burning up over AIX PS/2 1.2 1005 update

[A. Lester Buck]

In article <1990Aug20.194756.16980 at athena.mit.edu>, dyer at arktouros.mit.edu (Steve Dyer) writes:
< I really had to put my 2 cents in about the format of the latest
< AIX PS/2 1.2 update, 1005.  It comprises 19 disks in AIX backup/restore
< format.  There are 14 or 15 LPPs which can be updated.  If your
< AIX system (as many do) consists of more than a few of these LPP
< (read: all of 'em), you end up inserting up to 19 disks up to
< 15 times.  At the very least, the LPPs which reside on the
< later diskettes require you to insert and have scanned the
< previous diskettes.  Each of the LPP updates is considered
< separately, which is why the whole operation approaches O(N^2).
< 
< It is now 3:30PM, and I have been swapping diskettes since
< 11AM this morning.  Not only is the procedure long, it requires
< constant supervision, since a disk swap has to occur approximately
< every three minutes.  What a waste of time!
< 
< ---
< Steve Dyer
< dyer at ursa-major.spdcc.com aka ...!{harvard,linus,ima,m2c,rayssd}!spdcc!dyer
< dyer at arktouros.mit.edu, dyer at hstbme.mit.edu

[Rumages around in his comp.unix.aix archives and finds...]

<From: robin at sabre.austin.ibm.com (Robin D. Wilson/1000000)
<Newsgroups: comp.unix.aix
<Subject: Re: AIX 1.2 Diskette Overload
<Message-ID: <2726 at awdprime.UUCP>
<Date: 11 Jul 90 14:36:23 GMT
<References: <1331 at msa3b.UUCP>
<Sender: news at awdprime.UUCP
<Reply-To: robin at reed.UUCP (Robin D. Wilson/1000000)
<Organization: IBM AWD, Austin, TX
<Lines: 52
<
<In article <1331 at msa3b.UUCP> kevin at msa3b.UUCP (Kevin P. Kleinfelter) writes:
<>AIX PS/2 V1.2 is even more diskettes than V1.1!
<>TOTAL ..........85
<>
<>Now don't get me wrong -- I LIKE having all these things.
<>It just seems a little too much to expect me to shuffle (or even just to
<>store) 85 diskettes.  Oh yes,  speaking of shuffling, don't forget that
<>the applying the update diskettes means:
<>   insert disk 1
<>   insert disk 1, insert disk 2
<>   insert disk 1, insert disk 2, insert disk 3
<>   ...
<>   insert disk 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8
<>
<>I will recommend to management that AIX NOT be purchased for additional
<>PS/2 machines, because it COSTS TOO MUCH (personnel cost) to INSTALL!!!
<>(Yes, TCF can help ... IF all your machines are close enough to have on
<>a LAN; not the case for us.)
<
<The files on the update can be restored to a sufficiently large filesystem
<and then "re - backed - up" to any format you wish (ie. a very large file
<on disk, or a streaming tape).  Be sure to use the "restore -x" and the 
<"backup -ivf <file>" commands (and not tar/dd/cpio).  Once on another format
<the backup can be distributed to another machine in this format (or across
<the network as a mounted file).  Also, just a suggestion.. try making one
<system with the base of operation that you want.. ie. BOS, Xwindows, BNU
<or whatever.  Then back that system up to a more palletable media like
<tapes.  Distribute the tapes, and leave the diskettes as a backup, or for
<installing machine specific products (assuming all machines don't have 
<all the products).  BACKING UP ONE SYSTEM, AND RESTORING IT TO OTHERS
<IS NOT RECOMMENDED FOR THE UPDATES.  The updates should be applied using 
<the updatep command.  (But updatep WILL work with the previously described 
<"re - backed - up" distribution methods.
<
<These suggestions both work quite well on the RT version of AIX (v.2.2.1).
<But my office mate is a PS/2 support person and guarantees that they work 
<on PS/2's as well... But your mileage may vary based on road conditions.
<
<
<Also... on the RT AIX there is a command called "/etc/bffcreate".  This 
<command will allow you to reformat (to a different media) the updates.
<You might check and see if it is available on the PS/2.
<
<
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-- 
A. Lester Buck    buck at siswat.lonestar.org  ...!uunet!nuchat!siswat!buck