Point in Time...

[cwilloug]

OK - I've read up on doing a point in time restore, and I don't think I'm getting it.. Here's what happened.

End user called the other day (this also happened a few months ago) wanting to restore a file from a week ago. In the current policy they keep 2 versions of a file. System is a windows box - file changes often but folders do not. Using the GUI, selecting the 'restore' button, inactive and active files, point in time to the end of January 2009, and the directory where the file is located is gone... not shown....disappeared... vanished. As with a few other directories on that system. Why is this happening? Looking in the dsmsched.log file, the directory was backed up for that day, but not shown on a point in time. HELP!

Just going to a restore, showing active/inactive files the directory is there, and two copies of the file she wants,,,,just not the correct version. I have since move the system to another domain keeping 7 versions of files. But I'm still very confused about this point in time stuff.

Thanks - and don't beat me up too bad

[moon-buddy]

What do you see with the inactive view open and NOT USING point-in-time?

[cwilloug]

Selecting restore, with the inactive view, and NOT using point in time, I see the folder, and the last backed up copy of the file.

[moon-buddy]

Selecting restore, with the inactive view, and NOT using point in time, I see the folder, and the last backed up copy of the file.

How about seeing older files?

[cwilloug]

Yes I can see the older files, just not the file I was looking for - but maybe I'm not under standing the point in time feature.

Lets say the policy domain keeps 2 versions of a file,
Monday night is a backup, Tuesday file changes
Tuesday night backup, Wednesday file changes
Wednesday night backup, Thursday file changes
Thursday night backup.... (now the active file is Thursday's copy, and there is a copy from Wednesday)
The user wants to go back to Mondays file - shouldn't point in time work for this? I also use a 5 day delay period for volume reuse - so the file should be out there....

Or am I thinking about this the wrong way?

[moon-buddy]

Yes I can see the older files, just not the file I was looking for - but maybe I'm not under standing the point in time feature.

Lets say the policy domain keeps 2 versions of a file,
Monday night is a backup, Tuesday file changes
Tuesday night backup, Wednesday file changes
Wednesday night backup, Thursday file changes
Thursday night backup.... (now the active file is Thursday's copy, and there is a copy from Wednesday)
The user wants to go back to Mondays file - shouldn't point in time work for this? I also use a 5 day delay period for volume reuse - so the file should be out there....

Or am I thinking about this the wrong way?

If you tell the system the keep only two versions, it will do so. Every time you run a backup, TSM will look at the file's date/parameters and if sees a newer one, it will back it up. It will then expire the oldest one.

[moon-buddy]

Yes I can see the older files, just not the file I was looking for - but maybe I'm not under standing the point in time feature.

Lets say the policy domain keeps 2 versions of a file,
Monday night is a backup, Tuesday file changes
Tuesday night backup, Wednesday file changes
Wednesday night backup, Thursday file changes
Thursday night backup.... (now the active file is Thursday's copy, and there is a copy from Wednesday)
The user wants to go back to Mondays file - shouldn't point in time work for this? I also use a 5 day delay period for volume reuse - so the file should be out there....

Or am I thinking about this the wrong way?

If you tell the system to keep only two versions, it will do so. Every time you run a backup, TSM will look at the file's date/parameters and if sees a newer one, it will back it up. It will then expire the oldest one.

Thus, your Monday file is gone from your inactive list.

[cwilloug]

That's what I was slowly figuring out,,, but then why do complete folders disappear when doing a PIT? The folders have been there for years....

[moon-buddy]

That's what I was slowly figuring out,,, but then why do complete folders disappear when doing a PIT? The folders have been there for years....

Maybe someone had deleted those folders?

[cwilloug]

Nope, the folders were not deleted.

So, then, why would I ever use PIT for a restore, and/or use any kind of delay period with my tapes reuse?