I was recently told by IBM that their new product TSM Fastback will be
eventually replacing the TDP's.  Unfortunately it doesn't currently work
directly with TSM's database.  It allows you to replicate the data and then
you can backup the copy.  That includes Exchange and Databases such as SQL.
We are waiting for a evaluation copy to actually try it out.  I've seen
others in this mailing list mention they too are looking at this product.
If anyone has actually had a chance to play and use it... please share what
you've learned.

Thanks,

Elana Samuels
Tier 1 Data Solutions Inc.
Tel  905-660-7080
Cell 416-277-9544
elana AT tier1datasolutions DOT com
'Just Set It And Forget It'


-----Original Message-----
From: ADSM: Dist Stor Manager [mailto:ADSM-L AT VM.MARIST DOT EDU] On Behalf Of
Richard Sims
Sent: October 8, 2008 7:32 AM
To: ADSM-L AT VM.MARIST DOT EDU
Subject: Re: [ADSM-L] TSM open file option question

On Oct 8, 2008, at 12:22 AM, Wira Chinwong wrote:

> TSMMers,
>       Without TDP for database or mail, can I use TSM client backup the
> SQLServer,Exchange or Domino with "open file agent option"? It works
> in my
> test environment but there is no workload on the system. Anybody who
> have an
> experience please suggest.


As we always advise:
Backing up a database or similar server in a detached, file-oriented
manner while that facility is running is a bad idea, in that parts of
the database are either in flight or in server memory.  Further, the
stepwise backup of component files inevitably results in inter-file
inconsistency.  While the backup may run fine, the probability is high
that attempted restoral would result in incoherency, where the server
may fail to run with such data or data may be lost or corrupted.  The
TSM TDPs operate with APIs provided by the vendors of such database
server products so that the backup can work in concert with the active
server's operations in order to produce a restorable whole.

    Richard Sims