Tivoli Storage Manager FastBack for Workstations / IBM Tivoli Continuous Data Protection for Files Setup, Usage Recommendations, Problem Resolution, Limitations and Known issues when using a Tivoli Storage Manager server as the remote backup location.

Answer

Usage Recommendations, Problem Resolution, Limitations and Known issues:

Recommended Setup (Encryption, Compression, File server)
Sub-file Backup Feature.
Continuous Password prompts during back up to a Tivoli Storage Manager server
Delete Backup Permission Needed
Configuring the Tivoli Storage Manager node name if it is different from the hostname
Limitations and Known issues



Recommended Setup (Encryption, Compression, File server)
Tivoli Continuous Data Protection for Files (CDP) and Tivoli Storage Manager FastBack for Workstations was originally designed to target file servers and that design is at its core.

When targeting a file server:
- both the compression/encryption features store their information inside a header of the file.
- CDP reads these headers during backup and restore operations.

This practice of reading the headers does not perform well when using a Tivoli Storage Manager server as a remote target since accessing the headers of compressed or encrypted files might require time- consuming reads from tape. This problem is compounded when multiple clients are involved and the data has been migrated to tape by the Tivoli Storage Manager server. The need to read from the tape causes many clients to be put into a wait state while one client is accessing the tape. During this period, file backups from waiting clients will be put off for lengthy periods of time.

The ideal setup for using CDP and Tivoli Storage Manager FastBack for Workstations with a Tivoli Storage Manager server is to create a dedicated file server for all CDP/FastBack for Workstation clients as the remote backup location. Then use Tivoli Storage Manager to backup the file server.
Refer to the Redbook Deployment Guide Series: Tivoli Continuous Data Protection for files V3.1 (page 31, section 2.3.2) for more information on this configuration. If this is not feasible, then an alternative solution is to use the Tivoli Storage Manager API level of compression or encryption. Enabling encryption or compression at the Tivoli Storage Manager API level means that the Tivoli Storage Manager server, transparent to CDP or Tivoli Storage Manager FastBack for Workstations, maintains the encryption and compression information in its database and not on tape. Doing this allows the performance problem to be avoided.

To enable the Tivoli Storage Manager API level of compression, do the following:

1. Open the CDP or Tivoli Storage Manager FastBack for Workstations dsm.opt file and enter:
compression yes
2. Restart the filepathsrv.exe.

To enable the Tivoli Storage Manager API level of encryption, do the following:

1. Open the CDP or Tivoli Storage Manager FastBack for Workstations dsm.opt file and enter:
encryptkey generate

enableclientencryptkey yes
include.encrypt *\...\* 2. Restart the filepathsrv.exe.

The above setting tells the Tivoli Storage Manager API to encrypt all data.

Note: CDP/Tivoli Storage Manager FastBack for Workstations does not support prompted encryption. If you specify Tivoli Storage Manager server as your remote storage area, you must configure non-prompted encryption in the dsm.opt options file. Refer to your Tivoli Storage Manager documentation for additional information on how to set Tivoli Storage Manager encryption and compression settings.

Sub-file Backup Feature.
The sub-file feature is NOT supported when going to a Tivoli Storage Manager server. To view your subfile settings, do the following:

1. Bring up the CDP GUI.
2. Click on the Settings tab at the top of the Status Page.
3. Click on the Remote Storage tab.
4. Ensure the sub-file box is NOT checked for: "Use sub-file copy to send only changed portions of the file to remote storage to reduce network traffic. The change portions are saved to a separate file on remote storage."
5. Save your settings.

Continuous Password prompts during back up to a Tivoli Storage Manager server
When using a Tivoli Storage Manager server as the backup target, the application password prompt keeps popping up if the User account on the Client machine does not have administrative privileges. The reason is because Tivoli Storage Manager needs full access to every key in the following registry path in order to save the password:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\IBM\ADSM

To fix the problem, use regedit to grant full access to the user running Tivoli Storage Manager FastBack for Workstations. Full access must be granted to the following keys:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\IBM
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\IBM\ADSM

NOTE: For Tivoli Continuous Data Protection for Files 3.1.7.0 and Higher or
Tivoli Storage Manager FastBack for Workstations 6.1.1.0 and Higher Full access must be granted only to the following key:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\IBM\ADSM

Delete Backup Permission Needed
If the applications node does not have delete backup permission on the Tivoli Storage Manager server, it cannot successfully purge older files when the designated storage space is getting full.
The following error is displayed: "FilePath ERROR ANS1126E (RC27) The file space cannot be deleted because this node does not have permission to delete archived or backed up data." Remote replication may be suspended since the backup storage space cannot be purged to make room for new files.

The application requires permission to manage space on the Tivoli Storage Manager server and to create file versions. The registered node which is used by the IBM Tivoli Continuous Data Protection for Files or the Tivoli Storage Manager FastBack for Workstations client to access the Tivoli Storage Manager server must have the permission to delete the backups it creates. This function is required when the application needs to purge files when the backup storage space is full.

