Greetings,
        I recently became responsible for an environment with over 700
Windows clients, spread out over 11 TSM servers.  I am on a mission to
improve the reliability, since on any given day there are 10-15 clients that
don't backup, mostly because their TSM scheduler process dies.  The first
thing I am doing is working with the Windows team to upgrade to the latest
client code (some of the TSM clients are running 5.1 and 5.2!).  Another
thing is to switch them all to "schedmode prompted", since most of them are
still polling.
        But another thing I am thinking about changing is to stop using the
traditional TSM scheduler process that runs all the time, and configuring
'managedservices webclient schedule' and the Client Acceptor Daemon.  My
habit has always been to use CAD, and this is the largest shop I have seen
that doesn't use it at all.  It has always seemed to me that the CAD process
would make things more reliable, since the CAD process wouldn't die even if
the scheduler process did, and the CAD process could launch the next backup
without intervention on someone's part.
        But I would like to hear from you with a lot of experience in large
shops.  Does the CAD service really make TSM client backups more reliable?
Is it worth the effort to convert to?  I don't want to heap more work on the
Windows staff unless there is a payoff.

Best Regards,

John D. Schneider
Sr. System Administrator - Storage
Sisters of Mercy Health System
3637 South Geyer Road
St. Louis, MO.  63127
Email:  schnjd AT stlo.mercy DOT net
Office: 314-364-3150, Cell:  314-486-2359