These are not desirable features: they are required features for their
product since they have to do full backups periodically and TSM does not.
In addition, we will exclude winword.exe and never back it up ( why would
you backup that file?  If you needed to fix Winword, use the CD, not
backup/restore).  In fact, the best case scenario has TSM excluding
everything on the desktop except for My Documents. Have the users put the
files they want backed up in the that directory.  I know, I know, users
don't want to do that!  Tough?  Ok then, how about we backup files with
specific extensions? .doc, .xls, etc.

I know of a large site > 30,0000 nodes successfully using TSM.  They move
between 5-10 MB per night/per system.  Works like a charm.  10 TSM servers
handling this load.

One must always remember that a feature is often a cover up for some other
problem.  In the case of the one you describe, they need while we don't.  We
can exclude files and we only do incrementals.

Kelly J. Lipp
Storage Solutions Specialists, Inc.
PO Box 51313
Colorado Springs, CO 80949
lipp AT storsol DOT com or kelly.lipp AT storserver DOT com
www.storsol.com or www.storserver.com
(719)531-5926
Fax: (240)539-7175