Maybe both are correct!

Perhaps the discrepancy folks are seeing relates to .vmdk files that are
thick vs. thin provisioned.  If it's thick-provisioned, the .vmdk file is
full-size and thus when the .vmdk is backed up, you get everything (used and
unused space).  If it is thin-provisioned, the .vmdk only contains blocks
that have been used, so when the .vmdk is backed up, you get a smaller
backup.

In either case, it would seem the full .vmdk as it exists is backed up - the
size of the backup just depends on whether that .vmdk contains unallocated
blocks or not.
-Ken

On 7/10/13 4:00 AM, "Michael Roesch" <michael.roesch AT GMAIL DOT COM> wrote:

> So this sounds like a draw to me ;-)
>
>
> On Tue, Jul 9, 2013 at 4:49 PM, Stefan Folkerts
> <stefan.folkerts AT gmail DOT com>wrote:
>
>> I don't think this is correct, TSM for Virtual Environments (and even just
>> the BA client with a simple full backup) will only backup the blocks that
>> are in use inside the .vmdk file, this information is provided by the
>> vSphere storage API.
>>
>>
>> On Tue, Jul 9, 2013 at 3:15 AM, Stackwick, Stephen <
>> Stephen.Stackwick AT icfi DOT com> wrote:
>>
>>> According to this:
>>>
>>>
>>>
>> http://www-01.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=swg21641914&myns=swgtiv&mynp=OC
>> SS8TDQ&mync=E
>>>
>>> TSM4VE backs up the whole disk. And that's been my experience.
>>>
>>> Steve
>>>
>>> STEPHEN STACKWICK | Senior Consultant | 301.518.6352 (m) |
>>> Stephen.Stackwick AT icfi DOT com | icfi.com
>>> ICF INTERNATIONAL | 410 E. Pratt Street Suite 2214, Baltimore, MD 21202 |
>>> 410.539.1135 (o)
>>>
>>>> -----Original Message-----
>>>> From: ADSM: Dist Stor Manager [mailto:ADSM-L AT VM.MARIST DOT EDU] On 
>>>> Behalf
>>>> Of Robert Ouzen
>>>> Sent: Monday, July 08, 2013 8:58 AM
>>>> To: ADSM-L AT VM.MARIST DOT EDU
>>>> Subject: [ADSM-L] FW: [ADSM-L] Should CBT be enabled before using TSM
>> for
>>>> VE to save space?
>>>>
>>>> Hi Wanda
>>>>
>>>> No quite sure at least in Vsphere 5 (maybe Vsphere 5.1) , I always
>> check
>>>  with the
>>>> command: dsmc show VM all  and the parameter :  changeTracking: Off
>>>>
>>>> About the first backup will take only the USED space , at least in my
>>> environment
>>>> some machines works fine  but some others backup the ALL space !!!
>>>>
>>>> Best Regards
>>>>
>>>> Robert
>>>>
>>>> -----Original Message-----
>>>> From: ADSM: Dist Stor Manager [mailto:ADSM-L AT VM.MARIST DOT EDU] On 
>>>> Behalf
>>>> Of Prather, Wanda
>>>> Sent: Monday, July 08, 2013 3:47 PM
>>>> To: ADSM-L AT VM.MARIST DOT EDU
>>>> Subject: Re: [ADSM-L] Should CBT be enabled before using TSM for VE to
>>> save
>>>> space?
>>>>
>>>> If your VM's were created in VSphere 5, CBT will be on by default.
>>>>
>>>> My understanding is that either way (starting with CBT on or off), you
>>> should
>>>> only get USED space on the first backup.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> -----Original Message-----
>>>> From: ADSM: Dist Stor Manager [mailto:ADSM-L AT VM.MARIST DOT EDU] On 
>>>> Behalf
>>>> Of Michael Roesch
>>>> Sent: Monday, July 08, 2013 4:29 AM
>>>> To: ADSM-L AT VM.MARIST DOT EDU
>>>> Subject: [ADSM-L] Should CBT be enabled before using TSM for VE to save
>>>> space?
>>>>
>>>> Hi there,
>>>>
>>>> I've read here
>> http://www-01.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=swg21608413
>>>> that TSM for VE is using "content-aware" backup, if CBT is enabled. It
>>> also says
>>>> that TSM for VE will enable CBT after the first backup.
>>>>
>>>> So I'm wondering if enabling CBT before performing the first backup
>> would
>>>> make TSM for VE backup only the used blocks (i.e. used space) and hence
>>> would
>>>> save space on the storage pool?
>>>>
>>>> Or would TSM for VE still backup the full VMDK, including possible lots
>>> of unused
>>>> space inside it on the first backup?
>>>>
>>>> Regards,
>>>> Michael
>>>
>>