Click on the items below for information about the functions of ADSM.
Backup and Restore functions allow backup-archive clients to make backup copies of data at specified intervals and restore the data from those copies when required. These functions provide protection from workstation or file server media failure, accidental file deletion, data corruption, data vandalism, and site wide disasters.
Click on the picture for more information about backup and restore functions.
Archive and retrieve functions provide backup-archive clients with point-in-time copies of data for long-term storage.
Click on the picture for more information about archive and retrieve functions.
Client hierarchical storage management (HSM), also known as space management, can prevent out-of-space conditions on HSM clients by migrating files from the clients to server storage.
Click on the picture for more information about migrate and recall functions.
A backup stores copies of files, subdirectories, and directories on storage media. To provide maximum automation, backups can be based on defined policies and can be centrally scheduled. Client file systems are typically backed up at intervals so copies can quickly accumulate. ADSM automatically tracks backup versions and deletes them when they are no longer current.
ADSM provides two types of backup:
ADSM backs up only files that have changed since their last backup. Incremental backup reduces network usage and the server storage required for backup versions. Other products perform periodic full backups to consolidate incremental backups into a single image. ADSM, on the other hand, performs a full backup of client files only once. Subsequent backups can be incremental. The ADSM database points to the latest backup image of each file. If data must be restored, the server, using information in the database, consolidates the incremental backup copies.
ADSM backs up files and directories selected by the user.
The backup function provides backup-archive clients with the following:
Files can be automatically compressed on the backup-archive client file system before backing them up. This reduces network traffic, transfer time, and storage requirements.
Typically, the data on backup-archive client file systems varies and requires different levels of backup function. ADSM provides policy objects that are defined by administrators and represent levels of backup and archive function.
Users can specify which files should be considered for backup or archive and what level of function each file should receive.
A restore identifies backed up copies of files, subdirectories, and directories and returns them to the client file system. The restore function provides backup-archive clients with the following:
Users can restore selected files from a filtered list of backup copies. They can also restore files to subdirectories other than those from which the files were backed up.
Users can give permission to other users to restore their files.
Files that were backed up on one platform can be restored to a different platform. Cross-platform restore is available on the following backup-archive clients:
Archive stores copies of files, subdirectories, and directories for long-term storage. For example, some hospital records, audit reports, and legal records require storage for a long time. The archive function provides backup-archive clients with the following:
Files can be automatically compressed on the backup-archive client file system before archiving them. This can reduce network traffic, transfer time, and storage requirements.
Users can archive any file by its file name and a short description. This function is useful because archived files often contain records that are seldom accessed.
Users can archive copies of important project milestones or significant historical data.
A retrieval identifies archived files, subdirectories, and directories and returns the data to a client workstation. The retrieve function provides backup-archive clients with the following:
Users can retrieve archive copies from a list sorted by archive date, by file name, or by user-specified descriptions.
Users can give permission to other users to retrieve their files.
Users can retrieve files that were archived on one platform to a different platform. Cross-platform retrieval is available on the following backup-archive clients:
Migration frees storage space on workstations and file servers by moving large, seldom used, or aging files form workstations and file servers to server storage. Administrators can set policies that migrate files only when a valid backup of the file exists in ADSM server storage. This ensures the recoverability of migrated data if the original copy is damaged.
Users can define capacity thresholds for HSM client file systems. When a threshold is reached, client files are automatically moved from client storage to server storage.
ADSM provides three types of migration for HSM clients:
ADSM monitors HSM client storage and automatically controls the movement of files to ADSM storage based on administrator-defined parameters.
ADSM lets users move one or more files from workstations to ADSM server storage.
ADSM automatically moves files to ADSM server storage when out-of-space conditions occur in client storage.
The HSM function recalls files to the HSM client automatically if they are referenced.
ADSM provides two types of recall:
ADSM automatically copies a migrated file from ADSM storage to the HSM client file system if the file is accessed.
ADSM allows a user to copy one or more selected files from ADSM storage to a user's workstation.
Server storage is composed of storage pools. A storage pool is a named set of storage volumes that is used as the destination for client files. ADSM provides three default storage pools on disk:
Backuppool - This storage pool is provided for storing backed up client data.
Archivepool - This storage pool is provided for storing archived client data.
Spacemgpool - This storage pools is provided for storing migrated client data.
When you configured a tape device to ADSM using the ADSM Manual Device Configuration Wizard, the wizard automatically created a tape storage pool for tape volumes. You can arrange your storage pools into a hierarchy. Server hierarchical storage management optimizes server storage by migrating client files from storage pools of more expensive media (disk, for example) to storage pools of less expensive media (tape, for example). Migration is started and stopped based on high and low thresholds that the administrator sets for each storage pool. Migration applies to all client files (backup, archive, and client HSM).
