This was just the sort of discussion I was looking for.  Thank you for the
replies.  I inherited our current TSM system 4 years ago and feel that is
the best product on the market.  I have never run into a problem
restoring/retrieving files for clients (that wasn't user related) in all
that time.  But alternatives using TSM are just the kind of thing I would
like to present to management.  I will now do some research on AIX to see
what I can come up with.  As I said though, our mainframe is the most
reliable server in the house.  So I am wondering if you ever have problems
with the AIX server crashing etc.?   Is it difficult to learn how to use?
In the MVS world I can write scripts and macros to use as input files to
assembler programs, in this way I have automated the whole TSM backup &
OFFSITE processes including reclaimation, expiration etc.  The only TSM
tasks the Data Center operators have to do is put ejected tapes in a box in
the morning to go offsite each day.  Is this something I would be able to
do on a AIX system?  Would you suggest a class or two of formal training?
Out of all the platforms I have some knowledge of, I find NetWare the most
puzzling, even though our NetWare Administrator would lay in front of a
speeding train rather than switch to another platform.  Does AIX have a
complicated operating system?  We have never had an AIX box here so my
knowledge is less than nothing.  I will do some research now, but any other
feedback you have would be very welcome.
Thanks again,
Shannon