TSM client log files

[Blinque]

Hi guys,

I've got a 'weird' situation here.

My TSM nodes are configured to run scheduled backups using TSM Scheduler services (no CAD service). Therefore, these TSM Schedule services are running 24/7 to wait for scheduled job initiations from the TSM server.

My TSM Scheduler services are using the default log files:

C:\Program Files\Tivoli\TSM\baclient\dsmsched.log
C:\Program Files\Tivoli\TSM\baclient\dsmerror.log

I have a problem at which I am unable to access to the BA Client GUI whenever I launch it as I get the "log files are inaccesible/being used by another process" error message.

Apart from that, every Friday I have a Windows batch job to prune/append my dsmsched / dsmerror log files to prevent them from growing too much. However, as the TSM Scheduler services are accessing them 24/7, my batch job is unable to prune the log files.

Any ideas how I can tackle this problem?

Any way I can configure the BA Client GUI to launch without using a log file, or is it a definite requirement for log files for the GUI to run?

Thanks!

 

[max]

hi,
assuming you're using a suitable version of tsm client, you may want to know that you can prune/wrap your log files by setting them approriately from the client gui (namely you open up the scheduler tab and/or the general tab, select the log file and mark the appropriate pruning).
As for the "log files are inaccesible/being used by another process", well this is really weird and it might depend on some particular configuration you have done with the tsm client scheduler: you may want to try to define a brand new tsm scheduler and see if the error disappear.

hope this helps
max

 

[Blinque]

Hi Max,

I don't remember any particular configuration being changed on the scheduler service as things have been running smoothly for the past couple of years and it was only recently that something seems to be holding up the log files.

I want to try to avoid defining a new scheduler service if possible as I've experienced backups missing when a new service is defined, be it CAD or Sched service.

Would using the TSM CAD service help? As by using the CAD, the scheduler service would be stopped most of the time, and the CAD service does not use the dsmerror and dsmsched log while running.

As for the pruning, my manager made the decision to do manual pruning as the operators monitor every day's backup process by going through the dsmsched.log in the morning to ensure all files have been backed up.

Would it help if I defined 2 different sets of logs? i.e:

- Defining a set of logs in the OPT file using the ERRORLOGNAME parameter
- Using a different set of logs in the scheduler service by updating the service using DSMCUTIL

As far as I know, the BA GUI only utilizes the dsmerror.log, not along with dsmsched.log, am I right?

Thanks for the assistance as I'm still pretty vague bout the finer details of TSM

 

[heada]

To keep only the last 7 days of history in the schedule log, add this to your DSM.OPT file:

SCHEDLOGRETENTION 7 D

The admin guide should have all valid options that you can put into the opt file. Look it over and see if theres anything else that interests you.

-Aaron

 

[max]

hi,
TSM CAD will possibly making it harder for you and it would write to a log file anyway, but if you feel comfortable with it go ahead.
You can safely change the log file either from the client GUI or the dsm.opt file with the errorlog parameter. Please note, however, that each process will write into its corresponding log file, which i'm afraid will not help you in your effort, since they will point to the same file.
Do not be afraid to define/upgrade new schedulers, because in windows environment it is really easy and it doesn't suffer from common misbehaviour you can encounter with unix-like clients when upgrading their schedulers.
cheers
max

 

[Blinque]

heada,

Appreciate your assistance.

Does the BA client GUI need to access the schedlog when it is launched? And is it normal for the TSM Scheduler service to lock/hold up the log files and prevent client GUI from accessing/writing to them?

Would you say this is to be expected in an environment without the TSM CAD?

I'm looking for an alternative that doesn't involve utilizing TSM to prune my log files as our operators manually do them using batch scripts

 

[Blinque]

Whoops, sorry didn't see your reply there Max.

Appreciate your assistance. So from what I'm getting from the replies so far, I should re-define my scheduler services as it's not normal for the log files to be constantly held up.

Guess I'll give it a go.

Really thanks for the swift replies guys!

 

[heada]

The BA GUI should not need access to the schedule log, only the scheduler process does. The scheduler process should only have a lock on the file when it is writing to the file which would be whenever you are performing a backup via the scheduler or when the scheduler polls the TSM server for it's schedule (every 8 hours by default)

Not having the CAD does not affect access to the schedule log file in any way.

If theres nothing for the batch script to prune, does it error? You could add the TSM pruning and just let their batch script attempt to prune nothing ( evil, maybe...but then you don't have to worry about it)

 

[Blinque]

Believe me, I've though about it

Yeah, if there's nothing for the batch script to prune it still errors (the script accesses the log files to prune - and since the log files are inaccessible, it errors)

I'll play around with the log file and service configs a bit tomorrow when I get back into work. Maybe I'll get some screenshots as well if things still stay the way they are.

Thanks.

 

[Blinque]

Hi Mikeymac!

So did the problem go away after you set up the services fresh?

I've re-installed the scheduler services to see if it'll help. Will need to monitor this for a couple of days as usually the log file 'lock' issue doesn't surface until a few days after the scheduler services have been restarted (usually when a lock happens I restart the services, or sometimes even the machine).

Fingers crossed, will keep you guys informed.

 

[Blinque]

Hi guys,

Re-creating the scheduler services didn't help, I am still getting a lock on my dsmsched and dsmerror log files.

Below is a screenshot of when I launch my BA client GUI:

In fact, when I look at my dsmerror.log files, I even see some backup jobs being unable to run with the same ANS1398E error.

Any ideas guys? Thanks for taking the time to help me out. Cheers