Backup Central

Does TSM have an iSeries client? If so, can it do an 'incremental'
backup of the changed data on an AS/400?

Or does it treat the data like a 'blob' and pick it all up each night?



Do you need to use BRMS?

If you use BRMS and point it to TSM via the API, can BRMS do a daily
'incremental' backup of the data and only send changes each night?



We've got an iSeries that has approx. 800 GB of data (of which a small
amount changes daily).

It isn't feasible for us to pick-up all 800 GB each night and send it to
the TSM server (at a remote location) due to bandwidth limitations.

We would be able to send only the 'incremental' changes each night.





Thanks. Eric

We have looked at TSM for iSeries (AS/400, IBM i) and have never found it to be a suitable choice. The people I have met that have installed TSM on iSeries have all said BRMS is a better choice.
Perhaps you should look into a VTL that does de-duplication and replicate the VTL. That is our solution.

Andy Huebner


-----Original Message-----
From: ADSM: Dist Stor Manager [mailto:ADSM-L < at > VM.MARIST.EDU] On Behalf Of Eric Thompson
Sent: Monday, June 25, 2012 5:44 PM
To: ADSM-L < at > VM.MARIST.EDU
Subject: [ADSM-L] TSM = iSeries (BRMS?)

Does TSM have an iSeries client? If so, can it do an 'incremental'
backup of the changed data on an AS/400?

Or does it treat the data like a 'blob' and pick it all up each night?



Do you need to use BRMS?

If you use BRMS and point it to TSM via the API, can BRMS do a daily
'incremental' backup of the data and only send changes each night?



We've got an iSeries that has approx. 800 GB of data (of which a small
amount changes daily).

It isn't feasible for us to pick-up all 800 GB each night and send it to
the TSM server (at a remote location) due to bandwidth limitations.

We would be able to send only the 'incremental' changes each night.





Thanks. Eric





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Thank you.

Does TSM have an iSeries client?

No, but it has an API for BRMS that will send the BRMS backup to TSM via TCP/IP instead of writing to local tape/DVD/whatever.
Sort of like the way the TSM TDP works with Oracle RMAN.


Do you need to use BRMS?
Yes.

If you use BRMS and point it to TSM via the API, can BRMS do a daily 'incremental' backup of the data and only send changes each night?
I'm not a BRMS user, although I've set up the API for TSM many times. But the redbook SG24-7031 says BRMS can do incrementals.

BRMS do whatever BRMS do. Installing the TSM API doesn't change anything about the way BRMS works. It just provides what looks to BRMS like a funky tape driver; so the "destination" for the backups is TSM via TCP/IP, not a local drive (destination isn't the right BRMS word for it, but you get the idea).

A limitation: BRMS can send to TSM only the "library" backups, not the "system" backups. I think those correspond to a mksysb on AIX, or SystemState on Windows, sort of. It's the BRMS bootable system backup. So even if you send your data to TSM, you still have to make the bootable system backup on other media.

Another limitation: For some reason, the API is darn slow. Nobody can tell me the reason why, doesn't seem to be enough interest to get IBM to make it faster. My experience has been that getting a 100-200 GB backup is easy, a 1 TB probably isn't going to fly.

We've got an iSeries that has approx. 800 GB of data (of which a small amount changes daily). It isn't feasible for us to pick-up all 800 GB each night and send it to the TSM server (at a remote location) due to bandwidth limitations. We would be able to send only the 'incremental' changes each night.

Well, my question there, what would you do if you needed to do a full restore? You'll have those same bandwidth restrictions.
And I'm not sure it's practical to get 800GB of data per day through that API, anyway. My customers have found that backing up direct to LTO3+ is faster.

OTOH, if your AS400 guy has a decent understanding of BRMS, the API is free and you can set up and test in an afternoon, easy, to see if it is going to be practical for you.
In the redbook SG24-7031, ignore parts 1 and 2 about the TSM server for iSeries, that no longer exists. Start with Part 3.

W



Thanks. Eric