ADSM-L

Re: vaulting primary storage pool volumes

2004-04-01 23:10:20
Subject: Re: vaulting primary storage pool volumes
From: "Stapleton, Mark" <stapleto AT BERBEE DOT COM>
To: ADSM-L AT VM.MARIST DOT EDU
Date: Thu, 1 Apr 2004 22:09:54 -0600
From: ADSM: Dist Stor Manager on behalf of Bill Boyer
I have a client that wishes to vault a primary storage pool volumes on a
daily basis. Unfortunately they didn't have Autovault <grin>. So for the
DBbackup and copypool tapes I configured a script that uses MOVE DRMEDIA and
for the primary storage pool, I got a list of tapes in the library for that
storage pool and then did a CHECKOUT on each volume and the UPD VOL
ACC=UNAVAIL LOC="Vault". This works just fine, but when these tapes have all
their data expired and they go empty, TSM scratches the tapes. All this
before I can get a list of tapes with STATUS=EMPTY.

Doing some research I found the MOVE MEDIA command. Now the question is will
tapes that are MOUNTABLENOTINLIB processed with the MOVE MEDIA and they go
empty, will TSM leave them in this status=empty until I issue another MOVE
MEDIA command to bring them back?

The reports haven't been showing any tapes to come back. The empty tapes are
immediately returned to scratch even though they are UNAVAIL and LOC=Vault.
Right now the operators are comparing todays full vault list with yesterdays
to figure out which tapes need to come back.
========================
 
I'm reminded of the fellow that was always breaking wooden pegs when he used 
them to nail together 2x4s...
 
Your client is working directly against one of the strengths of TSM. Why would 
anyone want to vault their primary storage pool? That prevents using TSM to 
restore accidently deleted files. Further, primary pool tapes *will* go 
immediately to scratch status when they're no longer members of a storage pool.
 
--
Mark Stapleton