Hi Betsy,

 > I got a negative answer about rebuilding our ADSM database from the
stgpools
 > - one last question before I commit suicide......does anyone know if
it's
 > possible to restore the database from a VM backup of it?

If the VM backup was taken during the ADSM server was down - it should
always be be possible.

If the ADSM server was up and running there is a  chance that it might be
possible. That would depend on:
a)   No sessions updating the database run at and during the entire backup
time
     - no sessions is best and may work
     - restore sessions might be okay also
     - backup/archive sessions during backup time will always create a
inconsistent
       and mostly unusable backup
b)   No processes that update the database run
     - I don't know which processes all update the DB, but surely
expiration and most admin tasks will

In general: Backups with non-ADSM tools (DDR, VMFPLC2, TAPE, VM:Backup,
etc.) must run with the ADSM server stopped, otherwise no guarantee that
all data backed up will be consistent.

In the end: I would say that IBM must do something here. It must always be
possible to rebuild the DB from all the volumes currently being used. Even
without the volhist backup, an external tape manager providing the DSN's or
a plain paper list of volumes must be all what is needed. Otherwise the DB
is too much at risk in my opinion.

Best regards

Andreas Peikert, Systems Programmer VM
   Fon: +49 (0)8122 43-5805 / Fax: +49 (0)8122 43-3260
   aMaDEUS Data Processing GmbH,   P.O. Box,   D-85424 Erding,   Germany