Hi,

I see (at least) three different ways 
to achieve what you want,
each one would better support 
different requirements:

        1) configuring sufficient parameteres for keeping 
inactive versions of files would support 
unpredictable medium-term restore requirements.
Benefits: you can later offer your customers 
point-in-time restores even if they now claim they will
not need it.
Costs: database and storage pools data space, management costs.

        2) adsm archive will support defined long-term
predictable restores. 
Benefits: on-line databes driven restore.
Costs: database and storage spool space, 
although probably much less then in (1)

        3) using instant archive (TSM 3.7)
you can create off-line tapes which you can
use for restores without ADSM server.
 Benefits: least dependency upon backup system
        you used to backup (ADSM).
        This can be extremly important for 
        very long-term backups
        (or are you sure you will 
        (want to) have ADSM in 10 years?).
Costs: least comfortable, neither on-line 
nor database support, eventually too many 
separate tapes to be manually archived
(just like with classical backups)

Talk with your boss what his requirements really are:
you can support always everything, 
but make him understand he is the one who will pay $$ for it.

Juraj Salak

KEBA AG, Linz, Austria
e-mail: sal AT keba.co DOT at
www.keba.co.at