THE STORY:
(If you don't like to read much, down below is the question :) )

Where I work we have two HP RP2470 servers same hardware same number of hard drives same everything :).

One of them is a production server and runs HP-UX 11.00. The poor ba***rd hasn't been turned off for years and now I have to make a clone of it on the other server - just in case, for redundancy.

The problem is simple (or not simple) as I have to make the the other server exactly the same. However the old version of OS (UX 11.00 is a history now) and the old software running on it, have made my task almost impossible.

On the production server there is also a cloning/recover utility Ignite-UX. I tried many times to create a recovery tape with it. Then when I load the tape on the backup server, it succeeds with the loading of the tape (no errors no warnings) but on the next restart it fails to load the OS :S and drops into HP`s ISL prompt.

---
THE QUESTION:
Is there an alternate way to create a clone of the Unix System?

The environment is:
1. 2x HP RP2470 Servers (non-Intel), same hardware, same number od HDDs (two each of them) same everything.
2. OS running: HP-UX 11.00

The production server has to be cloned without downtime - sadly :( as I hope that they will reconsider on this one

For example (like on Windows platforms),
if you try to copy an entire HDD with Windows inside on another HDD, and then put that HDD on another PC it will still work, as long as the hardware is the same.

Can I do something like that with a Unix system? Can I somehow COPY the contents of the entire HDD, put those on another HDD, and then just load the HDD into the other server? (If you haven't read the story the servers are exactly the same)

Will it work? Can it be done with ordinary commands like cp or dump or something like that? Does any one have a similar experience?

---
UPDATE: 26.01.2012

NOTE: The update is related to "The Story". If you haven't read that part then you can skip this update.

This is just a short update on the recover logs from the Ignite Tape.. someone with more exp. might notice something..

...

--- READING CONTENTS OF THE IGNITE TAPE ---
--- OUTPUT OMITED ---

...

...

x ./configure3, 413696 bytes, 808 tape blocks
x ./monitor_bpr, 20480 bytes, 40 tape blocks
       * Download_mini-system:  Complete
       * Loading_software:  Begin
       * Installing boot area on disk.
       * Enabling swap areas.
       * Backing up LVM configuration for "vg00".
       * Processing the archive source (Recovery Archive).
       * Wed Jan 25 15:27:32 EST 2012: Starting archive load of the source 
         (Recovery Archive).
       * Positioning the tape (/dev/rmt/0mn).
       * Archive extraction from tape is beginning. Please wait.
       * Wed Jan 25 15:39:52 EST 2012: Completed archive load of the source 
         (Recovery Archive).
       * Executing user specified script: 
         "/opt/ignite/data/scripts/os_arch_post_l".
       * Running in recovery mode (os_arch_post_l).
       * Running the ioinit command ("/sbin/ioinit -c")
       * Creating device files via the insf command.
insf: Installing special files for sdisk instance 0 address 0/0/1/1.15.0
insf: Installing special files for sdisk instance 1 address 0/0/2/0.1.0
insf: Installing special files for sdisk instance 2 address 0/0/2/1.15.0
insf: Installing special files for stape instance 0 address 0/0/1/0.3.0
insf: Installing special files for btlan instance 0 address 0/0/0/0
insf: Installing special files for btlan instance 1 address 0/2/0/0
insf: Installing special files for pseudo driver dlpi
insf: Installing special files for pseudo driver kepd
insf: Installing special files for pseudo driver framebuf
insf: Installing special files for pseudo driver sad
       * Running "/opt/upgrade/bin/tlinstall -v" and correcting transition link
         permissions.
       * Constructing the bootconf file.
       * Setting primary boot path to "0/0/1/1.15.0".
       * Executing: "/var/adm/sw/products/PHSS_20146/pfiles/iux_postload".
       * Executing: "/var/adm/sw/products/PHSS_25982/pfiles/iux_postload".
NOTE:    tlinstall is searching filesystem - please be patient
NOTE:    Successfully completed
       * Loading_software:  Complete
       * Build_Kernel:  Begin
NOTE:    Since the /stand/vmunix kernel is already in place, the kernel will 
         not be re-built. Note that no mod_kernel directives will be processed.
       * Build_Kernel:  Complete
       * Boot_From_Client_Disk:  Begin
       * Rebooting machine as expected.
NOTE:    Rebooting system.
sync'ing disks (0 buffers to flush):

0 buffers not flushed

0 buffers still dirty



Closing open logical volumes...

Done




Console reset done.

Boot device reset done.



********** VIRTUAL FRONT PANEL **********
System Boot detected
*****************************************
LEDs:  RUN      ATTENTION     FAULT     REMOTE     POWER
       FLASH    OFF           OFF       ON         ON
LED State: Running non-OS code. (i.e. Boot or Diagnostics)

...

...

...

--- SERVER IS PERFORMING POST SEQUENCE HERE ---
--- OUTPUT OMITED ---

...

...

...

*****************************************

************ EARLY BOOT VFP *************
End of early boot detected
*****************************************

Firmware Version  43.50

Duplex Console IO Dependent Code (IODC) revision 1

------------------------------------------------------------------------------
   (c) Copyright 1995-2002, Hewlett-Packard Company, All rights reserved
------------------------------------------------------------------------------

  Processor   Speed            State           CoProcessor State  Cache Size
  Number                                       State              Inst    Data
  ---------  --------   ---------------------  -----------------  ------------
      0      650  MHz   Active                 Functional         750 KB 1.5 MB
      1      650  MHz   Idle                   Functional         750 KB 1.5 MB

  Central Bus Speed (in MHz)  :        120  
  Available Memory            :    2097152  KB
  Good Memory Required        :      16140  KB

   Primary boot path:    0/0/1/1.15          
   Alternate boot path:  0/0/2/1.15          
   Console path:         0/0/4/1.643         
   Keyboard path:        0/0/4/0.0           


Processor is starting autoboot process.

To discontinue, press any key within 10 seconds.

10 seconds expired.
Proceeding...

Trying Primary Boot Path
------------------------

Booting... 
Boot IO Dependent Code (IODC) revision 1


HARD Booted.

ISL Revision A.00.38  OCT 26, 1994 

ISL booting  hpux



ISL>