IT04266: "MERGEFILESPACES=YES" OPTION FOR "EXPORT NODE" COMMAND MAY NOT FOR INCREMENTAL GROUP DATA.

APAR status

• Closed as documentation error.

Error description

• When exporting a node which contains only the last incremental
  backup including group data (like VM, systemstate, ...) with
  MERGEFILESPACES=YES option, some of the grouping information
  is lost.
  
  Customer/L2 Diagnostics:
  Example for VM backups (full and incremental):
  
  - A full VM backup was done to the source server.
  - After the first export node of this full backup, a restored VM
    from the target server was able to start.
  - An incremental backup was done to the source server.
  - After the second export with mergefilespaces=yes including
    only this incremental backup,  VM restored from the target
    server will not start.
    A VM restored from the target server will not start."
  
    Error message: missing operating system
  
  Tivoli Storage Manager Versions Affected:
  Tivoli Storage Manager Server 6.2, 6.3 and 7.1 for all supported
  platforms
  
  Initial Impact:
  low
  
  Additional Keywords:
  zz62 zz63 zz71 vm filedata merge export import
  

Local fix

• - Do not incrementally export a filespace containing VM data.
  - Export all the data in the filespace in one operation.
  - If there is a need to export additional VM data to a target
    server that already contains data for this filespace, delete
    the filespace on the target server first and re-export the
    entire filespace
  

Problem summary

• ****************************************************************
  * USERS AFFECTED:                                              *
  * All Tivoli Storage Manager server users of Import with       *
  * MERGEFILESPACES=YES                                          *
  ****************************************************************
  * PROBLEM DESCRIPTION:                                         *
  * See error description.                                       *
  ****************************************************************
  * RECOMMENDATION:                                              *
  * Update documentation show restrictions on import/export of   *
  * incremental backups for specific types of client data.       *
  ****************************************************************
  

Problem conclusion

• The EXPORT NODE and IMPORT NODE topics will be updated with
  following restrictions:
  
  "Incrementally exporting/importing the following types of client
  data to another Tivoli Storage Manager server is not supported:
  *  VMWare backups where full plus incremental backups need to be
  periodically, incrementally transferred to another server.
  *  Backups groups where full plus differential backups need to
  be periodically, incrementally transferred to another server.
  *  Windows System State data that is periodically, incrementally
  transferred to another server.
  
  Full export/import of this data to a new file system on the
  target is supported by exporting the entire filespace that
  contains the data. In other words, the export must not use the
  FILEDATA=ALLACTIVE, FROMDATE, TODATE, or MERGEFILESPACES
  options.
  
  The best practice for incrementally transferring this type of
  data between two servers is to use Node Replication."
  
  Affected platforms:  AIX, HP-UX, Solaris, Linux, and  Windows.
  

Temporary fix

Comments

APAR Information

• APAR is sysrouted FROM one or more of the following:

• APAR is sysrouted TO one or more of the following:

Fix information

Applicable component levels