TSM Fastback

[DALCWBSMAVS]

So yesterday we were told we will need to learn and begin using Fastback for TSM. Can anyone tell us what it is? I mean we have a ground level understanding of what it's purpose is and all through PDF's but is anyone using it? Does it seem pretty easy to use? Does it need to be installed on the actual server housing the TSM server or have it's own seperate server?

Any help anyone could give would be great. Also, any good documentation or discussion boards regarding Fastback would also be a huge help.

Thanks ahead of time!

[Harry_Redl]

Hi,

very "high level"
FastBack is standalone product, which can replicate DISKS (partitions) from source to FastBack repository. It is block-level, incremental forever. On Windows it uses VSS (so SQL and MS Exchange are replicated in consistent state) - new version (6.1) has the capability of protecting Linux systems (see system requirements).
Can "mount" images of disk from repository to any server to copy out the data or replicate images back on the background (so the image is useable instantly - although the access is slow)
FB Server can be replicated to other FB server (so you can have FB Server in branch office and block-level incremental replication over WAN to central point)

Integration with TSM is similar like using VCB for VMWare - it mounts the image and runs the file-level backup from it - equivalent of "backup vm" is "backup fastback" - supported from client 6.1.3.1(?)
FastBack is disk only, cannot use tapes (on its own - this is why you use TSM)

Harry

[DALCWBSMAVS]

I gotcha.

Is this something TSM cannot do? I thought that in some capacity and way it could. If TSM can do this, what is the purpose of using Fastback? Is it just a quicker and better way of doing block level backups and restores?

[Harry_Redl]

Hi,

it is cheaper, quicker, can have CDP (point-in-time with granularity in seconds) volume restore, no need for TDPs for Exchange and SQL and can have dissimilar HW Bare Metal Restore (licensed)
For restoring single item from Exchange you can have a add-on module (not needed for backups and full-volume restore).
Has a limitations though - 4TB repository size, not supporting all dynamic disks variations ...

Harry

P.S. and the cross site replication is a good thing