Showing posts with label Tivoli Storage Manager. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Tivoli Storage Manager. Show all posts

27 May 2016

Now we can start TSM server in maintenance mode

Starting from TSM V7.1.3, we can also start the TSM server in maintenance mode if we need to do any house keeping activities. Starting TSM server in maintenance mode will help us to any kind of avoid disruptions during maintenance and reconfiguration tasks because they are automatically disabled. 

Starting TSM server in maintenance mode will disable the following automatic server operations and also clients are prevented from starting sessions with the server.
  • Administrative command schedules
  • Client schedules
  • Reclamation of storage space on the server
  • Inventory expiration
  • Migration of storage pools


However, While the server is running in maintenance mode, you can manually start the storage-space reclamation, inventory expiration, and storage-pool migration processes.

dsmserv maintenanace


To start the maintenance mode issue the DSMSERV command with the MAINTENANCE parameter. We do not have to edit the server options file, dsmserv.opt, to start the server in maintenance mode.

dsmserv maintenance

To again resume server operations in the normal mode, we need to shut down the server by issuing the HALT command and then restart the server by using the same methods which we generally use (dsmserv script). Operations that were disabled during maintenance mode are reenabled and the clients can start taking backups.

IBM Spectrum Protect (TSM) V7.1.5 Directory Container Storage pools Overview

Starting from Tivoli Storage Manager Version 7.1.3, you can use the new storage pool type called directory-container storagepool to protect backup and archive data. Data that is stored in a directory-container storage pool can use either inline data deduplication, client-side data deduplication, inline compression, or client-side compression. Tivoli Storage Manager offers the following features when you use directory-container storage pools for data storage
  • You can apply data deduplication and disk caching techniques to maximize data storage usage.
  • You can retrieve data from disk much faster than you can retrieve data from tape storage.

Inline data deduplication or inline compression reduces data at the time it is stored. By using directory-container storage pools, you remove the need for volume reclamation, which improves server performance and reduces the cost of hardware. You can protect and repair data in directory-container storage pools at the level of the storage pool by using AUDIT CONTAINER command.

The directory-container storage pool provides the following benefits:
  • Simplified storage management.
  • Optimized data-deduplication processing.
  • Reduced database growth and size.
  • Increased server performance and scalability.
  • Improved recoverability of damaged extents

Some TSM internal process does not support for directory-container storage pools. You cannot use any of the following functions with directory-container storage pools:
  • Migration
  • Reclamation
  • Aggregation
  • Collocation
  • Simultaneous-write
  • Storage pool backup
  • Virtual volumes

How to define directory container storagepool

Check the below syntax to define a direcory container storagepool. Please read the description of the parameters which are provided in the syntax to get better customization of this feature.

TSM Directory container storagepool

Example: define stgpool prod_stg stgtype=directory compression=yes

Auditing Directory-Container Storagepools

Use the AUDIT CONTAINER command to scan for inconsistencies between database
information and a container in directory container storage pool. 

Audit directory container storagepool


This command is used to complete the following actions for a container in a directory-container storage pool
  • Scan the contents of a container to validate the integrity of the data extents.
  • Remove damaged data from a container.
  • Mark an entire container as damaged

Example: audit container stgpool=newdedup action=removedamaged

26 May 2016

IBM Spectrum Protect (TSM) V7.1.5 Cloud Container Storage pools Overview

Starting from Tivoli Storage Manager Version 7.1.3, we can define a new storagepool type called cloud-container storage pool. We can back up the data to either an IBM SoftLayer or OpenStack Swift cloud computing system as of now. Hoping IBM will let us take backups to AWS and Azure in future as well but now we can only configure cloud backups to either IBM SoftLayer or OpenStack Swift cloud storage.

The cloud storage can be on premises or off premises. The cloud-container storage pools that are provided by Tivoli Storage Manager can store data to cloud storage that is object-based. By storing data in cloud-container storage pools, we can exploit the cost per unit advantages that clouds offer along with the scaling capabilities that cloud storage provides. 

Tivoli Storage Manager manages the credentials, security, read and write I/Os, and the lifecycle for data that is stored to the cloud. When cloud-container storage pools are implemented on the server, we can write directly to the cloud by configuring a cloud-container storage pool with the cloud credentials. This type of storage pool is used for data deduplication. Cloud storage pools are not supported on Linux on Power Systems and Linux on System z.

