It won't be cheap, but an Index Engines machine can do this. We have one
that we use for e-discovery. It can actually read TSM backup tapes
without a TSM DB. http://www.indexengines.com/

Roger Deschner      University of Illinois at Chicago     rogerd AT uic DOT edu
"Walking on water and developing software from a specification are
easy if both are frozen."
- Edward V Berard


On Fri, 20 Jul 2012, Shawn Drew wrote:

>TSM is not designed to do this and there is no documentation on recovering
>data without the appropriate database.  This is why the manuals stress the
>importance of protecting the database.
>
>That said, there are binaries out there and have seen them on sourceforge
>or google code that can dump the contents of a ADSM/TSM tape.  I never
>tried it myself and would definitely take some time to figure out.
>
>There are also some archiving/recovery companies that are able to read TSM
>tapes for indexing and restoring using their proprietary software.
>
>Regards,
>Shawn
>________________________________________________
>Shawn Drew
>
>
>
>
>
>Internet
>tsm-forum AT BACKUPCENTRAL DOT COM
>
>Sent by: ADSM-L AT VM.MARIST DOT EDU
>07/11/2012 11:10 PM
>Please respond to
>ADSM-L AT VM.MARIST DOT EDU
>
>
>To
>ADSM-L
>cc
>
>Subject
>[ADSM-L] how to restore files from TSM backup tapes w/o TSM db
>
>
>
>
>
>
>Hi all,
>    We had a monthly backup job in our TSM system and the data must be
>kept forever without purging the TSM database.  Recently, we found that we
>couldn't restore some users' database in 2010.  During the troubleshooting
>process, we further found that some users' backup records for 2008, 2009,
>2010 were missing in TSM database.  We reported the case to IBM and they
>said that the data could not be restored without a health TSM database.
>
>We have all monthly backup tapes on-hand.  Would you all kindly advise me
>how to restore the files in the monthly backup tapes without using the TSM
>database?
>
>Thanks a lot.
>
>Regards,
>KK
>
>+----------------------------------------------------------------------
>|This was sent by kcheung4 AT yahoo DOT com via Backup Central.
>|Forward SPAM to abuse AT backupcentral DOT com.
>+----------------------------------------------------------------------
>
>
>
>This message and any attachments (the "message") is intended solely for
>the addressees and is confidential. If you receive this message in error,
>please delete it and immediately notify the sender. Any use not in accord
>with its purpose, any dissemination or disclosure, either whole or partial,
>is prohibited except formal approval. The internet can not guarantee the
>integrity of this message. BNP PARIBAS (and its subsidiaries) shall (will)
>not therefore be liable for the message if modified. Please note that certain
>functions and services for BNP Paribas may be performed by BNP Paribas RCC, 
>Inc.
>