Setting up the TSM server to use active-data pools

Answer

TSM 5.4.0 introduces a new type of storage pool that allows customers to collocate active versions of backup data into a single storage pool. This new storage pool, active-data pools, can be used for fast client restore or reducing the amount of resources required to maintain copies of primary storage pool data.

First, before any data can be stored into an active-data pool, the system administrator must decide which nodes data they want stored there. For fast client restores, only nodes with a high priority that have the need to be restored quickly should a disaster occur, should be allowed to store data into an active-data pool. A list of these nodes should be made before setting up the server.

Setting up an active-data pool for fast client restore
The example below shows setting up an active-data pool for fast restore using the FILE device class. The steps for setting up an active-data pool to reduce resources are at the end of this section.

Once the list of nodes has been created, the general guidelines outlined below can be used to setup the server to use active-data pools. For the purpose of explanation, the following definitions exist on the server before any of the definitions below are made:

• Policy:
• Domain: STANDARD
• Policy Set: STANDARD
• Management Class: STANDARD
• Copy Group: STANDARD
• Copy Destination: BACKUPPOOL
• Nodes:
• NODE1, NODE2, NODE 3 are assigned to the domain STANDARD. It has been determined that only NODE2 is a high priority node and only its data should be stored to the active-data pool.
• Device classes:
• FILE device class: FILECLASS
• 3592 device class: 3592CLASS
• Storage pools:
• BACKUPPOOL, DISK device class, first level primary storage pool. All data enters the storage hierarchy here.
• COPYPOOL, 3592CLASS, all data is backed up to this pool.

1. Define the active-data pool.
   DEFINE STGPOOL ADPPOOL FILECLASS POOLTYPE=ACTIVEDATA MAXSCRATCH=1000
2. Define a new domain and list any active-data pools that you which to contain data from the nodes assigned to the domain.*
   DEFINE DOMAIN ACTIVEDOMAIN ACTIVEDESTINATION=ADPPOOL
3. Define a new policy set.*
   DEFINE POLICYSET ACTIVEDOMAIN ACTIVEPOLICY
4. Define a new management class.*
   DEFINE MGMTCLASS ACTIVEDOMAIN ACTIVEPOLICY ACTIVEMGMT
5. Define a backup copy group ( optional: define an archive copy group if needed ).*
   DEFINE COPYGROUP ACTIVEDOMAIN ACTIVEPOLICY ACTIVEMGMT DESTINATION=BACKUPPOOL
6. Assign the default management class for the active-data pool policy set.*
   ASSIGN DEFMGMTCLASS ACTIVEDOMAIN ACTIVEPOLICY ACTIVEMGMT
7. Activate the active-data pool policy set.*
   ACTIVATE POLICYSET ACTIVEDOMAIN ACTIVEPOLICY
8. Assign NODE2 to the domain.*
   UPDATE NODE NODE2 DOMAIN=ACTIVEDOMAIN
9. Setup to do simultaneous write to the active-data pool ( optional ).
   UPDATE STGPOOL BACKUPPOOL ACTIVEDATAPOOL=ADPPOOL
10. Define a schedule to copy active-data from BACKUPPOOL to ADPPOOL every day at 8:00PM (optional, you may enter the command manually if desired ).
    DEFINE SCHEDULE COPYACTIVE_BACKUPPOOL TYPE=ADMINISTRATIVE CMD="COPY ACTIVEDATA BACKUPPOOL ADPPOOL" ACTIVE=YES STARTTIME=20:00 PERIOD=1
    

* If you decide to use an existing domain and want to allow all nodes assigned to the domain to store data into the active-data pool, then you would skip these steps. Simply update the existing domains so the the ACTIVEDESTINATION is set to the active-data pool.

With the TSM server setup based on the commands above, every time NODE2 stores data into BACKUPPOOL, the data will also be stored into ADPPOOL. The schedule, COPYACTIVE_BACKUPPOOL, will ensure that any data that wasn't stored during simultaneous write is copied to the active-data pool. When nodes NODE1 and NODE3 store data into BACKUPPOOL, no data is stored into ADPPOOL. Nor is any data belonging to NODE1 and NODE3 copied to the active-data pool when the schedule is run.