The Tivoli Storage Manager server can write deduplicated and encrypted data directly to the cloud. We can back up and restore data or archive and retrieve data directly from the cloud-container storage pool. We can define the following types of Tivoli Storage Manager cloud-container storage pools

On premises
We can use the on premises type of cloud-container storage pool to store data in a private cloud, for more security and maximum control over our data. The disadvantages of a private cloud are higher costs due to hardware requirements and on-site maintenance.

Off premises
We can use the off premises type of cloud-container storage pool to store data in a public cloud. The advantage of using a public cloud is that we can achieve lower costs than for a private cloud by eliminating administrative & maintenance costs. However, we must balance this benefit against possible performance issues due to connection speeds and reduced control over your data.

The cloud-container storage pool provides the following benefits:
  • Reduced on-premises storage requirements and cost.
  • Simplified storage management
  • Improved server performance
  • Use of public, off-premises, or private, on-premises cloud storage
  • Secure data through server-side encryption

How to define Cloud Container Storagepool

Check the below syntax to define a direcory container storagepool. Please read the description of the parameters which are provided in the syntax to get better customization of this feature.

Cloud container stgpool

Example: 

define stgpool cloud_stgpool stgtype=cloud
cloudtype=swift cloudurl=http://192.168.133:5000/v2.0
identity=admin:admin password=password description="OpenStack Swift cloud"


Auditing Cloud container storagepools

Use the AUDIT CONTAINER command to scan for inconsistencies between database information and a container in a cloud-container storage pool. 

Audit container


This command is used to complete the following actions for a container in a cloud-container storage pool:
  • Scan the contents of a container to validate the integrity of the data extents.
  • Remove damaged data from a container
  • Mark an entire container as damaged

IBM Spectrum Protect (TSM) V7.1.X Storagepools Concepts (Revised)

IBM is adding new features into TSM architecture in a regular basis, and as a TSM backup specialist we need to understand and apply these new features as applicable in our backup environment and check if we can save any hardware or storage resources.

In this post we will review on the new features added to the important TSM component STORAGE POOLS.

Storagepools are the important components in the IBM Tivoli Storage Manager infrastructure. With the new features introduced in TSM 7.1.X, we can optimize the usage of storage devices by manipulating the properties of storage pools and volumes.

TSM V7.1.x storagepools


Storagepools or Server Storage:

As we all know that Storagepool is the logical group of similar media where we save our client backup/archive. We can have number of storagepools configured in our TSM environment and this group of storagepools is also known as TSM Server Storage. Any TSM infrastructure can have 3 types of storage-pools.
  •  Primary storage pools
  • Copy-storage pools
  • Active-data storage pools

Primary storage pools

Primary storage pools are the first destination of all the backups whether FILE-LEVEL or TDP backups. So when a user tries to restore, retrieve, recall, or export file data, the requested file is obtained from a primary storage pool. So it is TSM administrator responsibility to make sure that the backup data on primary storagepools are safe and restorable when needed.

You can arrange primary storage pools in a storage hierarchy so that data can be transferred from disk storage to lower-cost storage such as tape devices. Depending on the type of primary storage pool, the storage pools can be located on site or off site. Starting from TSM V7.1.3 there are 2 new types of primary storagepools and depending on the type of primary storage pool, the storage pools can be located on site or off site. There are 4 types of primary storagepools
  1. Random Access Storagepool
  2. Sequential Access Storagepool
  3. Directory-container storage pools
  4. Cloud-container storage pools

Random Access & Sequential Access Storagepools

Random Access Storagepool uses DISK devices to store the clients backup/archive and Sequential Access Storagepool uses TAPE or FILE devices to store the client backup/archive. Since these are old types, we are not going deep about these storagepool types. Please refer my previous post for their explanation....

Directory-container storage pools

This type of storage pools contain containers that are stored in storage pool directories. In directory-container storage pools, data can be deduplicated at the same time that the data is stored. By using directory-container storage pools, there is no need for volume reclamation, which improves server performance and reduces the cost of storage hardware. We can protect and repair data in directory-container storage pools at the level of the storage pool itself.

Cloud-container storage pools

This type of storagepool can store data to an object-store based cloud storage provider. By storing data storage in cloud-container storage pools, you can exploit the cost per unit advantages that clouds offer along with the scale-up and scale-out capabilities that cloud storage provides.

Tivoli Storage Manager manages the credentials, security, read and write I/Os, and the data lifecycle for data that is stored to the cloud. When cloud-container storage pools are implemented in the server, you can write directly to the cloud by configuring a cloud-container storage pool with the cloud credentials. 

