Click on the items below for information about the functions of Tivoli Storage Manager.
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.
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Backup | Restore |
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.
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Archive | Retrieve |
Client hierarchical storage management (HSM), also known as space management and Tivoli Space Manager, 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.
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Migrate | Recall |
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. Tivoli Storage Manager automatically tracks backup versions and deletes them when they are no longer current.
Tivoli Storage Manager provides two types of backup:
Tivoli Storage Manager 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. Tivoli Storage Manager, on the other hand, performs a full backup of client files only once. Subsequent backups can be incremental. The Tivoli Storage Manager 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.
Tivoli Storage Manager 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. Tivoli Storage Manager 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 Tivoli Storage Manager 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.
Tivoli Storage Manager provides three types of migration for HSM clients:
Tivoli Storage Manager monitors HSM client storage and automatically controls the movement of files to Tivoli Storage Manager storage based on administrator-defined parameters.
Tivoli Storage Manager lets users move one or more files from workstations to Tivoli Storage Manager server storage.
Tivoli Storage Manager automatically moves files to Tivoli Storage Manager 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.
Tivoli Storage Manager provides two types of recall:
Tivoli Storage Manager automatically copies a migrated file from Tivoli Storage Manager storage to the HSM client file system if the file is accessed.
Tivoli Storage Manager allows a user to copy one or more selected files from Tivoli Storage Manager 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. Tivoli Storage Manager provides three default storage pools on disk:
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 Tivoli Storage Manager to use, you must associate a storage pool with the device.
Click here for an
example of threshold-based migration.
Tivoli Storage Manager administrators can increase productivity by automating many day-to-day storage administration tasks.
An administrator can define policies that ensure Tivoli Storage Manager 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.
An administrator can schedule when Tivoli Storage Manager should begin certain client operations and administrative commands. The administrator can also set the order in which those services should be performed.
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.
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 Tivoli Storage Manager administrators with support for day-to-day monitoring, administration, and accounting of Tivoli Storage Manager.
The administrative client lets administrators manage the server from another system or the same system.
Administrators can access a set of Tivoli Storage Manager 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.
Tivoli Storage Manager 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.
An administrator can export the following types of information to removable media:
This data can then be imported by another server, making the export and import features a handy utility for moving server information.
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 Tivoli Storage Manager-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 Tivoli Storage Manager 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 Tivoli Storage Manager 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 Tivoli Storage Manager 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 Tivoli Storage Manager database by initially performing a full backup followed by periodic incremental backups of new or changed database files. The backup does not disrupt Tivoli Storage Manager processing, and it backs up the database in a consistent state. Tivoli Storage Manager 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 Tivoli Storage Manager protection of client files by creating additional copies of Tivoli Storage Manager (storage pools. Storage pool backup copies can be stored off-site for disaster recovery purposes. With Tivoli Storage Manager storage pool backup copy support, Tivoli Storage Manager 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 Tivoli Storage Manager data.
Tivoli Disaster Recovery Manager includes the automated generation of a disaster recovery plan, a listing of offsite backup media to be brought onsite, and client recovery information. Tivoli Disaster Recovery Manager aids in the Tivoli Storage Manager-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 Tivoli Storage Manager server.