Update of SQL For TSM 6.1

So the previous select is not compatible with TSM 6.1 so I was searching through the IBM Redbooks for TSM and found changes to make TSM conform to SQL standards.  There are changes to the TSM supported time functions.  Here is the link, it's under Appendix B.


def script event-check desc="Events - Exceptions"
upd script event-check "/* ---------------------------------------------*/"
upd script event-check "/* Script Name: event-check                          */"
upd script event-check "/* ---------------------------------------------*/"
upd script event-check '  select -'
upd script event-check '  schedule_name, -'
upd script event-check '   cast(SUBSTR(CHAR(actual_start),12,8) as char(8)) AS START, - '
upd script event-check '   node_name, -'
upd script event-check '   cast(status as char(10)) as "STATUS", -'
upd script event-check '    case -'
upd script event-check "      when result=0  then ' 0-Succ' -"
upd script event-check "      when result=4  then ' 4-SkFi' -"
upd script event-check "      when result=8  then ' 8-Warn' -"
upd script event-check "      when result=12 then '12-Errs' -"
upd script event-check "      else cast(result as char(7)) -"
upd script event-check '    end -'
upd script event-check '      as "RESULT" -'
upd script event-check '  from events -'
upd script event-check '  where timestampdiff(8, char(current_timestamp-scheduled_start))<=24 -'
upd script event-check '    and result<>0 and node_name is not NULL'

Previously Unknown TSM SQL Feature

So while doing some script maintenance on a TSM server I came across this select statement and was shocked to see the CASE option in a select. I've used it in shell scripts but didn't think TSM allowed for it. Well it does and it works. Go figure!  (Runs on a TSM 5.3.5.2 server).

/* ---------------------------------------------*/
/* Script Name: eventx */
/* ---------------------------------------------*/
select -
schedule_name as "Schedule Name ", -
cast(substring(cast(scheduled_start as character(26)) from 12 for 8) as char(8)) as "Sched", -
node_name, -
cast(status as char(10)) as "Status", -
case -
when result=0 then ' 0-Succ' -
when result=4 then ' 4-SkFi' -
when result=8 then ' 8-Warn' -
when result=12 then '12-Errs' -
else cast(result as char(7)) -
end -
as "Result" -
from events -
where current_timestamp-scheduled_start<interval '24' hours -
and result<>0

I saw this and a whole new world opened up before my eyes! The possibilities!

TSM 6.1...Finally!!!

So I have landed on my feet as a contractor and where I am currently working they are migrating to 6.1.4 TSM from 5.x versions. In their testing they found a 36GB DB took 14 hours for the complete migration of the DB. This time includes completing storage pool migration, stopping all processes, and bringing down the original TSM server clean.  So I am not looking forward to the large 100+GB DB's.  I also find it interesting how many companies have not migrated to version 6. The only reason they are going  to 6.1.x is that it has been tested and 6.2 has not (their testing process is long and tedious).  So what has everyone else seen as their average migration time from 5.x to 6.x?

TSM Admin Contract - Cheshire, UK

I just received this job posting for Cheshire, England. If you're qualified and interested give Matthew a call.

The successful TSM Administrator will be working for a large company based just outside Chester, UK.

The key points for the role are:

• Recent commercial experience of using TSM v6.2
• Install TSM Server / TSM Client on AIX
• Present / configure tape drives for use with TSM
• Some of the work will involve deployment for the TSM project
• General TSM support & maintenance, resolving PRMs with IBM support

The contract attracts very competitive rates and will last at least 4 months.

You will need to be eligible to work in the UK and hold a HMRC Tier 1 Visa.

Many thanks,

Matt

---

Matthew Burrows RECRUITER
4020 LAKESIDE, SOLIHULL PARKWAY
BIRMINGHAM BUSINESS PARK, SOLIHULL, BIRMINGHAM, B37 7YN
T +44 (0)121 717 2828 F +44 (0)845 643 9702
E MBURROWS@TEKSYSTEMS.CO.UK

Multiple Telecommuting Positions Open

Artech is trying to staff for a number of telecommuting TSM Admin positions. If you are a high level TSM admin and looking for work contact Arjun at Artech.

Arjun Kumar Dhir Sr. Executive Staffing
Artech Information Systems LLC 240 Cedar Knolls Road, Suite 100 | Cedar Knolls, NJ 07927
Office: 973.967.3427 | Fax: 973.998.2599
Email: Arjun_Dheer@artechinfo.com | Website: www.artechinfo.com

Good TSM Oracle Backup Blog

I came across this website and it has a lot of TSM Oracle backup related information. If you perform Oracle TDP backups then check out this site.

May I Have One Free Brain Dump...And Another?

OK, so I was contacted by a person from India (I only state that so you'll know why there are so many grammar/typos in the questions) who proceeded to ask me 18 of the following questions of which I was reluctant to respond. I did, however, respond with the following note letting them know what I thought of such e-mails:                

(Keep reading past the first set of questions...it continues.)

