ADSM-L

Re: Full backup?

2005-11-28 22:41:11
Subject: Re: Full backup?
From: Andrew Raibeck <storman AT US.IBM DOT COM>
To: ADSM-L AT VM.MARIST DOT EDU
Date: Mon, 28 Nov 2005 20:41:54 -0700
Hi Dave,

I assume that you'll be using a test TSM server that has been created by
restoring a backup copy of the production server's TSM database. My
scenario implies that you'll have to make a production TSM server db
backup after you created the special copy storage pool volumes for the
node.

I'm not sure I follow how getting "... two other nodes up and running" is
not a client test. If you are just looking to verify that the TSM *server*
was restored correctly, you could probably bring one tape with you that
has one (or a few) of the node's files on it, and try restoring those
files, without doing anything else special. That is less messy than
manipulating your schedules to try and get a "full" backup.

There are almost certainly other ways to manipulate your production TSM
environment to generate a smaller set of tapes, but not all methods are
quick (e.g., collocation, if not currently in use), but as my earlier
response suggests, there is the bigger question of what it is you are
really trying to accomplish. If your DR test is intended to verify that
you can restore a working TSM server and you demonstrate that by restoring
a few client files, that's one thing. But if your objectives also include
trying to restore a complete client node from the restored TSM server,
then I think making a special backup just to reduce the number of tapes
invalidates the DR test (at least for that specific objective), since it
does nothing to demonstrate that your regular backup processes are
adequate for restoring the client node in a disaster situation. For
example, if you are *not* currently collocating, then doing a test with
your non-collocated tapes might help make the case for collocation if the
restore time is not satisfactory.

So... if you want to restore just a small handful of files to validate the
restored TSM server is working, then why not just bring one or two of the
existing tapes with you (that are known to contain at least one or two
complete files without spanning to other volumes) and restore those files
as a quick test?

If you want a rigged restore, then my other idea should also work: use a
new node name, which will automatically get a full backup. You can define
the node in a new (test) domain, and create a special tape storage pool
for this test node. Define a management class that puts all this node's
data in the new storage pool, then run a backup. The result will be a
small (or smallest possible) set of tapes in the test storage pool that
you can take with you. Of course, you'll want to then make sure that you
bring  a TSM server database backup with you that was made *after* this
special client backup was made.

The idea of using a scheduled SELECTIVE command against the / file system
only works if / is the *only* file system; otherwise you'd need to
enumerate all the file systems that are on this client. And you'dl have to
also use the -subdir=yes option.

Regards,

Andy

Andy Raibeck
IBM Software Group
Tivoli Storage Manager Client Development
Internal Notes e-mail: Andrew Raibeck/Tucson/IBM@IBMUS
Internet e-mail: storman AT us.ibm DOT com

IBM Tivoli Storage Manager support web page:
http://www-306.ibm.com/software/sysmgmt/products/support/IBMTivoliStorageManager.html

The only dumb question is the one that goes unasked.
The command line is your friend.
"Good enough" is the enemy of excellence.

David_Zarnoch/HOM/NWP.MYPROV AT myprov DOT com wrote on 2005-11-28 16:39:26:

> Andrew,
>
> Thanks!
>
> We're just trying to validate that we can get the TSM server and two
other
> nodes up and running. Not a client test.
> We will actually be at a registered DR site (IBM) with dedicated
> equipment for us.
> Your solution sounds good although it does sound a bit complicated.
> Are you assuming that we are using our production TSM system?
> We will have a completely different system in a remote site.
> Knowing that, is the solution you suggest be the only way to limit the
amount
> of tapes?
>
> Thanks!
>
> Dave Zarnoch
> Nationwide Provident
> zarnocd AT nationwideprovident DOT com
> W 302-452-4197
> C 302-462-8703
>
> Andrew Raibeck <storman AT us.ibm DOT com>
> Sent by: "ADSM: Dist Stor Manager" <ADSM-L AT VM.MARIST DOT EDU>
> 11/28/2005 11:40 AM MST
> Please respond to storman
>
> To: ADSM-L AT VM.MARIST DOT EDU
> cc:
> bcc:
> Subject: Re: [ADSM-L] Full backup?
>

> It's only "cheating" if the objective of this DR test is not to validate
> your current client backup process.
>
> If it *is* intended to test your client backup procedures, then yes, it
is
> cheating on a far larger scale than just limiting the number of tapes
you
> bring with you, since you avoid testing with the real data that you
would
> actually have at the time of a real disaster, and therefore won't find
any
> issues that might fall out had you had the real set of tapes. You also
> don't get your money's worth for the cost of the test. (Obviously) I do
> not recommend this course of action.   :-)
>
> But if you must, then it might be easier to just register a new node and
> make a full incremental backup of that node.
>
> I haven't worked it out in full detail, but a compromise would go
> something like this: create a new disk storage pool, and use MOVE
NODEDATA
> to move the test node's data to that pool. Then create a new copy
storage
> pool, and back up the disk pool to it. You can then migrate the data
from
> the new disk pool back to the regular tape pool, then delete the new
disk
> pool. Likewise, after you've completed your DR test, you can delete the
> new copy storage pool and its volumes. Your DR test won't use the
original
> set of tapes that it would use in a real DR test, but at least the
backup
> data would be the same as what you would have in a real DR scenario.
>
> Regards,
>
> Andy
>
> Andy Raibeck
> IBM Software Group
> Tivoli Storage Manager Client Development
> Internal Notes e-mail: Andrew Raibeck/Tucson/IBM@IBMUS
> Internet e-mail: storman AT us.ibm DOT com
>
> IBM Tivoli Storage Manager support web page:
> http://www-306.ibm.
> com/software/sysmgmt/products/support/IBMTivoliStorageManager.html
>
> The only dumb question is the one that goes unasked.
> The command line is your friend.
> "Good enough" is the enemy of excellence.
>
> "ADSM: Dist Stor Manager" <ADSM-L AT VM.MARIST DOT EDU> wrote on 2005-11-28
> 11:18:07:
>
> > Probably a FAQ, but.......
> >
> > We are planning a DR this weekend and I would like to limit the number
> > of tapes we bring by getting a full backup of the system (Level 0)
> > (I know....cheater....cheater....)
> >
> > Do I just modify the GUI settings from incremental to selective?
> >
> > Then, in the "file space" just put in "/"
> >
> > Sounds too simple.
> >
> > Thanks!
> >
> >
> > Dave Zarnoch
> > Nationwide Provident
> > zarnocd AT nationwideprovident DOT com
> > W 302-452-4197
> > C  302-462-8703

<Prev in Thread] Current Thread [Next in Thread>