Hint: Whenever you configure a device for ADSM to use, you must associate a storage pool with the device.
Click here for
an example of threshold-based migration.
ADSM administrators can increase productivity by automating many day-to-day storage administration tasks.
Basing Level of Function on Policy
An administrator can define policies that ensure ADSM functions are performed consistently for client files. Users associate their files with the policies that offer them the level of function their files require. For example, some files require daily backups, while others require only weekly or monthly backups.
Click here
for a
description of the backup options the administrator can control.
Scheduling Function
An administrator can schedule when ADSM should begin certain client operations and administrative commands. The administrator can also set the order in which those services should be performed.
How many backup versions of a file to keep.
What kind of storage media to store backup versions on.
Whether to backup an unchanged file that has existing backup versions.
How many days must elapses between backups.
How long to keep the files in server storage.
Scheduling Client Operations
An administrator-defined schedule could back up client files between midnight and 4 a.m. every day, every other day, or only on a specific date. Processing for clients with critical data can be scheduled to occur before processing for other clients. For a scheduled service to occur, the client PC or workstation must remain powered on.
Scheduling Administrative Commands
An administrator-defined schedule could back up the archive storage pool beginning at 3 a.m. every three days. Administrative command scheduling is especially useful for unattended operations.
Administration functions provide ADSM administrators with support for day-to-day monitoring, administration, and accounting of ADSM.
Administrative client component
The administrative client lets administrators manage the server from another system or the same system.
ADSM utilities
Administrators can access a set of ADSM configuration and administration utilities that allow them to set client and server options, define services, format storage volumes, add additional clients, label tape volumes, and other administrator tasks.
Monitoring scheduled operations
ADSM monitors scheduled operations and maintains information about their status in the database. This information can be viewed by the administrator to determine if all scheduled operations are running as expected.
Exporting data to or importing data from another server
An administrator can export the following types of information to removable media:
Policy information
Client node definitions and file data
Administrator registrations and authority definitions
Schedules
This data can then be imported by another server, making the export and import features a handy utility for moving server information.
Accounting records
When an administrator specifies the accounting option, an accounting record is generated at the end of each client session. For example, an accounting record could record the date, time, and total number of files backed up in a backup session.
Security functions prevent unauthorized access to ADSM-managed data, storage, policy definitions, and administrative commands. These security options allow the security administrator to control the limit or extent of a persons access to these resources.
Administrator privilege classes determine which tasks an administrator can perform. Privilege classes let you assign different levels of authority to different administrators.
Workstations and file servers on which the ADSM backup-archive client has been installed can be registered in two ways:
Client/server authentication requires that the client provide a password when starting a session with the ADSM server. The password is used to generate a set of encrypted keys that is used to authenticate both the client and the server. Because the client/server verification does not send the password across the network, it cannot be intercepted.
Disaster recovery functions assist the administrator with the implementation of a comprehensive backup and recovery procedure for important business applications, data, and records.
The ADSM database contains information about client files. Database availability is improved with mirroring; however, after a site-wide disaster, mirrored copies could also be damaged or unavailable.
Administrators can protect the ADSM database by initially performing a full backup followed by periodic incremental backups of new or changed database files. The backup does not disrupt ADSM processing, and it backs up the database in a consistent state. ADSM can recover the database to a point-in-time, or it can add transactions from the recovery log to recover the database to the latest state. Database backup copies can be stored off-site for disaster recovery.
Administrators can extend ADSM protection of client files by creating additional copies of ADSM(storage pools. Storage pool backup copies can be stored off-site for disaster recovery purposes. With ADSM storage pool backup copy support, ADSM backs up changed files incrementally, keeps track of backup copy versions, and expires the copies when they are no longer current. Storage pool backup, when used with database backup and recovery, offers a comprehensive approach to implementing a disaster recovery plan that can include off-site storage of ADSM data.
ADSTAR Distributed Storage Manager offers Disaster Recovery Manager (DRM) as an optional feature that assists with disaster recovery. DRM includes the automated generation of a disaster recovery plan, a listing of offsite backup media to be brought onsite, and client recovery information. DRM aids in the ADSM-based recovery of business applications from backup data that is stored offsite. Recovery may be performed at an alternate site, on replacement computer hardware, and by people not familiar with the backed up applications.
An administrator can use the disaster recovery plan as a guide through the disaster recovery process. The plan can also be used during an audit to certify the recoverability of the ADSM server.