes. The data that you wrote to the volumes is not restored. To restore the data on the volumes, you must restore application data from any application that uses the volumes on the clustered system as storage separately. Therefore, you must have a backup of this data before you follow the configuration recovery process.

If USB encryption was enabled on the system when its configuration was backed up, then at least 3 USB flash drives need to be present in the node canister USB ports for the configuration restore to work. The 3 USB flash drives must be inserted into the single node from which the configuration restore commands are run. Any USB flash drives in other nodes (that might become part of the system) are ignored. If you are not recovering a cloud backup configuration, the USB flash drives do not need to contain any keys. They are for generation of new keys as part of the restore process. If you are recovering a cloud backup configuration, the USB flash drives must contain the previous set of keys to allow the current encrypted data to be unlocked and reencrypted with the new keys.

During T4 recovery, a new system is created with a new certificate. If the system has key server encryption, the new certificate must be exported by using the chsystemcert -export command, and then installed on all key servers in the correct device group before you run the T4 recovery. The device group that is used is the one in which the previous system was defined. It might also be necessary to get the new system's certificate signed. In a T4 recovery, inform the key server administrator that the active keys are considered compromised.

About this task

You must regularly back up your configuration data and your application data to avoid data loss. If a system is lost after a severe failure occurs, both configuration for the system and application data is lost. You must restore the system to the exact state it was in before the failure, and then recover the application data.

During the restore process, the nodes and the storage enclosure are restored to the system, and then the MDisks and the array are re-created and configured. If multiple storage enclosures are involved, the arrays and MDisks are restored on the proper enclosures based on the enclosure IDs.

Important:

There are two phases during the restore process: prepare and execute. You must not change the fabric or system between these two phases.
For systems that contain nodes that are attached to external controllers virtualized by iSCSI, all nodes must be added into the system before you restore your data. Additionally, the system cfgportip settings and iSCSI storage ports must be manually reapplied before you restore your data. See step 10.
For VMware vSphere Virtual Volumes (sometimes referred to as VVols) environments, after a T4 restoration, some of the Virtual Volumes configuration steps are already completed: metadatavdisk created, usergroup and user created, adminlun hosts created. However, the user must then complete the last two configuration steps manually (creating a storage container on IBM® Spectrum Control Base Edition and creating virtual machines on VMware vCenter). See Configuring Virtual Volumes.
If the system has USB encryption, run the recovery from any node in the system that has a USB flash drive inserted which contains the encryption key.
If the system has key server encryption, run the recovery on a node that is attached to the key server. The keys are fetched remotely from the key server.
If the system uses both USB and key server encryption, providing either a USB flash drive or a connection to the key server (only one is needed, but both will work also) will unlock the system.
For systems with a cloud backup configuration, during a T4 recovery the USB key that contained the system master key from the original system must be inserted into the configuration node of the new system. Alternatively, if a key server is used, the key server must contain the system master key from the original system. If the original system master key is not available, and the system data is encrypted in the cloud provider, then the data in the cloud is not accessible.
If the system contains an encrypted cloud account that is configured with both USB and key server encryption, the master keys from both need to be available at the time of a T4 recovery.
If you use USB flash drives to manage encryption keys, the T4 recovery causes the connection to a cloud service provider to go offline if the USB flash drive is not inserted into the system. To fix this issue, insert the USB flash drive with the current keys into the system.
If you use key servers to manage encryption keys, the T4 recovery causes the connection to a cloud service provider to go offline if the key server is offline. To fix this issue, ensure that the key server is online and available during T4 recovery.
If you use both key servers and USB flash drives to manage encryption keys, the T4 recovery causes the connection to a cloud service provider to go offline if the key server is offline. To fix this issue, ensure that both the key server is online and a USB flash drive is inserted into the system during T4 recovery.
If the system contains an encrypted cloud account that uses USB encryption, a USB flash drive with the system master key must be present in the configuration node before the cloud account can move to the online state. This requirement is necessary when the system is powered down, and then restarted.
After a T4 recovery, cloud accounts are in an offline state. It is necessary to re-enter the authentication information to bring the accounts back online.
After a T4 recovery, volumes with cloud snapshots that were enabled before the recovery need to have the cloud snapshots manually reenabled.

If you do not understand the instructions to run the CLI commands, see the command-line interface reference information.

To restore your configuration data, follow these steps:

Procedure

Verify that all nodes are available as candidate nodes before you run this recovery procedure. You must remove errors 550 or 578 to put the node in candidate state.
Create a system. If possible, use the node that was originally in I/O group 0.
In a supported browser, enter the IP address that you used to initialize the system and the default superuser password (passw0rd).
Issue the following CLI command to ensure that only the configuration node is online:
```
svcinfo lsnode
```
The following output is an example of what is displayed:
```
id name status IO_group_id IO_group_name config_node
1 nodel online 0 io_grp0 yes
```
Using the command-line interface, issue the following command to log on to the system:
```
plink -i ssh_private_key_file superuser@cluster_ip
```
Where ssh_private_key_file is the name of the SSH private key file for the superuser and cluster_ip is the IP address or DNS name of the system for which you want to restore the configuration.

