Client components

Each client has two major components which help you protect your important data:

1. Software components: These are the software programs and customization files that you must have in place to use Tivoli Storage Manager. The most important of these are the client interfaces. Each interface is designed so that you can perform all client operations from the one that best suits your needs.

Client interfaces are flexible. You may back up files on a UNIX system and then restore them onto another Tivoli Storage Manager UNIX platform. You may back up file allocation table (FAT) files from DOS, Windows, OS/2, Windows NT, and then restore them to another workstation running one of the above-mentioned operating systems. In general, cross-client recover can be done among clients with compatible file system formats. Adjustments may need to be made in file name length (like OS/2 long file name restore to DOS) and file security. For successful interaction with the server, you must configure some basic parameters in a client options file.

2. Operation components: When you use the Tivoli Storage Manager interface to back up or archive a file, it sends a copy of the file and its associated

attributes to the Tivoli Storage Manager server. The Tivoli Storage Manager client can perform two types of operations: backups and archives. Although these have different purposes, you can think of them as the alternatives you have to better control how data must be saved.

All client processing is controlled and secure. A client can restore or retrieve their own files, or, files they have been authorized to restore by the owner.

Whenever a client communicates with the server, it starts a new session. The Tivoli Storage Manager server tracks sessions and thus each client activity.

The Backup-Archive client can be started manually by the user, by an Administrator, or even automatically by the operating system.

Tivoli Storage Manager Client "HARRY"

Tivoli Storage Manager Server "SRV_TSM1"

Data Flow

Backup-Archive client 29 The Backup-Archive client provides support for errors such as communications errors, unreadable client files during backups, or volumes that are unavailable on the Tivoli Storage Manager server during restore.

2.2.1 Interfaces

There are three ways you can interact with the Tivoli Storage Manager server to run a backup or archive operation:

• Graphical User Interface (GUI)

• Command Line Interface (CLI)

• Web Client Interface (Web Client)

There are minor differences between the Backup-Archive client code among the platforms. For example, in Windows NT you have specific options to handle the NT Registry information, which is not found in any other platform. You use the native file formats to specify filespaces for backup (for example /usr in UNIX or

\\hostname\d$ for Windows). Apart from these OS specific considerations, all commands are the same on each client platform.

2.2.1.1 GUI

The GUI is a much more user-friendly interface, with unique features for the end-user. You may use it for backup, restore, archive, and retrieve operations, and it is intuitive for you to understand which files and directories you are backing up. The GUI is slightly different between Windows NT and UNIX machines. In spite of the appearance, UNIX and Windows Backup-Archive clients have the same functionality. Figure 13 shows a Windows NT Backup-Archive client screen.

Figure 13. Windows NT interface showing collapsible directories

When restoring, only the files that have been backed up are displayed. Figure 14 shows an example of a restore window with the files in a directory available to restore.

Figure 14. Windows NT interface showing directories available to restore

2.2.1.2 CLI

The command line interface (CLI) has a richer set of functions than the GUI. The CLI has the benefit of being a character mode interface, and thus is well suited for those users who need to type the commands. You may also consider using it when you cannot access the GUI interface or when you want to automate a backup process by using a batch processing file. You may use it for backup, restore, archive, and retrieve operations, and to start the Tivoli Storage Manager scheduler.

There are two different methods to use the command line interface: interactive and non-interactive. The DSMC program activates both methods.

The interactive method (also called loop mode) has a prompt (dsmc>) to type all Tivoli Storage Manager specific commands for the client. If you use an interactive command line session, it is not necessary to precede each command with dsmc.

If you use interactive mode you do not have to enter your password with each command.

