Verify that a server has a good backup?

[hickoxp]

I know I can back a server up. I know I can restore one as well. What I need to know if how do I do a verify.

We do incremental forever on our machines. I need to be able to verify the backup will actually work should I need to without actually taking up disk space somewhere. I am sure this can be done though I have found no documents to guide me.

I am certain this is not best practice but space is as always expensive and in great demand.

thank you for your time,

Server Monkey

 

[sandeepkontham]

As far as I know we cannot preview a restore as we can do it for backup/archive.

You need to restore the file to a physical location to find backup files integrity or else you need to believe the TSM DB.

 

[Ezell]

How can I verify the content of a tape without restoring it to a filesystem.May i know auditing a volume will help to verify a backup?

 

[marclant]

May i know auditing a volume will help to verify a backup?

Yes, use the audit volume command. For syntax: HELP AUDIT VOLUME

 

[Ezell]

Yes, use the audit volume command. For syntax: HELP AUDIT VOLUME

Auditing a volume is taking more than 3hrs and it effecting other tasks .Is there any other way to verify the backups?

 

[marclant]

Auditing a volume is taking more than 3hrs and it effecting other tasks .Is there any other way to verify the backups?

No. In order to test the integrity of every file on a tape, the tape has to be read from start to finish. There are no way to test the data without reading the data. Depending on your environment, data is likely to be tested frequently without you realizing it. For example in a typical tape environment:
- client backs up data to disk
- backup storage pool (data has to be read, that's a successful test if the backup stgpool is successful)
- data is migrated from disk to tape (so data has to be read, that's a successful test if the migration is successful)
- reclamation runs (data has to be read on tapes reclaimed, that's a successful test if the reclamation is successful)
Note: not all tapes are read during reclamation, but over a long period, they all are.

So, if all your backups are successful and all the housekeeping tasks are successful, the data integrity is likely good.

Your initial question was to verify the content of a tape, the audit does that, that's why I suggested it. If you really want to verify a backup, then you have to restore the backup somewhere and verify it. Or use audit logging to see what is being backed up: http://www-01.ibm.com/support/knowl...m.ibm.itsm.client.doc/r_opt_auditlogging.html

 

[Ezell]

No. In order to test the integrity of every file on a tape, the tape has to be read from start to finish. There are no way to test the data without reading the data. Depending on your environment, data is likely to be tested frequently without you realizing it. For example in a typical tape environment:
- client backs up data to disk
- backup storage pool (data has to be read, that's a successful test if the backup stgpool is successful)
- data is migrated from disk to tape (so data has to be read, that's a successful test if the migration is successful)
- reclamation runs (data has to be read on tapes reclaimed, that's a successful test if the reclamation is successful)
Note: not all tapes are read during reclamation, but over a long period, they all are.

So, if all your backups are successful and all the housekeeping tasks are successful, the data integrity is likely good.

Your initial question was to verify the content of a tape, the audit does that, that's why I suggested it. If you really want to verify a backup, then you have to restore the backup somewhere and verify it. Or use audit logging to see what is being backed up: http://www-01.ibm.com/support/knowl...m.ibm.itsm.client.doc/r_opt_auditlogging.html

Thank you dear