Note: Because the RSA host key changed, a warning message might display when you connect to the system by using SSH.
Identify the configuration backup file from which you want to restore.
The file can be either a local copy of the configuration backup XML file that you saved when you backed-up the configuration or an up-to-date file on one of the nodes.

Configuration data is automatically backed up daily at 01:00 system time on the configuration node.

Download and check the configuration backup files on all nodes that were previously in the system to identify the one containing the most recent complete backup
1. From the management GUI, click Settings > Support > Support Package.
2. Expand Manual Upload Instructions and select Download Support Package.
3. On the Download New Support Package or Log File page, select Download Existing Package.
4. For each node (canister) in the system, complete the following steps:
  1. Select the node to operate on from the selection box at the top of the table.
  2. Find all the files with names that match the pattern svc.config.*.xml*.
  3. Select the files and click Download to download them to your computer.
The XML files contain a date and time that can be used to identify the most recent backup. After you identify the backup XML file that is to be used when you restore the system, rename the file to svc.config.backup.xml.

Copy onto the system the XML backup file from which you want to restore.

pscp full_path_to_identified_svc.config.file 
superuser@cluster_ip:/tmp/svc.config.backup.xml

If the system contains any nodes with a 10 GB interface adapter or a second Fibre Channel interface adapter that is installed and non-default localfcportmask and partnerfcportmask settings were previously configured, then manually reconfigure these settings before you restore your data.
If the system uses a stretched or HyperSwap® topology with nodes that are at two sites, or if the system contains any nodes with internal flash drives (including nodes that are connected to expansion enclosures), these nodes must be added to the system now. To add these nodes, determine the panel name, node name, and I/O groups of any such nodes from the configuration backup file. To add the nodes to the system, run the following command:
```
svctask addnode -panelname panel_name -iogrp iogrp_name_or_id -name node_name
```
Where panel_name is the name that is displayed on the panel, iogrp_name_or_id is the name or ID of the I/O group to which you want to add this node, and node_name is the name of the node.
If the system contains any iSCSI storage controllers, these controllers must be detected manually now. The nodes that are connected to these controllers, the iSCSI port IP addresses, and the iSCSI storage ports must be added to the system before you restore your data.
1. To add these nodes, determine the panel name, node name, and I/O groups of any such nodes from the configuration backup file. To add the nodes to the system, run the following command:
```
svctask addnode -panelname panel_name -iogrp iogrp_name_or_id -name node_name
```
  Where panel_name is the name that is displayed on the panel, iogrp_name_or_id is the name or ID of the I/O group to which you want to add this node, and node_name is the name of the node.
2. To restore iSCSI port IP addresses, use the cfgportip command.
  1. To restore IPv4 address, determine id (port_id), node_id, node_name, IP_address, mask, gateway, host (0/1 stands for no/yes), remote_copy (0/1 stands for no/yes), and storage (0/1 stands for no/yes) from the configuration backup file, run the following command:
```
svctask cfgportip -node node_name_or_id -ip ipv4_address -gw ipv4_gw 
-host yes | no -remotecopy remote_copy_port_group_id -storage yes | no port_id
```
    Where node_name_or_id is the name or id of the node, ipv4_address is the IP v4 version protocol address of the port, and ipv4_gw is the IPv4 gateway address for the port.
  2. To restore IPv6 address, determine id (port_id), node_id, node_name, IP_address_6, mask, gateway_6, prefix_6, host_6 (0/1 stands for no/yes), remote_copy_6 (0/1 stands for no/yes), and storage_6 (0/1 stands for no/yes) from the configuration backup file, run the following command:
```
svctask cfgportip -node node_name_or_id -ip_6 ipv6_address -gw_6 ipv6_gw 
-prefix_6 prefix -host_6 yes | no -remotecopy_6 remote_copy_port_group_id -storage_6 yes | no port_id
```
    Where node_name_or_id is the name or id of the node, ipv6_address is the IP v6 version protocol address of the port, ipv6_gw is the IPv6 gateway address for the port, and prefix is the IPv6 prefix.
  Complete steps b.i and b.ii for all (earlier configured) IP ports in the node_ethernet_portip_ip sections from the backup configuration file.
3. Next, detect and add the iSCSI storage port candidates by using the detectiscsistorageportcandidate and addiscsistorageport commands. Make sure that you detect the iSCSI storage ports and add these ports in the same order as you see them in the configuration backup file. If you do not follow the correct order, it might result in a T4 failure. Step c.i must be followed by steps c.ii and c.iii. You must repeat these steps for all the iSCSI sessions that are listed in the backup configuration file exactly in the same order.