Enabling delete backup permission for Tivoli Storage Manager Enterprise server
1. Run dsadmc and log in to the server
2. update node nodename backdel=y
where nodename is the name of the node

Enabling delete backup permission for Tivoli Storage Manager Express server.
1. Open command prompt
2. cd "C:\Program Files\Tivoli\TSM\server"
3. net stop "TSM Express Backup Server"
4. dsmserv.exe
when you get to the prompt type:
update node nodename backdel=y
where nodename is the name of the node.
5. Type halt
6. When you get to the command prompt restart the express server by typing:
net start "TSM Express Backup Server"

Configuring the Tivoli Storage Manager node name if it is different from the hostname
If the node name assigned by the Tivoli Storage Manager administrator is different from the CDP for Files or Tivoli Storage Manager FastBack for Workstations client's hostname, replication to the Tivoli Storage Manager server will not occur because the application cannot identify itself properly to the Tivoli Storage Manager server.
The following error is displayed: "FilePath ERROR ANS1353E (RC53)
Session rejected: Unknown or incorrect ID entered
node:<node name> rc=53 reason=65535 tsm_init_api_session tsmInitEx failed"

The Tivoli Storage Manager API needs to be told which name to use when identifying itself to the Tivoli Storage Manager server. To do this do the following:

1. Using an editor like Notepad, open the applications dsm.opt file in the applications data directory. Depending on the what kind of installation this file can be in different locations.
New Continuous Data Protection for Files installations on Windows XP
C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\Tivoli\CDP_for_Files.
Note: \Application Data\ is a hidden folder, and to see it you must to modify your view preferences in Explorer to show hidden files and folders.
Upgrade Continuous Data Protection for Files from version 2 to version 3 on Windows XP
The Continuous Data Protection for Files installation directory. The default installation directory is C:\Program Files\Tivoli\CDP_for_Files
New Continuous Data Protection for Files installations on Windows Vista or Windows 7:
C:\ProgramData\Tivoli\CDP_for_Files
Note: ProgramData is a hidden folder, and to see it you must to modify your view preferences in Explorer to show hidden files and folders.

New Tivoli Storage Manager FastBack for Workstation 6.1 installations on Windows XP:
C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\Tivoli\TSM\FastBack_for_Workstations
Note: \Application Data\ is a hidden folder, and to see it you must to modify your view preferences in Explorer to show hidden files and folders.
Upgrade from CDP version 3.1 to TSM FastBack for Workstations version 6.1 on Windows XP
C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\Tivoli\CDP_for_Files.
New installations Tivoli Storage Manager FastBack for Workstations on Windows Vista or Windows 7
C:\ProgramData\Tivoli\TSM\FastBack_for_Workstations
Upgrade installations from CDP 3.1 to TSM FastBack for Workstations on Windows Vista or Windows 7
C:\ProgramData\Tivoli\CDP_for_Files


2. Add the NODENAME to the dsm.opt file. To do this, go to the end of the file, and on a new line add the following text:
NODENAME (type name)
For example: NODENAME TSMclientnode1
3. Save the dsm.opt file.
4. Kill the FilepathSrv.exe process using Task Manager
5. Restart FilepathSrv.exe by double clicking on All Programs->Startup->CDPForFilesSrv or
All Programs->Startup->FB4WKSTNSSrv
** Note: in place of steps 4 and 5 you can reboot the system**

The next time CDP or Tivoli Storage Manager FastBack for Workstations connects to the Tivoli Storage Manager server, it will use the node name you specified. CDP or Tivoli Storage Manager FastBack for Workstations will prompt you for the password, if necessary.

Limitations and Known issues
E-mail data-level changes are not supported on Tivoli Storage Manager servers.

The data-level change feature of e-mail backup does not work when backing up to Tivoli Storage Manager servers. E-mail backups will be completed successfully to these servers, but the complete files will be backed up each time, rather than using delta files for subsequent changes.

Encryption, Compression and Subfile settings when going to a Tivoli Storage Manager server: (See Recommended Setup section above)
CDP or Tivoli Storage Manager FastBack for Workstations
encryption, compression, and subfile need to be turned off. If compression or encryption is required
then Tivoli Storage Manager compression or encryption should be turned on.

Tivoli Storage Manager FastBack for Workstations, Continuous Data Protection for Files 3.1 may encounter problems if Tivoli Storage Manager Backup-Archive client lower than version 5.4 is installed.

If you already have the Tivoli Storage Manager Backup-Archive client installed on your computer, and the version is earlier than 5.4, you may encounter errors when you install Continuous Data Protection for Files 3.1. (Reference TSM APAR IC49467). To avoid this issue, upgrade the Tivoli Storage Manager client to version 5.4 or higher before you install Continuous Data Protection for Files 3.1. If this is after the fact, you may have to reinstall Continuous Data Protection for Files after upgrading if it is not working properly after you have upgraded the Tivoli Storage Manager client.

Tivoli Storage Manager FastBack for Workstations 6.1, Continuous Data Protection for Files 3.1 client supports Tivoli Storage Manager Sever 6.2, 6.1, or 5.5.

If a Continuous Data Protection for Files for Files or Tivoli Storage Manager FastBack for Workstations Tivoli Storage Manager session on the server is cancelled during a file backup, the backup will abort and log an error.

Files backed up to a Tivoli Storage Manager server can only be restored through Continuous Data Protection for Files or Tivoli Storage Manager FastBack for Workstations interface.

If you are using Continuous Data Protection for Files or Tivoli Storage Manager FastBack for Workstations to back up files directly into a Tivoli Storage Manager server using the integrated Tivoli Storage Manager API function, you must use the Continuous Data Protection for Files or Tivoli Storage Manager FastBack for Workstations User Interface to restore those files. You cannot use a Tivoli Storage Manager backup/archive client to restore those files.