Setting up an active-data pool to reduce resources
This section describes setting up an active-data pool to reduce resources needed to keep backup's of active data in a primary pool. Customers who are only interested in maintaining copies of the active backup data would follow the steps described below. These customers may want to replace their copy storage pools with active-data pools so the number of tape volumes stored onsite or offsite is smaller than that of a copy storage pool.

This section assumes that all data is backed up to a copy storage pool and the volumes are taken offsite for disaster recovery. For the purpose of explanation, the following definitions exist on the server before any of the definitions below are made:

• Policy:
• Domain: STANDARD
• Policy Set: STANDARD
• Management Class: STANDARD
• Copy Group: STANDARD
• Copy Destination: BACKUPPOOL
• Administrative schedule:
• BACKUP_BACKUPPOOL performs a BACKUP STGPOOL command to backup data in BACKUPPOOL to COPYPOOL every day at 10:00PM.
• Nodes:
• NODE1, NODE2, NODE 3 are assigned to the domain STANDARD.
• Device classes:
• FILE device class: FILECLASS
• 3592 device class: 3592CLASS
• Storage pools:
• BACKUPPOOL, DISK device class, first level primary storage pool. All data enters the storage hierarchy here.
• COPYPOOL, 3592CLASS, all data is backed up to this pool.

1. Define the active-data pool.
   DEFINE STGPOOL ADPPOOL 3592CLASS POOLTYPE=ACTIVEDATA MAXSCRATCH=1000
2. Update the domain to allow data from all nodes to be stored in the active-data pool.
   UPDATE DOMAIN STANDARD ACTIVEDESTINATION=ADPPOOL
3. Setup to do simultaneous write to the active-data pool ( optional ).
   UPDATE STGPOOL BACKUPPOOL ACTIVEDATAPOOL=ADPPOOL
4. Define a schedule to copy active-data from BACKUPPOOL to ADPPOOL every day at 8:00PM (optional, you may enter the command manually if desired ).
   DEFINE SCHEDULE COPYACTIVE_BACKUPPOOL TYPE=ADMINISTRATIVE CMD="COPY ACTIVEDATA BACKUPPOOL ADPPOOL" ACTIVE=YES STARTTIME=20:00 PERIOD=1
   COPY ACTIVEDATA BACKUPPOOL ADPPOOL
5. Stop backing up to the copy storage pool (optional).*
   DELETE SCHEDULE BACKUP_BACKUPPOOL
   UPDATE STGPOOL BACKUPPOOL COPYSTGPOOLS=""
6. Once all data has been copied to the active-data pool, delete the copy pool and its volumes (optional).*
   

* Only perform these steps if you are replacing the copy storage pool with the active-data pool. It is generally recommended that both be maintained if having the ability to restore inactive versions of backup data is required. Also, if the copy storage pool contains archive or HSM files, do not delete the copy storage pool.

With the TSM server setup based on the commands above, every time any data is stored into BACKUPPOOL, the data will also be stored into ADPPOOL. The schedule, COPYACTIVE_BACKUPPOOL, will ensure that any data that wasn't stored during simultaneous write is copied to the active-data pool.

Active-data pools and Distaster Recovery Manager (DRM)
Starting in Tivoli Storage Manager 6.1, Disaster Recovery Manager lets you:

• Specify the names of active-data pool volumes to be managed by the disaster recovery manager.
• Recycle on-site and off-site active-data pool volumes according to server policies and processes.
• Include active-data pool volumes in the scripts, macros, and documentation that is part of the recovery plan file.
• Track and manage active-data pool media as required by your operations.

By default, active-data pools are not eligible for processing at the time of installation. Copy storage pools, on the other hand, are processed at installation time even if you have not explicitly specified a copy storage pool or pools to be managed.