Thanks all for the suggestions.  I think there are some differences in
behavior between 5.1.5 and 5.2, because the "q backup" still will not
return anything for me, even with braces.  Using SQL "select * from backups
where nodename=..." does show the individual backup files.  As long as the
Informix onsmsync utility will in fact delete the unneeded log backups from
Tivoli, this fact is not clear from either Informix or Tivoli
documentation.

Thank you Del for the pointer, I did find the article that explained how to
set up the management class for the log file backups.  Setting RETEXTRA=0
is supposed to be the key so that when onsmsync expires/deletes the log
file Tivoli won't keep the old ones lying around.

Gary Oborn





                      Del Hoobler
                      <hoobler AT US DOT IBM.C        To:       ADSM-L AT 
VM.MARIST DOT EDU
                      OM>                      cc:
                      Sent by: "ADSM:          Subject:  Re: TDP for Informix 
expiring backup files
                      Dist Stor
                      Manager"
                      <[email protected]
                      .EDU>


                      05/20/04 06:24 AM
                      Please respond to
                      "ADSM: Dist Stor
                      Manager"






Keep in mind that Data Protection for Informix is
an API which implements the Open Group Backup Services
application program interface (Open Group XBSA) functions.
Data Protection for Informix does not provide a CLI or GUI
because the interface is provided from Informix.
Backups and restore are driven through Informix with
a utility that Informix provides called ON-Bar.

You can use the BA client to query the data just like
some people have shown in their responses to this append.
It is true that a QUERY FILESPACE will show 0MB because that
particular field is not used with Data Protection for Informix.
A QUERY BACKUP will also work if you can interpret the object
naming scheme. The Data Protection for Informix User's Guide
does discuss object naming. In general, using the BA client
query commands will probably work but are not generally "supported".

As far as object expiration...
For database backups, general TSM policy is used.
Log backups are uniquely named... you can use an Informix tool
called onsmsync to control expiration of the log backups.

There is an IBM KB article that discusses expiration of Informix
logs on a TSM server. Go to WWW.IBM.COM and Search for
   +"Data Protection for Informix" +expire

Thanks,

Del

----------------------------------------------------

"ADSM: Dist Stor Manager" <ADSM-L AT VM.MARIST DOT EDU> wrote on 05/19/2004
04:55:10 PM:

> From: ADSM: Dist Stor Manager [mailto:ADSM-L AT VM.MARIST DOT EDU] On Behalf 
> Of
> Bill Boyer
> >And from Mark's reply, the output of the data just shows the objects,
> size,
> >date/time and unless you know exactly what you're looking at, yes it is
> >meaningless. But this will show you the objects and allow you to EXPIRE
> >them
> >if you have the BACKDELETE=YES for the node.
> >
> >So, try 'dsmc -virtualnode=raven_ifmx'. You'll be prompted for a
> password.
>
> I don't believe that is correct. Remember, Mr. Oborn asked about data
> backed up with TDP for Informix. That data is backed up with API code,
> not BA code. The dsmc b/a client cannot access anything about filespaces
> or backups, since it doesn't access the relevant information.
>
> From the TSM server, he *could* use QUERY OCCUPANCY on the Informix
> filesystems and see how much storage space the Informix data is taking
> up on tape and/or disk storage pools, but that's about it. If you run a
> QUERY FILESPACE from the server, it will 0 MB of space occupied; this is
> because the QUERY FILESPACE command only access data about clients
> backed up with the BA code.
>
> Again, I think the only way to access information about what is
> available for backups is with the TDP for Informix code (and possibly
> Informix itself), and that will only run if Informix is loaded and
> running on the console.
>
> Del, do I have that right?
>
> --
> Mark Stapleton