The following example shows an interactive command line prompt and some backups already made. When you are running from the command line in this way, you must use the QUIT command to exit. Otherwise, DSMC waits for the next input command:

Backup-Archive client 31 The non-interactive method (also called batch mode) requires that you use the dsmc and the actual command that you want to execute. In this mode, DSMC will process the command and return to the calling program. You can have a number of DSMC commands in a batch file for automatic processing. For example, to perform a Backup-Archive client QUERY operation and return to the operating system prompt, you should run the DSMC QUERY SESSION command:

2.2.1.3 Web client

The Web client permits an authorized administrator, helpdesk or end-user to perform backup and restore services on any machine that supports a Java 1.1.6-capable browser, such as Netscape 4.06 and Microsoft Internet Explorer 4.01 or higher. Multiple Web client sessions can be started simultaneously to perform different functions on separate Tivoli Storage Manager clients. Figure 15 shows you the main Web client screen and the login dialog box after clicking on Backup.

tsm> q filespace

Num Last Incr Date Type File Space Name --- --- ----

---1 00/00/0000 00:00:00 NTFS \\a78awzzb\c$

tsm> q back \\a78awzzb\c$\tsm*

Size Backup Date Mgmt Class A/I File ---- --- -- ---

----0 ----02/29/2----0----0----0 14:53:----06 AMG A \\a78awzzb\c$\TSM 0 02/29/2000 14:53:06 AMG A \\a78awzzb\c$\TSMDB 0 02/29/2000 14:53:06 AMG A \\a78awzzb\c$\tsm_doc tsm> quit

C:\TSM\baclient>dsmc query session Tivoli Storage Manager

Command Line Backup Client Interface - Version 3, Release 7, Level 1.0 (C) Copyright IBM Corporation, 1990, 1999, All Rights Reserved.

Node Name: ANODE

Session established with server TSM010: AIX-RS/6000 Server Version 3, Release 7, Level 3.0

Server date/time: 02/29/2000 15:11:44 Last access: 02/29/2000 15:06:39 TSM Server Connection Information

Server Name...: TSM010 Server Type...: AIX-RS/6000 Server Version...: Ver. 3, Rel. 7, Lev. 3.0 Last Access Date...: 02/29/2000 15:06:39 Delete Backup Files...: "No"

Delete Archive Files....: "Yes"

Node Name...: ANODE User Name...:

Figure 15. Web Backup-Archive client during authentication

2.2.2 Configuration and options files

Configuration files and option files are used to specify one or more servers and communication options for backup and restore services. The file can include authorization options, backup and archive processing options, scheduling options and where applicable, Tivoli Space Manager options.

On the UNIX platform, the Tivoli Storage Manager options reside in two separate options files, the client system options file (dsm.sys) and the client options file (dsm.opt). On other platforms, the options file (dsm.opt) contains all of the options. The end user sets up these files when the Tivoli Storage Manager Backup-Archive client is first installed on the user's workstation. Figure 16 shows a schematic view of the options file for the client.

Figure 16. Tivoli Storage Manager client with configuration and options files

The minimum configuration parameters for successful communication are:

• Communication Protocol—Client and server using the same type

Tivoli Storage Manager Client "HARRY"

Tivoli Storage Manager Server "SRV_TSM1"

Data Flow

Options File

System Options File

Backup-Archive client 33

• Tivoli Storage Manager Server address—Identifying the correct Tivoli Storage Manager server to use

• Nodename—The name by which the Tivoli Storage Manager server knows the client. This information is required so that the server allows access for this client. The node name and password are set up on the server, and if different from the machine name, they need to be added in the client options file also.

Figure 17 shows an example of a client (HARRY) and its minimum configuration settings.

Figure 17. Client presents node name and is accepted

2.2.3 Establishing the session

The Tivoli Storage Manager Backup-Archive client node is required to register with the Tivoli Storage Manager server. Once registered, the Tivoli Storage Manager client can start its communication with the server by first completing a sign-on process. This sign-on process requires the use of a password that, when coupled with the node name of the client, insures proper authorization when it connects to the server. Figure 18 shows an example of the steps to establish a session with the Tivoli Storage Manager server.

T iv o li S to rag e M a n ag er

C lien t

" H A R R Y "

T iv o li S to rag e M an a g e r S e rv er

" S R V _T S M 1 "

C a n I H a v e A c c e s s ?

O p tio n s F ile

S y s te m O p tio n s F ile C O M M = T C P /IP S e rv e r = S R V _ T S M 1 N o d e = H A R R Y

C lie n t N o d e s A llo w e d A c c e ss

E M M A

PAT H A R R Y O K ?

Figure 18. Establishing a client session