Dear list,

We want to implent a new server with large disk capacity to be used for
backups. (because our library's are getting too small)
We already have one tsm server on aix with 2 library's attached. We were
thinking of the following scenario.


keep the existing tsm server on the aix box. Leave the scsi attached
libraries in place. Let all sap backups go directly to the tsm server on
this box. Reason: the productive sap server is attached with a direct
fiber link (separate adapters) and uses jumboframes, on the tsm-box
itself we also have sap instances running. This machine has support
contracts and a rs6000 (h70) can be considered reliable. (which is what
you need when doing sap backups and restores). So for those reasons want
the sap backups and logs go to this machine.

On the new server (intel xeon with 6 TB sata) we install another tsm
server. We use this server for normal file backups. (file servers, mail
servers etc)  We create large disk storage pools on the local disks to
keep all the data. Once a day i want to make a copy of those storage
pools to the library's on the aix-box using server virtual  volumes.
Since both servers are in the same room  and the library is too small
too hold all the data i need to check those tape out every day and take
them offsite. If this box breaks we can always get a spare box and
restore data from the copystoragepools. We think it is ok that we can
not do backups for the time the box is broken.

First, is this a reasonable way of doing things. Any things i have missed.
Second, the space reclamation of the server virtual volumes kind of
bother me. I can see how to reclaim the volumes on the intelserver, that
would just work as normal offsite copy volumes but if there is a little
bit of data left on a tape because a virtual volume spans from one tape
to another there is no way to reclaim this.
I could of course write a script that would tell the operator (which is
me) to bring the volume back onsite so it can be reclaimed but was
wondering if there are better ways of doing this.

Thanks for your help

(aix 4.33, tsm 5.1.4 and suse enterprise 8.0 and tsm 5.2.2)




--
Otto Schakenbos
System Administrator

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