TSM server on z/OS doing LANFREE backups is a part of the 5.2 announcement.
We are looking at it also.   I don't know if it fits types of backups.   I
would think that the backup direct to tape over a SAN could be much faster
than say a backup over a GB Ethenet network to disk.  HOWEVER, If the backup
over the network is nearing the capacity of the network, client, server, or
the disk, I wonder how much faster the backup will be.  I truely would like
to know.  We have a large DB2 data warehouse that takes too long to backup,
(and is growing).  But I don't see it stressing any of the above listed
components.  We are having the client compress it (and it is getting better
than 3:1).  So it makes me wonder if going the LAN FREE route will buy us
anything.
        Does anyone have an experienced opinion on this?  
Matt

TSM 5.1  announcement   http://www.ibmlink.ibm.com/usalets&parms=H_203-095

-----Original Message-----
From: Sherman, Howard [mailto:HSherman AT DOITT.NYC DOT GOV]
Sent: Thursday, August 21, 2003 12:25 PM
To: ADSM-L AT VM.MARIST DOT EDU
Subject: Can TSM server on z/OS talk to SANs?


Hello,

     We have been running the TSM Server on z/OS, backing up
Windows/Solaris/Linux clients. Our backup media has been a StorageTek
Powderhorn Tape Silo, emulating IBM 3490E drives (tape capacity 2GB). Within
the year the silo will be upgraded to emulate IBM 3590 drives (tape capacity
60GB). 

     Clients have been dissatisfied with the throughput of the TSM backups.
Typically, the aggregate transfer rates have ranged between 1MB and 3MB/sec.
That's not good when you want, for example, to backup an Exchange database
over 100GB in size.

     Anyway, there is a project spawning here to possibly bring in some SAN
boxes, like the EMC Clarion models. The idea would be to somehow directly
backup to the SANs, or have a tape silo Fibre Channel connected directly to
the SAN. 

     My first question is, is there a way for the TSM Server on z/OS to talk
directly to the SAN boxes? Or would the SAN have to be emulated to z/OS to
look like some type of IBM mainframe tape device (3480/3490/3590/whatever)?
   

Howard Sherman, Technical Consultant
NYC Dept Of Information Technology & Telecomm (DoITT)
718-403-8737 Office    914-474-1464 Mobile