My understanding is that coming in a future release of TSM (probably
5.4), we will be able to stack multiple backupsets on a tape, and
restore individual files more easily.
That might be a possible solution for data that is very unlikely to ever
be needed, but has to be retained. At least it won't cause massive DB
growth.
-----Original Message-----
From: ADSM: Dist Stor Manager [mailto:ADSM-L AT VM.MARIST DOT EDU] On Behalf Of
Robin Sharpe
Sent: Monday, November 20, 2006 2:33 PM
To: ADSM-L AT VM.MARIST DOT EDU
Subject: Re: Litigation!
Interesting approach Paul. (i.e. Why didn't I think of that?) Will you
just do a weekly backup to the litigation server, or something like
that?
Perhaps I can move to a similar design...
RS
Paul Zarnowski
<psz1 AT CORNELL DOT EDU
>
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Dist Stor
cc
Manager"
<[email protected]
Subject
.EDU> Re: Litigation!
11/20/2006 01:31
PM
Please respond to
"ADSM: Dist Stor
Manager"
<[email protected]
.EDU>
Robin,
This is exactly why we are looking to segregate the litigation data
on a separate TSM server. We do anticipate that the database will
grow large due to lack of expiring data. This is the primary reason
we want to keep this data separate from our production TSM
servers. And yes, we will also have the requirement to continue
backing up forward in time and not expiring any of the backup
data. Keeping the data segregated leaves our options open more, too.
Thanks for the comments. They're helpful.
..Paul
At 11:25 AM 11/20/2006, Robin Sharpe wrote:
Hey guys,
I've been watching this thread for a few days now...
We have been down this road. Still on it actually. The thing is, how
diligent does your legal department want to be? Is a point in time
export
enough? In our case, we were directed to not only keep all backups
that
had been taken, but also to keep everything going forward. Reason
being,
there may be further discussions/data pertaining to the subject of
litigation. As a result, we have not done an expiration in 2.5 years,
and
I have created new policy sets with unlimited retention for all
parameters.
As you might imagine, this has resulted in incredible tape consumption,
since we cannot reclaim much (nothing from primary pools, and only the
fractional part of secondaries that were sent offsite). We use new
LTO2
tapes at a rate of about 100 per week. Also, our StorageTek L700
library
has long since overflowed... it has 618 slots; we have well over 3500
tapes
onsite (plus another 3500+ offsite). This has of course changed our
nice
automated environment into a much more manually intensive operation.
Oh
yeah, and our original TSM database grew to 529+GB, so I had to split
it
into four new ones...
This is a problem that will not go away... we have had several other
hold
notices from legal since the original litigation, for additional
unrelated
issues. I don't think TSM is the best way to handle this kind of
archiving. What they don't realize is, the immense operation that will
be
required to actually deliver this evidence if it is needed... think
about
it... you will have to restore all of the data tat you held, somewhere,
so
that it can be converted into a form that the court dictates. My guess
is
you will not be able to do this in your existing production environment
and
continue your regular operation... so that means a duplicate TSM
environment, mail/file servers, plus personnel to operate it, then
someone
to convert it. We're talking about thousands of tapes - terabytes of
data.... it will take a long time and a lot of dedicated hardware.
Regards
RS
Mark Stapleton
<mark.s@EVOLVINGS
OL.COM>
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cc
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Subject
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11/20/2006 09:57
AM
Please respond to
"ADSM: Dist Stor
Manager"
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.EDU>
From: ADSM: Dist Stor Manager [mailto:ADSM-L AT VM.MARIST DOT EDU] On Behalf
Of
Orin Rehorst
I've been told to "freeze" our TDP for Exchange backups. How do you
do
dat? The backups roll off. (Just keeping one backup may be good
enough.)
From: ADSM: Dist Stor Manager [mailto:ADSM-L AT VM.MARIST DOT EDU] On Behalf
Of
Roger Deschner
GENERATE BACKUPSET and save it. Write it to a tape, CDs, DVDs, or
something. At least this way, it can be restored without the server.
This is exactly the kind of situation the Backup Set feature was
invented for. Good instructions on how to do it in the TSM
Administrator's Guide.
...except that backupsets do not capture API data, such as is generated
when the TSM agent for Exchange is used.
As Wanda mentioned, export is your only real bet right now.
--
Mark Stapleton (mark.s AT evolvingsol DOT com)
Senior TSM consultant
--
Paul Zarnowski Ph: 607-255-4757
Manager, Storage Services Fx: 607-255-8521
719 Rhodes Hall, Ithaca, NY 14853-3801 Em: psz1 AT cornell DOT edu
