Average time to rebuild a TSM Server

[STSM]

Hello everyone, I have four questions, just general please no horror stories. I am planning a DR Drill and need some answers.

Now I know this question really is based on the size of the database and the hardware.

Just looking for a general answers.

What is the Average time to rebuild TSM from nothing? (no OS, and TSM DBBackup is on tape)

How many times a year do you test the rebuild of TSM?

How many people from the backup team is needed to rebuild the server(s)?

Does it make sense to have TSM installed somewhere else and just restore the DB when needed? If so what is the average time?

 

[GregE]

What is the Average time to rebuild TSM from nothing? (no OS, and TSM DBBackup is on tape)

For the install of TSM server, and restore/recovery of DBBackup, say 2-4 hours. As for OS, I've not rebuilt an OS (nor have our UNIX admins in the DR situation) so I'm not sure on that part. We run Solaris and send a Flash Archive (FLAR) of the Solaris server offsite, which is applied to a DR server during DR testing (before we get there).

How many times a year do you test the rebuild of TSM?

We do an offsite DR test once a year at a 3rd party vendor site.

How many people from the backup team is needed to rebuild the server(s)?

That would depend on how many servers of course, and if your OS is built already and the TSM team is only dealing with TSM. I only have one server so I can't help much on the number of people.

Does it make sense to have TSM installed somewhere else and just restore the DB when needed? If so what is the average time?

This is almost what we do. Our vendor begins installation when we declare a Disaster, or before we are to start a scheduled DR exercise. TSM software is actually already installed as well. We start at the level of database restore. Don't forget all of the tape driver and device setup that has to happen before TSM. That also is part of our pre-config but tape driver config is usually still in process when we arrive. Also take into account your storage agents, since you have to setup tape driver on all of those machines.

Let me add this, which is pretty important when talking about duration. It depends the environment in which you do it, and how many times you've done it in that environment. What I mean is, if you are doing it at a DR vendor site, it's unfamiliar to you and your time may be longer. Plus, there can be (and is) a little bit of chaos with too many people in a room doing who knows what, talking about who knows what. How you work in such a situation effects the duration of recovery.

 

[STSM]

Thanks GregE, Keep the info coming along all.

 

[GregE]

FYI you have a duplicate main topic. You can easily delete that, just edit and delete.

 

[hogmaster]

My 2 Cents
Recommend that you use CBMR to rebuild your TSM server OS.
Do not use TBMR as you do not have a TSM server to restore from yet