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IT01982: CLIENT RESTORE OF MICROSOFT WINDOWS SYMLINK FILE OVERWRITES LINK TARGET WITH 0KB FILE.

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APAR status

  • Closed as program error.

Error description

  • When attempting to restore a Microsoft Windows symlink file with
    the Tivoli Storage Manager Client, the restore will follow the
    link and overwrite the target file with a 0kb file.
    
    This issue only affects restore cases where the symlink file is
    already present on the system and would be overwritten. The
    expected behavior would be for the link file to be replaced and
    no changes to be made to the real file. In the event a copy of
    the link file already exists the restore follows the link file
    that is already in place to its target and replaces the target
    with the file being restored, in this case a 0kb file. This
    behavior is incorrect.
    
    
    Customer/L2 Diagnostics:
    The following cases and outcomes were tested and confirmed.
    
    Restore of link file and real file when nothing exists for both
    real and link files is successful.
    Restore of link file when real file exists and link file does
    not is successful.
    Restore of link file when real file is missing and link file
    exists causes real file name to be recreated with a 0kb size in
    real file location. link file is not changed.
    
    Restore of link file when real file exists and link exists
    causes real file to be overwritten with a 0kb file. - this
    produces the unexpected results.
    
    The expected result of the above action would be the following
    outputs,
    
    F:\>dir f:\links
     Volume in drive F is New Volume
     Volume Serial Number is D809-C1F1
    
     Directory of f:\links
    
    22.05.2014  10:38    <DIR>          .
    22.05.2014  10:38    <DIR>          ..
    22.05.2014  08:30    <SYMLINK>      file1_link.txt
    [f:\targets\file1.txt]
                   1 File(s)              0 bytes
                   2 Dir(s)     189&#160;521&#160;920 bytes free
    
    F:\>dir f:\targets
     Volume in drive F is New Volume
     Volume Serial Number is D809-C1F1
    
     Directory of f:\targets
    
    22.05.2014  10:38    <DIR>          .
    22.05.2014  10:38    <DIR>          ..
    22.05.2014  08:29                23 file1.txt
                   1 File(s)             23 bytes
                   2 Dir(s)     189&#160;521&#160;920 bytes free
    
    F:\>
    
    
    The actual result of the above action produces the following
    outputs,
    
    F:\>dir f:\links
     Volume in drive F is New Volume
     Volume Serial Number is D809-C1F1
    
     Directory of f:\links
    
    22.05.2014  10:57    <DIR>          .
    22.05.2014  10:57    <DIR>          ..
    22.05.2014  08:30    <SYMLINK>      file1_link.txt
    [f:\targets\file1.txt]
                   1 File(s)              0 bytes
                   2 Dir(s)     189&#160;509&#160;632 bytes free
    
    F:\>dir f:\targets
     Volume in drive F is New Volume
     Volume Serial Number is D809-C1F1
    
     Directory of f:\targets
    
    22.05.2014  10:57    <DIR>          .
    22.05.2014  10:57    <DIR>          ..
    22.05.2014  10:57                 0 file1.txt
                   1 File(s)              0 bytes
                   2 Dir(s)     189&#160;509&#160;632 bytes free
    
    F:\>
    
    
    Note that the link files will be seen in Microsoft Windows
    Explorer as 0kb in size and have the small shortcut icon. From a
    Microsoft Windows Command line they will show <symlink> and show
    a blank for file size. The Tivoli Storage Manager GUI restore
    window will show these files as 0 bytes in size but otherwise
    will look like normal files.
    
    
    The existence or absence of the symlink file does not impact the
    restore of the real file when only the real file is selected for
    restore.
    This issue should have minimal impact on an initial system or DR
    recovery. In any case where the client does not already have a
    copy of the symlink file in place, both the link and real files
    will restore correctly.
    
    
    Tivoli Storage Manager Versions Affected:
    All supported Tivoli Storage Manager Windows Client versions.
    
    
    Initial Impact:
    Medium
    
    Additional Keywords:
    mklink, softlink, redirect
    

Local fix

  • If a restore of the link file is desired, remove the current
    version of that file on the system prior to running the restore.
    

Problem summary

  • ****************************************************************
    * USERS AFFECTED: Backup-archive client versions 5.4, 5.5,     *
    *                 6.1, 6.2  and 7.1 running on all Microsoft   *
    *                 Windows platforms                            *
    ****************************************************************
    * PROBLEM DESCRIPTION: See ERROR DESCRIPTION                   *
    ****************************************************************
    * RECOMMENDATION: Apply fixing level when available. This      *
    *                 problem is currently projected to be fixed   *
    *                 in levels  6.4.3 and 7.1.1. Note             *
    *                 that this is subject to change at the        *
    *                 discretion of IBM.                           *
    ****************************************************************
    *
    

Problem conclusion

  • The problem has been fixed so it does not occur any more.
    

Temporary fix

  • 6.3.2.2 Windows client interim fix
    

Comments

APAR Information

  • APAR number

    IT01982

  • Reported component name

    TSM CLIENT

  • Reported component ID

    5698ISMCL

  • Reported release

    63W

  • Status

    CLOSED PER

  • PE

    NoPE

  • HIPER

    NoHIPER

  • Special Attention

    NoSpecatt / Xsystem

  • Submitted date

    2014-05-27

  • Closed date

    2014-06-16

  • Last modified date

    2016-02-09

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

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

Modules/Macros

  • DSM      DSMC     DSMCSVC
    

Fix information

  • Fixed component name

    TSM CLIENT

  • Fixed component ID

    5698ISMCL

Applicable component levels

  • R63W PSY

       UP

  • R64W PSY

       UP

  • R71W PSY

       UP

[{"Business Unit":{"code":"BU058","label":"IBM Infrastructure w\/TPS"},"Product":{"code":"SSGSG7","label":"Tivoli Storage Manager"},"Platform":[{"code":"PF025","label":"Platform Independent"}],"Version":"63W","Line of Business":{"code":"LOB26","label":"Storage"}}]

Document Information

Modified date:
08 January 2022