x on file object when doing a restore

[Noob]

Hi Folks

I have wanted to restore some files on a client server using the backup-archive gui on the client server. When opening the restore option and expanding the tree to file level let x's appear on some of the objects. What do they mean?

Thanls

[Stephan]

Those are inactive files. Still available for restore based on your retention policies...

[Noob]

Thanks Stephen...i'm very new to TSM (Hence the nic)...I dont believe we have any pol's but sort of condition(s) in the pols would prevent these from being recovered?

[moon-buddy]

I dont believe we have any pol's but sort of condition(s) in the pols would prevent these from being recovered?

The inactive files means that there are/were newer files in its place. You can recover these files by doing a restore should you need to get back information from the "older" files.

[Noob]

moon-buddy...so does this mean that the new file hasnt been backedup or are you saying that there are multiple versions?

[Stephan]

Technically, you can recover those files just fine since TSM still has them, but they are not considered the active version of that file. Either the file was deleted a while ago and TSM is retaining it until it officially expires or that file is the 2nd or 3rd or whatever version of the active file on the server still...As mentioned, this all depends on the Retention policies that your node falls under. If you can't recover the file, check the activity log on the TSM server

[Noob]

How can I check the policy\expiration values?

[Stephan]

On the TSM server, you can check what domain your node belongs to and its associated management classes which have the retention policies.

Check the option files on your nodes to see if you bind a specific backup to a management class and you could also, using the command line (or gui) check the associated domain and MCs. for example, on a AIX box, start the command line client with dsmc. Then at the prompt issue a query mgmtclass

You can also see what MC your backup are bound to by issuing a query backup "path you want to see" and look at the MC it was bound to.

[Stephan]

Query node - to list the nodes on your TSM server.
query domain - to list the domains.

This will list you all the retentions on the TSM server...
select class_name,destination,verexists,retextra,verdelet ed,retonly,serialization from bu_copygroups

[Noob]

Hey Stephan...thanks a million

The returned values for verdelete is 2 and ret only 60 so I am assuming that means that the mgmt class keeps 2 versions of the file...i'm not sure about retonly...would that be rentention for 60 days?

[Stephan]

Yep.

Here is a little webpage (Lascon) that explains tons of stuff about TSM. Here is the link to the retention. Check it out. It helped me out quite a bit "in the beginning" !

http://www.lascon.co.uk/d005102.htm#bretain

[Noob]

Excellent thanks stephan. I read the link you sent and I think I understand whats going on

2 versions of the file is kept for 60 days and then if there are no new versions the file file is expired and so we get a little x on the object in the gui. In our enviroment data is written to disk and then to tape so as long we dont loose the TSM DB we are still able to recover the file from tape provided the tape hasnt been overwritten.

[dxw]

That little blue x confused me today. Here's the scenario:

File x backed up on monday
Fille x deleted tuesday

On thursday I look to do a point in time restore to wednesday and I do not see x in the tree. Expected behavior.

I reinstall the app later thursday and file x is back in place.

Friday I again look to do a point in time restore to wednesday and now file x appears with a blue x. Unexpected behavior. Did this on two servers to confirm the behavior.

What am I missing?

Thanks.

DW

[moon-buddy]

This means that the file is not part of the new FSID since you reinstalled the APP and had done a new backup (I am assuming that you did).

[dxw]

True. After the app was reinstalled the file x was backed up. So why does it appear at all for the point in time restore for the day it didnt exist on the system? Thats the confusing part.

Thanks for your help.

DW

[BBB]

2 versions of the file is kept for 60 days and then if there are no new versions the file file is expired and so we get a little x on the object in the gui.

Hmm to clarify, they might be kept for up to 60 days. If you back up a new version every day, each version will only be kept for 2 days, because you can only store 2 versions.

[BBB]

On thursday I look to do a point in time restore to wednesday and I do not see x in the tree.

I presume you were enabling the display of INACTIVE files in the GUI? By default it won't show you files that have been deleted from the server (and are hence inactive). You need to enable this.

[dxw]

Nope. The view only active files is selected. I'm starting to think it is a bug with the gui.

DW