Jerry Lawson
jlawson AT itthartford DOT com
________________________Forward Header________________________
Author: INTERNET.OWNERAD
Subject: Re: Database size problems
11-25-96 04:48 PM
I see the same problem --- the amount of software on our desktops
(primarily Win95 and WinNT) is increasing at an increasing rate! But
for us it's not just a data base issue, it's an overall storage and
network capacity issue
An increasing number of the desktop files are "temp" files, as Wayne
said. But in our network, because we administer the networks centrally
and install most software over the network, the bulk of the files on
desktops are executables (or help files) that are duplicated at the same
level on every desktop and do not change.
NOT backing up this junk is very important to us, because of the
capacity issues in our robotic libraries and the offsite vault.
We very much need the following:
Very short term:
We need the option to get the exclude list OUT of dsm.opt and into a
separate file for the Windows clients. That would at least help us in
an attempt to create and distribute a suitable exclude list. It's not a
very good solution because software for the desktop changes so
frequently and we lack a good means of frequently redistributing the
exclude list.
Short term:
We need above all else the option to specify a global exclude list, say
one for each management class, that lets us define an exclude list in
ONE PLACE, not on every desktop. The administrator should determine
whether the global exclude list takes precedence over the local exclude
list or not.
Long term:
We need a "smarter" backup system. The administrator should be able to
identify a set of files which are "common" for all clients associated
with a management class. Those files (such as WIN95 executables and
HELP files) should only be backed up ONCE, but be available for restore
by all clients in the management class.
Thanks for listening!
>----------
>From: Wayne T. Smith[SMTP:wts AT MAIL.CAPS.MAINE DOT EDU]
>Sent: Friday, November 22, 1996 4:51 PM
>To: Multiple recipients of list ADSM-L
>Subject: Database size problems
>
>Our ADSM database usage used to be dominated by our servers. Each of
>those servers typically have 20,000 to 200,000 files; a PC or Mac
>typically has 2,000-6,000 files.
>
>But more recently our desktop workstations have grown dramatically in
>terms of required ADSM database usage. Some of this is due to
>additional operating system and application code, but IMHO it is
>*dominated* now by worthless throw-away entries such as Pointcast
>Network - (.../pcn/...) and other applications caching files such as
>WBI, NetScape, MSIE, etc.
>
>Yet ADSM gives us few tools to measure or manage this "problem".
>
>For example, right now my Win95 desktop machine has about 9,000 files,
>while ADSM is managing *36,000* database entries. My daily backup is
>dominated by these worthless files and my ADSM database requirements
>are growing uncomfortably with it.
>
>I suggest improvements in 2 areas:
>
>o Make it easy for sites to customize DSM.OPT; recognize "temp"
> directories fr common applications in the "standard DSM.OPT.
>
>o Give us the database query tools to understand what we are backing up
> and how policy changes might affect the volume. I'd love to be able to
> answer such "What if?" questions as "If I reduced #inactive versions,
> how is the DB reduced?" "If I reduced expiration times, how is DB
> affected?"
>
>Your thought would be most welcome,
>
>Wayne T. Smith mailto:wts AT maine.maine DOT edu
>Systems Group -- CAPS University of Maine System
>
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