IBM Tivoli Storage Manager, Version 7.1

VSSPOLICY statements when changing backup types

When you change from legacy backups to VSS backups, pay attention to the VSSPOLICY statements set for the backup.

For VSS backups, VSSPOLICY statements are used to associate VSS backups with management classes. These VSSPOLICY statements are entered in the configuration file (for example, tdpexc.cfg).

A configuration files can include multiple VSSPOLICY statements. The configuration file is read from the bottom up. If you are familiar with the Tivoli Storage Manager backup-archive client configuration file, the VSSPOLICY statements in the tdpexc.cfg file are read like the INCLUDE statements configured in the dsm.opt file.

If there are no VSSPOLICY statements included in the configuration file, or if the VSSPOLICY statements do not match the type of backup that is set up, the default management class for the policy domain is used. Backup expiration parameters for the default management class might differ from the settings used for preexisting legacy backups. For example, the backup expiration period might be set to 30 days. This setting means that after 30 days, the backup is deleted. Check the parameters to verify the backups expire according to the business needs of your environment.

Any policy changes entered in the tdpexc.cfg files require that you restart the Tivoli Storage Manager Client Acceptor Daemon (CAD), Tivoli Storage Manager Remote Client Agent (DSMAgent), and the Tivoli Storage Manager Scheduler Service for Exchange. If the DSMAgent service state is set to Manual (Started), stop the service. The DSMAgent service starts when a VSS backup is initiated, but if the service is started and you change the policy settings, the policy settings do not take effect until you restart the service.

Sample VSSPOLICY statements

The following code sample presents the syntax of a VSSPOLICY statement:

VSSPOLICY srv name "database-name" backup-type backup-dest mgmtclass

The Exchange server name is defined by the srv name variable. You can enter the wildcard character (*) to match all Microsoft Exchange servers.

The database name is defined by the "database-name" variable. You can enter the wildcard character (*) to match all Microsoft Exchange databases. Because the name can include a space, use the quotation marks to encapsulate the database name.

The backup-type variable specifies the backup type. For example, FULL or COPY or the wildcard character (*) to match all backup types.

The backup-dest variable specifies the backup destination. The options are TSM to backup to Tivoli Storage Manager or LOCAL for a backup to a local disk or the wildcard character (*) to match both backup types.

The mgmtclass variable specifies the Tivoli Storage Manager management class that is used to bind the types of specified backups.

The following code sample presents an example of a VSSPOLICY statement. This code sample is part of the sample configuration file that is included with the software that you installed. In this example, the VSSPOLICY statement is commented out. To make the VSSPOLICY statement effective, uncomment the VSSPOLICY statement by removing the initial asterisk character (*).

--------------------------------------------------------------
* Sample VSSPOLICY Statements
* ----------------
* These statements are used to bind VSS backup to specific TSM
* Server management classes. Adjust the statements to meet your needs
* and remove the leading asterisks to make them operational.
* Note: Matching of these policy bindings are from the bottom up.
**********************************************************************

* Server		Database    		Name		BU Type		BU Dest.		Mgmt Class
* ------		-------------		----		---------	--------		----------
	VSSPOLICY * 						* 			FULL 			TSM 				IUG_TSM	
	VSSPOLICY * 						* 			COPY 			TSM 				IUG_TSM_COPY
	VSSPOLICY * 						* 			COPY 			LOCAL			IUG_COPY
	VSSPOLICY * 						* 			FULL 			LOCAL 			IUG_LOCAL	
	VSSPOLICY * 						"HR" 	FULL 			LOCAL 			MCLASS3	
	VSSPOLICY SERVER1				"ACT" 	* 					LOCAL 			MCLASS2	
	VSSPOLICY SERVER1				"DB 1" * 				TSM 				IUG1	
**********************************************************************

In this example, the following policy rules are specified:

Any VSS backups of the DB 1 database on the Exchange server SERVER1 to Tivoli Storage Manager are bound to the management class IUG1.
Any VSS backups of the ACT database on the Exchange server SERVER1 to LOCAL are bound to the management class MCLASS2.
Full VSS backups of the HR database on any Exchange server to LOCAL are bound to the management class MCLASS3.
Full VSS backups of any other database on any other Exchange server to LOCAL are bound to the management class IUG_LOCAL.
Copy VSS backups of any other database on any other Exchange server to LOCAL are bound to the management class IUG_COPY.
Copy VSS backups of any other database on any other Exchange server to Tivoli Storage Manager are bound to the management class IUG_TSM_COPY.
Full VSS backups of any other database on any other Exchange server to Tivoli Storage Manager are bound to the management class IUG_TSM.
This policy is complete. Any type of backup matches a rule because of the wildcard VSSPOLICY statements at the top of the file. Use these types of statements so that you explicitly state what management class is used.

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