Hello Erwann, thank you for replying.

I am not using VCB -- but instead, VADP.  It's ridiculous that IBM can't
offer the same off-host file-level backup of for Linux VMs that they do for
Windows VMs - now I have to deploy and manage an in-guest BA client for
every VM?

According to this link, it looks like file-level backup should be
available, off-host using VADP for BOTH Windows and Linux.

http://kb.vmware.com/selfservice/microsites/search.do?language=en_US&cmd=displayKC&externalId=1021175

Am I missing something?  Does anyone know if IBM is working on this
feature?  I don't relish the idea of searching for Linux files by
repeatedly mounting images until I find the file I need...

Best regards,

Mike, x7942
RMD IT Client Services

On Wed, Jul 1, 2015 at 3:42 AM, Erwann SIMON <erwann.simon AT free DOT fr> 
wrote:

> Hello Mike,
>
> I guess you're using the old VCB backup modes (with filelevel option).
>
> VCB allows image level (fullvm) for any guest operating system, but
> file-level is limited to Windows guest operating system.
>
> See this datasheet from VMware :
> http://www.vmware.com/files/pdf/consolidated_backup_datasheet.pdf
>
> So, you won't be able to perform off-host file-level backup of your Linux
> guests.
>
> The only available solutions are :
> - installing a Linux B/A client, but i'ts an in guest istallation.
> - installing TSM for VE that allows file-level recovery from an forever
> incremental block-level image backup.
>
> --
> Best regards / Cordialement / مع تحياتي
> Erwann SIMON
>
> ----- Mail original -----
> De: "Michael S Ryder" <michael_s.ryder AT ROCHE DOT COM>
> À: ADSM-L AT VM.MARIST DOT EDU
> Envoyé: Mercredi 1 Juillet 2015 05:13:03
> Objet: [ADSM-L] TSM, Linux and VMs
>
> Folks:
>
> Is it possible to perform off-host, file-level incremental backups of Linux
> VMs from a Linux "proxy" or "data mover?"
>
> I am using TSM 7.1.1 Server, and have a mix of Windows and Linux VMs
> (VMware, vSphere 5.5 environment).
>
> I have no trouble using my Windows "data mover" with the BA client to
> perform file-level backups of Windows VMs, but I am thus far unable to use
> my Linux "data mover" host with BA client to perform file-level backups of
> Linux VMs.
>
> Is this not supported?  If not... what is the best way to perform off-host,
> file level incremental backups of Linux VMs?
>
> Best regards,
>
> Mike, x7942
> RMD IT Client Services
>