Re: How to remove a single file from a TSM backup tape volume

Thanks for the info about this technote.
I'm glad to know there are other people who have to deal with this
issue!

However, I believe this technote has errors.

*       The sections (A1-A4) that explain how to LOCATE the tape that
contains a particular file backup version are correct and useful.

*       Sections D-E that explain how to CLEAN UP the contaminated files
contain errors and will not work in many cases.

The idea in B-D is to rebind the contaminated file to a new management
class.  The first problem is that when a security spill occurs, the
security officer will usually delete the contaminated files from the
hard drive right away.  You CANNOT rebind a file that doesn't exist.    

So the first instruction in D should say, "If the contaminated file does
not still exist on the hard drive, create a dummy file of the same name
in the same path".  OTHERWISE the files will not rebind.

On the other hand, if the contaminated file IS still on the hard drive,
when the backup is run in D, the new management class will rebind all
backup versions and cause the INACTIVE backup versions to be deleted,
but NO management class ever removes the ACTIVE backup of an active
file.  The active backup of the contaminated file will remain valid, and
migrate to the new tape..

The backup should be run FIRST against an existing file to cause
rebinding,  
then the file should be deleted, 
then a backup run a SECOND time to inactivate the last copy.

The problem with E is that it the syntax as shown does not reconstruct
aggregates.  If the misclassified file is small enough to live in an
aggregate, it will get copied to the new tape by the MOVE DATA.  The
correct syntax is: MOVE DATA vvvvvvv RECONSTRUCT=YES.

Here is what I believe to be the correct procedure for items D-E; if
anybody can correct my interpretation, please respond.  When we get a
concensus on the correct procedure I'll try to find sombody who can
correct the technote.


D:  Run a backup

1.      Since the file was misclassified, you may have already DELETED
it from the hard drive.  In this case, use NOTEPAD and create a dummy
file of the same name in the same path.  

2.      Open the Backup/Archive GUI, click BACKUP, select the file, and
back it up.  This causes all file backup versions to be bound to the new
management class.  

3.      VERIFY that the file is bound to the new management class:

                o       Open the Backup/Archive GUI, click RESTORE
                o       From the top menu, pull down VIEW-> Display
active/inactive versions
                o       In the file tree, navigate to the file in
question.
                o       In the right pane, scroll to FAR right and check
the management class:  it should say mmmmmmmmmm, where that is the name
of your new management class, for ALL versions of the file in question.

4.      NOW delete the file (or the dummy file of the same name) from
the hard drive.

5.      Open the Backup/Archive GUI and run ANOTHER incremental backup
of the DIRECTORY where the file used to be.  This will cause all
versions to be marked inactive.

6.      Verify that everything worked as it should.  

                o       Open the Backup/Archive GUI, click RESTORE
                o       From the top menu, pull down VIEW-> Display
active/inactive versions
                o       In the file tree, navigate to the file in
question.
                o       In the right pane, all the versions of the file
should be GONE. 

7.      From the TSM server, enter:  EXPIRE INVENTORY.  This starts a
background process; wait until the background process completes to
proceed.


E:  Move Data

Corrected syntax:
MOVE DATA  nnnnnn   RECONSTRUCT=YES


=================================================================
 






-----Original Message-----
From: ADSM: Dist Stor Manager [mailto:ADSM-L AT VM.MARIST DOT EDU] On Behalf Of
Neil Schofield
Sent: Wednesday, November 10, 2004 9:26 AM
To: ADSM-L AT VM.MARIST DOT EDU
Subject: Re: How to remove a single file from a TSM backup tape volume


Nancy

I've used the unsupported DELETE OBJECT and would endorse the statement
Richard makes in his Quick Facts - namely that it does not update all
the
necessary tables to fully remove the object from the TSM server. When I
subsequently ran an AUDITDB on the database, inconsistencies were
flagged
up for that OBJECT_ID.

I was using it to delete TDP for Oracle backups that the RMAN catalogue
had
'forgotten' about, but with a file system client, I would recommend
following the advice in IBM technote # 1166278.

Regards
Neil Schofield
Yorkshire Water Services Ltd




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