Hello to all,

I have a special situation.

In February I moved an AIX client from our old TSM 5.2 server to add it to our 
newer TSM 5.4 server, then I deleted the file spaces that belonged to this 
client and removed the client from the old server. Now the users want to 
recover old files that was on the AIX client before I moved it and deleted the 
file spaces. I know I can restore the database to the point before the 
deletion, but I need to be sure that the files can be recovered before 
attempting this. Everything was backed up on IBM 3590 cartridges in a large IBM 
library, and I have a tape management report that identifies all the TSM 
database tapes as available, as all of the data tapes, too.

But I also need to know which of the 4,000+ data tapes has the files I need.  I 
need a method to read the TSM database tape file without restoring it, and in 
reading it, I wish to know which are the data tapes with the files I need. If 
the tapes are available (since reclamation and reuse could have destroyed the 
original files), then I will restore the database tape, and run TSM to recover 
the requested files. But if most or all of the tapes were reused (the tape 
management system can verify this), then I can be sure that the data is lost 
and I would not have to do the TSM database restore.

It may sound confusing, but it is like knowing if there is fish in a lake 
before travelling toward the lake to catch fish.I am open to any and all 
suggestions and recommendations.

Raymond J. Ramirez, P.E.
Distributed Systems Supervisor
ITS Operations and Infrastructure