The Tivoli Storage Manager server writes deduplicated and encrypted data directly to the cloud. You can back up and restore data or archive and retrieve data directly from the cloud-container storage pool.

cloud-container storage pools also supports ON-premises cloud and OFF-premises cloud to store the backup data. ON-premises feature can be used to store data in a private cloud, for additional security and maximum control over your data. The disadvantages of a private cloud are higher costs due to hardware requirements and on-site maintenance. 

OFF-premises feature can be used to store data in a public cloud and achieve lower costs than for a private cloud, for example by eliminating maintenance. However, these benefits must be balanced against possible performance issues due to connection speeds and reduced control over your data.

Copy storage pools

Copy storage pools contain active and inactive versions of data that is backed up from primary storage pools. 

A directory-container storage pool cannot be used as a copy storage pool. In addition, data from a directory-container storage pool cannot be copied into a copy storage pool. Copy storage pools provide a means of recovering from disasters or media failures. 

For example, when a client attempts to retrieve a damaged file from the primary storage pool, TSM server will choose copy storage pool if the file is damaged or non-restorable from primary storagepool. A copy storage pool can use sequential-access storage only, such as a tape device class or FILE device class.

Active-data storage pools

An active-data pool contains only active versions of client backup data. In this case, the server does not have to position past inactive files that do not have to be restored.

A directory-container storage pool cannot be used as an active-data storage pool. You use active-data pools to improve the efficiency of data storage and restore operations, for example this type of storage pool can help you to achieve the following objectives:
  • Increase the speed of client data restore operations
  • Reduce the number of onsite or offsite storage volumes
  • Reduce the amount of data that is transferred when you copy or restore files that are vaulted electronically in a remote location

Data that is migrated by hierarchical storage management (HSM) clients and archive data are not permitted in active-data pools. As updated versions of backup data are stored in active-data pools, older versions are removed during reclamation.

Active-data pools can use any type of sequential-access storage. However, the benefits of an active-data pool depend on the device type that is associated with the pool. For example, active-data pools that are associated with a FILE device class are ideal for fast client restore operations because the FILE volumes do not have to be physically mounted and the client sessions that are restoring from FILE volumes in an active-data pool can access the volumes concurrently, which improves restore performance.

9 September 2015

New Features in IBM Spectrum Protect V7.1.3 (Formerly known as TSM 7.1.3)

Tivoli Storage Manager V7.1.3  (IBM Spectrum Protect 7.1.3) extends its scalability, efficiency , flexibility and also allows administrators to backup data to cloud storagepools. Below are some of the main enhancements coming with TSM V7.1.3...

  • 10x capacity per Spectrum Protect (TSM) server using built-in deduplication technology enabling a storage pool with a post- deduplication capacity of 1PB. New storage pool technology provides native software deduplication capability with up to four times improvement in daily backup ingest throughput and up to ten times improvement in storage capacity for a single backup server instance.
IBM Spectrum Protect 7.1.3
  • 4x backup throughput using highly efficient in-line server-side deduplication technology. Compatible with existing client-side deduplication capability, which reduces backup data at the source and minimizes network bandwith requirements.
  • Efficient, server-side, in-line deduplication allows the use of inexpensive backup storage pool disks. Inline server side deduplication eliminates the need for separate post-ingest processing of backup storage pool data, thus reducing resource requirements on the Spectrum Protect server.
  • Deduplicated storage pools that natively leverage on-premises object storage or off-premises cloud-based object storage. Off-premises data is secured with encryption in-flight and at rest, and deduplication enables efficient transfer.
  • Spectrum Protect V7.1.3 expands storage pool options to include secure on-premises
    or off-premises cloud object storage. Native object storage pool option supports IBM SoftLayer(R) or OpenStack Swift. object storage, providing an on-premises or off-premises destination for backup data as an alternative or replacement for tape or on-site disk.
  • Encryption of deduplicated data at rest ensures secure storage of off-premises backup data.
  • Extends NetApp snapshot-assisted progressive incremental backup to clustered Data ONTAP environments.
  • Easy client installation experience with integrated language packs for all supported languages. Simplified, wizard-based configuration for deduplication and object storage pools.
IBM Spectrum Protect V7.1.3 Operations Center New Features

