I know that TSM can do both serverfree and lanfree. My
impression of these is that for lanfree the client node
asks TSM over the network where to place files. The TSM
server tells the node  and the node talks to the tape
drives directly. Since I have four tape drives (that I can
put onto the SAN fabric) then only four nodes can backup
at once?

With serverfree where the TSM server talks to the ESS/shark
directly, how does TSM get things that are inconsistent
like database files that have potentially changes in
memory? Also, since TSM does not know the end platform,
how can TSM backup files? Does it only back up blocks and
the client must ask for enough blocks to make up the files
it wants to restore?

Mike