TSM Advanced Copy Services With EMC BCVs

[Mita201]

Does anyone has any experience with TSM Copy Services and TSM Advanced Copy Services? Those things used to be known as TSM for hardware, and there was some support for snapshot providers other than IBM HW, but new version anoncements talk only about ESS, DS6000/8000 and SVC. Others are obviously not supported, but can it work at all, with EMC box and it's features?

 

[sgabriel62]

I have access to Powerlink site via EMC - let me know what you are looking for and we can move on from there. Start taking a look at TSM and DataMovers.
In most cases - EMC BCVs will be Virtual Mount or NFS mount points to the Windows or UNIX servers - therefore your TSM dsm.opt Domain statements and include/exclude lists need to be correct.
Let me know

 

[Mita201]

Well, potential customer asked if TSM can provide taking backup from snapshots, of MS Exchange and Oracle 10gR2, both on EMC storage. In meantime, i got pretty clear answer from IBM: No, and no plans to.

 

[sgabriel62]

Well I do not know who you spoke to - but - here is a thought for you.

Your BCV - or clone for that matter is a point in time snapshot based on the replication frequency of the primary/clone(s) synchronization routine.
I left an environment recently where the environment was EMC based with BCV clones - and a Perl script in place which controlled the establish/sync/split activities - and via a call statement - TSM backed up the final "timestamped" version of the clone. IN a nutshell - TSM is the "third-tier" storage provider in this backup routine. It was then understood between Storage and the Customer - that restores during the normal business day were satisfied via the "clone" but TSM will satisfy the "end of day" result. This customer was satisfied with this conclusion - perhaps yours will too.
Now you can backup the .ckt (or the checkpoint) directories - but the hangup behind this is - you - the SAN or TSM administrator - needs to manually or a script routine to append a date time stamp on the backup routine. My alternative to that is - a backupset where the Description field contains the Date/Time/Info of the single image. Then record this in a separate spreadsheet.
Therefore TSM CAN backup your current environment- but you have to create the working environment where all parties are satisfied with the result. You have to be a bit creative because the customer has come to you for a backup solution - if you need any assistance in getting this created and implemented - let me know.

In respect to Exchange and Oracle Grid - use the TDP - taken from the Primary copy. There is no additional resource contraints - and it's quite simple to implement and all TSM supported. Now if you are using ASM to replicate - then the same theory applies as previously mentioned.

Good luck
Steven

 

[Mita201]

Steven,

Thank you a lot for your thoughts and advices! I saw interesting things in your post, and I like your creative solution. Unfortunately, I am not that close to deal with the client, to offer backup solution design. It is ongoing tender for products, and we are still talking about features, compared with features of other enterprise backup solutions. One thing is already existing there, and that is EMC storage. I'll let you know when customer decides.

One thing is not quite clear to me:
when you said

"In respect to Exchange and Oracle Grid - use the TDP - taken from the Primary copy. There is no additional resource contraints - and it's quite simple to implement and all TSM supported. Now if you are using ASM to replicate - then the same theory applies as previously mentioned."

You are talking about taking backup not from copy, but from original, using usual TDP way of taking backup? You think there is no additional resource constrains in that case? But, what a fuss about "Advanced copy services" and "Copy services" then?

 

[sgabriel62]

Mita - you are very welcome - have your boss or colleague or even your Business Analyst contact me if there is any questions. To answer your question: Yes you are taking a "hot or online" backup directly from the source. In an essence its the policies set by the Exchange and Oracle admins which "direct" the backup routines so they do not have to bring down the application. Reasoning - limited or No downtime allowed by the customer is what I see the most. Data sizing comes a close second. Resource constraints are Introduced in on fashion or another. You can also use the TDP to take the backup from the clone as well - but there is some additional application configurables the Exchange and Oracle admins need to pursue to make it work. There is also LanFree and Server Free options where backups from SAN go staight to TSM. Lastly, EMC also has Virtual tape and Site-Site replication tools where TSM is available to secure the backups of the clone.

The two services are either being introduced or working towards implemention - Without knowing your baseline environment - I am going to assume its due to lack of downtime or a very tight SLA. This means the application cannot come down for any reason - therefore - replicating data to a second or third tier "clone" or location allows ALL admins to secure a backup solution for instant or point in time recoveries if needed. Or ever DR.

There is a relationship between EMC and Tivoli - all you have to do is get the right ones in place, tested and satisfy the business need and you're off to a positive and successfull solution.

Hollar if you need anything

Steven

 

[Mita201]

Steven,

Purpose of making "clones" of exchange store and oracle is, beside other, taking "server-free" backups, with backup software, which is possible with other backup solution we are competing against (Symantec/Veritas) and EMC. We have tried to introduce SVC in the environment, but customer doesn't look pretty interested in it, since they just have one big EMC box. (TSM supports those features only with IBM High end storage boxes and SVC)
And yes, other people from my company involved in this project are following this thread with great interest, so thank you again.

 

[KB]

TSM Copy Services and TSM Advanced Copy Services have been replaced by Tivoli Storage Flashcopy Manager, FCM. For Microsoft SQL and Exchange FCM will work with any disk that has a Microsoft VSS provider, and most do. Now, that's for the Windows operating system. FCM also works with some Unix flavors, however, the supported disk is limited to IBM's. But, if you place a SVC into the mix then the EMC disk would be supported.

So with FCM and TSM for Mail, yes for Exchange. No, for Oracle unless you have a SVC and running a FCM supported Unix.