Hi,

> But, what about my idea to _archive_ from the disk array to tape?  Is
> that not doable?  What are the flaws in this idea?  Comments?

What do you mean by archiving from disks?

What do you not like by backup storage pools?
Once you can afford moving tapes physically offsite, 
this works great.


I would suggest you describe less what others suggested,
but what your business needs are:

        - what is "your" catastrophic failure (TSM failure? OS failure? 
        Total TSM HW failure? Whole server room destroyed but network
        still working? Whole server room including routers, switches, 
        cables burned down? 
        Whole building burned out including all safes and their content?
        Both primary and secondary site burned down (twin towers case)?

        - what shall work how soon after the catastrophic failure?
        Is it enough TSM Server be available 6 hours after failure?
        Or must be all restores of all file servers totaling
        million files and 1 TB done 6 hours 
        after failure?

        - how old may be the restored data? Day? Two? Week? An hour?

        - can you afford moving tapes physically offsite? How often?
        
        - what online connection to your second site you have?

        - what TSM Hardware do you currently have?

        


Such kind of information will make it easier for forum members to give you a
sound advice.


best regards
juraj

        


-----Ursprüngliche Nachricht-----
Von: Michael D Schleif [mailto:mds AT HELICES DOT ORG]
Gesendet: Dienstag, 02. März 2004 15:45
An: ADSM-L AT VM.MARIST DOT EDU
Betreff: Re: archive to tape ???


* Steve Harris <Steve_Harris AT HEALTH.QLD.GOV DOT AU> 
[2004:03:02:16:18:51+1000]
scribed:
> Weird requirement.

Yes.

> Not something that I'd recommend. And I don't see the logic for having
> only part of the data, but, its an intellectual challenge as to how
> this can be done.

Their design is a bit more complex than I originally posted.  They have
a second data center (DC), and there, a second TSM using a second disk
array.
TSM#1 in the main DC#1 is supposed to replicate itself in TSM#2 at DC#2.
DC#2 is supposed to house failover servers for all critical servers at
DC#1.  In the event of catastrophic failure at DC#1, TSM#2 (and DRM#2?)
are supposed to recover to these failover servers at DC#2, and all will
be back online in a few hours.  I am not yet privy to the reality of
this setup, and I do not believe that this is fully functional as I
write this; but, that is their idea.

Also, they have already spent alot of money, and a parade of consultants
precede me.  They need to minimize cost to whatever they do that they
are not already doing.  I hope to demonstrate my value by implementing
a sound, and simple, and inexpensive tape solution -- then, I may have
opportunity to get them to question their overall strategy.

> Try this
> 
> Set up a random diskpool big enough to hold one nights backup.  Point
backup at this. 
> Set up a  main  sequential file diskpool. Make this the nextstg of the
nightly pool with manually controlled migration between the two.
> Each day, run a backup stg from the nightly pool to the tape pool and send
the tapes off site.  Then migrate the nightly pool  to the main pool.
> Script a tape return process keyed on the state and update date of the
drmedia table.
> When the tapes come back, run a delete vol discardd=yes on them.
<snip />

OK.  Thank you, for your ideas.

But, what about my idea to _archive_ from the disk array to tape?  Is
that not doable?  What are the flaws in this idea?  Comments?


> >>> mds AT HELICES DOT ORG 02/03/2004 13:05:26 >>>
<snip />

> The client says that they want to copy daily to tape only the most
> recent version of files that have changed since previous day.
> 
> They will accept copy daily to tape all most recent file versions.
> 
> Each morning, those tapes last written will be taken offsite, and tapes
> from seven (7) days ago brought back onsite and available.
> 
> Furthermore, there are two (2) offsite locations, one for Windows
> platforms, and one for *NIX platforms.
> 
> 
> I am thinking that this can be accomplished by _archiving_ from the
> arrays to tape.  I am not clear how to specify policy.  Any ideas?
<snip />

-- 
Best Regards,

mds
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877.596.8237
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