Hi Nick,

yes, if you omit the scratch= parameter (default is YES) on the command
line TSM will use scratch tapes (if available).

But in contrast to the TSM documentation which says that tapes that were
acquired as private volumes will return to this state after being deleted
from the volume history the database backup volume will return to scratch
after the del volhist t=dbb command even if you used "checkin libv library
stat=privat" !! :-(((((

So you better schedule the del volhist command a very short time (10 - 15
seconds) before the backup db command to prevent TSM using this volumes for
data storage and therefore ruining your db backup series.

Mit freundlichen Grüßen,
Met vriendelijke groeten,
With best regards,
Bien amicalement,

CU/2,
                Dirk Billerbeck


Dirk Billerbeck
GE CompuNet Kiel
Enterprise Computing Solutions
Am Jaegersberg 20, 24161 Altenholz (Kiel), Germany
Phone: +49 (0) 431 / 3609 - 117, Fax: +49 (0) 431 / 3609 - 190,
Internet: dirk.billerbeck @ gecits-eu.com


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nickpc AT US.IBM DOT [email protected] on 05.02.2002 22:48:36

Please respond to ADSM-L AT VM.MARIST DOT EDU

Sent by: ADSM-L AT VM.MARIST DOT EDU


To:      mailbox.dekelnsm
cc:
Subject: DB Backups to specific tapes
                                                                            
                                                                            
 -------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
Just list the volumes in the database backup command:
Just list the volumes in the database backup command:

backup db type=full devc=yourdevclasshere vol=volser

To make this even easier, you can have a pool of volumes to use, in a comma
separated list:

backup db type=full devc=yourdevclasshere
vol=vol1,vol2,vol3,vol4,vol5,vol6,vol7

TSM will go along the list until it finds a volume it can use for the
backup.  So if, with the command above, vol1 and vol2 already have
dbbackups on them, TSM would use vol3.  You'll want more volumes than
you'll be keeping versions of your database, so you don't "starve" the
database backup process for tapes (I've been told if none of the listed
volumes are available, TSM will grab a scratch tape, but I've never tested
that).  So if you keep 7 versions of your database backup, you'll want at
least 7 (I'd recommend 10) tapes, to protect against bad tapes, mistaken
checkouts, or other issues.

Also, make sure the volumes that you want to use are checked in as Private,
not Scratch.

Nick Cassimatis
nickpc AT us.ibm DOT com

Today is the tomorrow of yesterday.