Operations Center 7.1.3 adds more visibility, more control, and more automation with the following features:
  • Setting up and monitoring Spectrum Protect replication is simplified through the addition of setup wizards and monitoring screens.
  • Additional wizards to help you configure and manage the deduplication and object storage pools.
  • Ability to define a lifecycle for decommission of client nodes data, which streamlines the process of removing backup data for decommissioned systems.
  • Improved ease of use of backup policy configurations with ability to add, activate, and edit backup policy management classes.
  • Additional interfaces to show front-end capacity values to make it easy to verify license compliancy.
  • A REST API to help automate and simplify management of the Spectrum Protect environment for cloud and managed service providers.
IBM Spectrum Protect for Virtual Environments V7.1.3 New Features
  • Intuitive web-based portal for self-service file recovery that enables Virtual Machine owners, administrators, or help desk personnel the ability to perform file-level restores from VMware image backups in an automated way, reducing the complexity and cost.
  • Highly simplified individual file restore using a web browser that enables users, VMware administrators, and backup administrators to perform restores of individual files from a block level image backup of virtual machines.
  • Integrates with VMware hosted Microsoft Exchange Server environments to enable simple item-level mailbox restores from Data Protection for VMware backups
IBM Spectrum Protect Snapshot V4.1.3 (IBM Tivoli FlashCopy Manager) New Features

It Improves ease of use and therefore reduces administrative expenses by delivering the following functions:
  • Introduces dynamic allocation for IBM Spectrum Virtualize FlashCopy target volumes in VMware environments. When configuring Spectrum Protect, Snapshot administrators can define storage pools containing target volumes where the
    snapshots should reside. At run time, when a FlashCopy operation takes place, the required target volumes are dynamically allocated by Spectrum Protect Snapshot.
  • Provides a pre-installation check program in UNIX environments, which has been further automated since it verifies that the installation environment meets the requirements for the installation of Spectrum Protect Snapshot. This function improves the ease of use during installation to reduce administrative expenses In addition, operational efficiencies are achieved when multiple Spectrum Protect Snapshot instances are deployed.
Reduces business risks and achieves operational efficiencies by allowing
  • Individual item recovery from the Microsoft Exchange Recoverable Items Folder.
  • Support for cloning of Oracle database running in Real Application Cluster mode on Oracle's Automatic Storage Management.
IBM Spectrum Protect Suite V7.1.3 (IBM Tivoli Storage Manager Suite for Unified Recovery) 

The IBM Spectrum Protect Suite provides a comprehensive set of data protection capabilities with simplified licensing on a tiered per-terabyte (TB) metric. It comes with simple, pay as you grow licensing. The suite features capacity-based licensing, advanced agents for virtual environments and core applications, snapshot management and hierarchical space management IBM Spectrum Protect Suite allows you to more easily modernize data protection. The following are new features added in this version
  • Breakthrough cost and performance improvements for scalability and efficiency of software defined deduplication, increased ingestion rates, and increased capacity.
  • Low cost, secure cloud storage capability leveraging native object storage, without the need for a gateway.
  • Extremely simple file-level restores for VMware virtual machines through a self-service web portal.
  • Lowers the cost of ownership and makes it simpler to administer through enhanced monitoring, more reporting and analytics, and wizard- based configuration
IBM Spectrum Snapshot V4.1.3 (formerly IBM Tivoli Storage FlashCopy Manager), which is included in the IBM Spectrum Protect Suites, delivers
  • Ease-of use enhancements in the area of snapshot-based data protection for applications, databases, and virtual environments.
  • Capabilities for protecting Microsoft Exchange databases and cloning of Oracle databases.

6 September 2015

Tivoli Storage Manager (TSM) is now renamed as IBM Spectrum Protect 7.1.3

Starting from TSM 7.1.2, IBM has changed the name from IBM Tivoli Storage Manager to IBM Spectrum Protect which is one of the modules of IBM Spectrum Storage. The latest release TSM 7.1.3 mainly focus on the simplified administration and effective deduplication. From IBM Spectrum Protect 7.1.3 (TSM 7.1.3), you can also define a cloud based storage-pools to reduce the cost. 

IBM Spectrum Protect 7.1.3 (TSM 7.1.3) has below enhancements

Deduplication Enhancements

  • Up to 53% reduction in backup infrastructure costs, based on IBM assessments using Butterfly software.
  • No charge software-defined deduplication delivers the performance of appliances without the cost and complexity

New Cloud Storage Pools 

  • New storage pool type (Container/cloud storage pool)
  • Cloud backup tier reduces storage costs, improves flexibility.
  • No cloud gateway appliances needed

Usability Improvements

  • Self-service portals for VMware users and service providers.
  • Snapshots integrated with traditional backups, applications and storage systems
Watch the below video to know more about IBM Spectrum Protect V7.1.3