  1. To detect iSCSI storage ports, determine src_port_id, IO_group_id (optional, not required if the value is 255),target_ipv4/target_ipv6 (the target IP that is not blank is required), iscsi_user_name (not required if blank), iscsi_chap_secret (not required if blank), and site (not required if blank) from the configuration backup file, run the following command:
```
svctask detectiscsistorageportcandidate -srcportid src_port_id -iogrp IO_group_id 
-targetip/targetip6 target_ipv4/target_ipv6 -username iscsi_user_name -chapsecret iscsi_chap_secret -site site_id_or_name
```
    Where src_port_id is the source Ethernet port ID of the configured port, IO_group_id is the I/O group ID or name being detected, target_ipv4/target_ipv6 is the IPv4/IPv6 target iSCSI controller IPv4/IPv6 address, iscsi_user_name is the target controller user name being detected, iscsi_chap_secret is the target controller chap secret being detected, and site_id_or_name is the specified id or name of the site being detected.
  2. Match the discovered target_iscsiname with the target_iscsiname for this particular session in the backup configuration file by running the lsiscsistorageportcandidate command, and use the matching index to add iSCSI storage ports in step c.iii.
    Run the svcinfo lsiscsistorageportcandidate command and determine the id field of the row whose target_iscsiname matches with the target_iscsiname from the configuration backup file. This is your candidate_id to be used in step c.iii.
  3. To add the iSCSI storage port, determine IO_group_id (optional, not required if the value is 255), site (not required if blank), iscsi_user_name (not required if blank in backup file), and iscsi_chap_secret (not required if blank) from the configuration backup file, provide the target_iscsiname_index matched in step c.ii, and then run the following command:
```
addiscsistorageport -iogrp iogrp_id -username iscsi_user_name -chapsecret iscsi_chap_secret -site site_id_or_name candidate_id
```
    Where iogrp_id is the I/O group ID or name that is added, iscsi_user_name is the target controller user name that is being added, iscsi_chap_secret is the target controller chap secret being added, and site_id_or_name specified the ID or name of the site being that is added.
  4. If the configuration is a HyperSwap or stretched system, the controller name and site needs to be restored. To restore the controller name and site, determine ccontroller_name and controller site_id/name from the backup xml file by matching the inter_WWPN field with the newly added iSCSI controller, and then run the following command:
```
chcontroller -name controller_name -site site_id/name controller_id/name
```
    Where controller_name is the name of the controller from the backup xml file, site_id/name is the ID or name of the site of iSCSI controller from the backup xml file, and controller_id/name is the ID or current name of the controller.
Issue the following CLI command to compare the current configuration with the backup configuration data file:
```
svcconfig restore -prepare
```
This CLI command creates a log file in the /tmp directory of the configuration node. The name of the log file is svc.config.restore.prepare.log.
Note: It can take up to a minute for each 256-MDisk batch to be discovered. If you receive error message CMMVC6200W for an MDisk after you enter this command, all the managed disks (MDisks) might not be discovered yet. Allow a suitable time to elapse and try the svcconfig restore -prepare command again.

Issue the following command to copy the log file to another server that is accessible to the system:

pscp superuser@cluster_ip:/tmp/svc.config.restore.prepare.log 
full_path_for_where_to_copy_log_files

Open the log file from the server where the copy is now stored.
Check the log file for errors.
- If you find errors, correct the condition that caused the errors and reissue the command. You must correct all errors before you can proceed to step 15.
- If you need assistance, contact the support center.
Issue the following CLI command to restore the configuration:
```
svcconfig restore -execute
```
This CLI command creates a log file in the /tmp directory of the configuration node. The name of the log file is svc.config.restore.execute.log.

Issue the following command to copy the log file to another server that is accessible to the system:

pscp superuser@cluster_ip:/tmp/svc.config.restore.execute.log 
full_path_for_where_to_copy_log_files

Open the log file from the server where the copy is now stored.
Check the log file to ensure that no errors or warnings occurred.
Note: You might receive a warning that states that a licensed feature is not enabled. This message means that after the recovery process, the current license settings do not match the previous license settings. The recovery process continues normally and you can enter the correct license settings in the management GUI later.

When you log in to the CLI again over SSH, you see this output:
```
IBM_2145:your_cluster_name:superuser>
```

What to do next

You can remove any unwanted configuration backup and restore files from the /tmp directory on your configuration by issuing the following CLI command:

svcconfig clear -all