I just caught up on this thread.  I've done LOTS of exporting and
importing.

We just exported our main file servers, Oracle, and Lotus Domino servers
to create a static snapshot for legal reasons.

Using TWO DLT-8000 drives writing two export jobs in parallel, it took two
WEEKS to write 7-3/4 TB to 132 DLTs, with DLT drives that average 8 MB/s
throughput.

It isn't just the data write time.  For big exports like that you have to
allow for tape exchanges (our "big" library holds 39 tapes); tape
accumulation (I had a stack of DLTs a foot high on my desk); the influence
of regular TSM tasks on your export jobs (volume/drive/bus contention);
shortage of media and *labels*; and so forth.

I made it clear to the requester that the import would be performed on a
rented AIX server using a rented DLT library and the data would be
restored to a rented WinTel server for examination.

Exports work - but large ones are not trivial.

Tab Trepagnier
TSM Administrator
Laitram, L.L.C.







Ted Byrne <ted.byrne AT ADELPHIA DOT NET>
Sent by: "ADSM: Dist Stor Manager" <ADSM-L AT VM.MARIST DOT EDU>
04/20/2004 12:45 PM
Please respond to "ADSM: Dist Stor Manager"


        To:     ADSM-L AT VM.MARIST DOT EDU
        cc:
        Subject:        Re: Please help me NOT migrate


>My recommendation is to set up a new Solaris server and slowly put new
clients
>    on it.  Then over time we will move all clients to the new server.
But I
>    know it won't fly because it will entail buying a new tape library.

Eliza,

Would it be feasible to share the 3494 between servers during the
transition if it comes to that?

I've never done any significant export/import processing, but I can't
imagine that given the total downtime to do a one-shot cutover would be
acceptable given the number of nodes and volume of data that you're
dealing
with.  My gut feeling is that the downtime for the cutover would be
nothing
short of horrific, but that's really a hunch on my part.

Ted

Ted Byrne
Blacksburg, VA