yes, we are using ADSM together with DCE/DFS. I think, what you describe
is a problem, but for us it is not the most serious one, because we mainly
use AIX (and are still on ADSM Vers. 2 in that area; this should change
soon).

More serious for us is the following: We have about 44000 filesets (each
user has one), which are organized in groups according to the user's
initial letter. So my fileset is mounted at:
/.../dce.uni-muenster.de/fs/u/m/mersch

Of course, we do not want to maintain 44000 VIRTUALMOUNTPOINT definitions,
so we define them on the next higher level:
   VIRTUALM           /.../dce.uni-muenster.de/fs/u/a
   VIRTUALM           /.../dce.uni-muenster.de/fs/u/b
   VIRTUALM           /.../dce.uni-muenster.de/fs/u/c
   ...
   VIRTUALM           /.../dce.uni-muenster.de/fs/u/z

We thus have to make ADSM cross mount points (option "DFSBackupmntpnt No"
when using the DFS enabled client; the non DFS enabled client does this
anyway, as far as I know). This is quite dangerous, because if any user
mounts any part of the DFS file tree in his/her own fileset, we back that
up. And there is no way to prohibit the use of "fts crmount".

We are thus forced to go to "buta". I do not like that very much, because
I consider "dsm[c]dfs" being superior: it needs less resources due to its
incremental-forever-concept and offers better service to the users
(individual restore of several generations of a file).

By the way: since I visit the CeBIT tomorrow, any idea where to look for
a backup/archive product doing a better job in the AFS/DFS area?

Best regards,

Reinhard

Helmut Richter writes:
 > Some days ago I posted here a problem which I think must startle all AFS
 > or DFS sites that use ADSM. I got one (!) reply of one large site who,
 > just like us, now feel forced to contemplate switching to another
 > backup/archive system. All others remained silent. Is it indeed so that
 > AFS or DFS is used only by a few weirdos like us?
 >
 > If you have AFS or DCE/DFS installed, please respond (to the list or to my
 > email address) so that I can get a picture of whether a DCR for future
 > basic support (simlpe files archive and backup, *not* access control lists
 > or other AFS/DFS specific features) would have a chance.
 >
 > Please indicate shortly if you see a problem with what is described in
 > http://www.lrz-muenchen.de/ALESia/papers/afsbug.html .
 > If not, why not (e.g. exclusively AIX, no archival/retrieval, still on
 > version 2, users accept arbitrary detours to get their data, just don't
 > care)?
 >
 > Best regards,
 >
 > Helmut Richter
 >
 > ==============================================================
 > Dr. Helmut Richter                       Leibniz-Rechenzentrum
 > Tel:   +49-89-289-28785                  Barer Str. 21
 > Fax:   +49-89-2809460                    D-80333 Muenchen
 > Email: Helmut.Richter AT lrz-muenchen DOT de    Germany
 > ==============================================================
 >
--
Reinhard Mersch                        Westfaelische Wilhelms-Universitaet
Reinhard Mersch                        Westfaelische Wilhelms-Universitaet
Zentrum fuer Informationsverarbeitung - ehemals Universitaetsrechenzentrum
Roentgenstrasse 9-13, D-48149 Muenster, Germany      Tel: +49(251)83-31583
E-Mail: mersch AT uni-muenster DOT de                       Fax: 
+49(251)83-31653