I would like to point out that the questions you asked are all easily answered by reading the documentation, accessing ADSM.org, or simply by searching the web using Google. Having previously helped in the interviewing and hiring process, I would stress that your inability to utilize the resources already available would make me hesitant to consider you for employment. You need to be a self motivated, problem solving, and resourceful person to excel in IT. The one question I always asked when hiring was, "If you have a problem and you can't resolve it, what would be your steps in finding a solution?" The answer to this one question usually determined if they were good candidates. In the future try to use the resources available to find the answers, and note that just typing HELP on the admin command line can usually provide a majority of the answers you require.

• How to configure the library in unix level? Depends...if you mean discover the hardware and such it is dependent on the UNIX version. I always used AIX for my TSM servers so cfgmgr was used to discover the hardware and define it to the OS.
• How to make a communication b/w TSM and library? Most communication happens over the control point. For example in a 3584 you will select one of the drives to be the control point and the HBA it is zoned in the SAN to will be the HBA the library controller (robot) shows up under. All communication happens across this connection. If you use ACSLS then its a whole different process.
• Different type of H/W components available in library? Again this depends on the library type/manufacturer. You could have LTO, 3590, SDLT, VTL options along with dual robots.
• In which way you will access the library? There are various tools to access the library but I tend to use the web interface more than I use the AIX library/tape tools (i.e. tapeutil)
• What will happen when the volume will move to different storage slot inside the library.How to rectify the same? TSM should track the slots and where every tape is. If for some reason the inventory is inaccurate you can run both a library level audit and a TSM level audit. Lookup the AUDIT LIBRARY command in the TSM Admin Reference.
• If you are running out of scratch tapes then what are the steps you will do to overcome that? Of course there is the standard RECLAIM STG and MOVE DATA commands but a lot depends on how good my processes are at freeing up tapes. It could just come down to deleting old DB backups or I might go so far as investigating whether the Oracle DBA's have been keeping their RMAN catalogue sync'd with TSM. If they haven't I have a very good chance of freeing up a lot of tapes when I manually delete their data from TSM. 
• How to checkout the tapes from library? If using DRM then MOVE DRMEDIA if not then the CHECKOUT LIBVOLUME command. See the TSM Admin Reference for more details.
• How to manual clean the drive? You should not need to manually clean a drive but if you decide to then it depends on if you initiate it from the library's web interface or from TSM. From TSM it's a simple CLEAN DRIVE
• Which will act as a interface b/w library & TSM? I don't quite understand what you mean? In the case of TSM you usually don't need the library's web interface much, most of the handling can be done through TSM.
• When the volume is throwing error while mounting then what you will do as a TSM admin? I usually check to see if the tape has a history of mount errors, if so I check it out of the library, if not then it could be the drive or accessor are in need of service. If mount errors continue on the drive I will call in a service technician to look at the drive.
• What is the use of Audit Library? Makes sure that the library physical inventory matches TSM's inventory. If they get out of sync you could have mount failures and errors due to TSM thinking it is grabbing a different tape then it should have found in that slot. 
• If the stgpool reusedelay parameter is 2 then what will happen when volume becomes empty? After two days the volume is available to be used as scratch again. The reusedelay parameter is good to use if there is a possibility that you might need data from beyond the normal expired time. So technically if you keep 5 days worth of TSM DBbackups then the oldest TSM DB could request tapes that have since expired and been sent back onsite to be used as scratch so you should set the resuse delay parameter to the same setting or same+1 day as the number of TSM DB backups you keep.
• Uses of Reclamation: Think of reclamation as a Defrag for tape. Reclamation can tape two or more tapes and condense them down to one tape if used correctly. Again lookup RECLAMATION in the TSM Admin Reference.
•  Depends on library type/config and the number of scratch I need to load. For example I currently am working with a 3584 that has a 10 tape I/O door and needed to load 50 scratch. So I paused the library, opened the storage frame's door and manual inserted all 50 into the open slots (I have a number of columns not in use). I then closed the library and allowed the library's audit to complete before I ran the CHECKIN LIBVOLUME SEARCH=YES CHECKL=BARCODE STATUS=SCRATCH otherwise the standard checkin process through the I/O door works fine. With ACSLS and 3494 libraries the tapes are automatically entered into the library and the CHECKIN LIBVOLUME SEARCH=YES CHECKLABEL=NO STATUS=SCRATCH command is used. Notice it is a little different from a SCSI based library like the 3584.
• Use of reusedelay & maxscratch? Maxscratch will determine how many scratch a sequential TSM storage pool can use. The reuse delay parameter will determine the number of days a tape that shows as empty in TSM will be in "limbo" before TSM will allow it to be reassigned back to a scratch status. 
• Why we need multiple management class in a single domain? Multiple management classes in a single domain allow for you to reference different retention rules "on the fly" when running a backup or archive by using the INCLUDE . So say I had a management class called 1_YEAR that keeps UNLIMITED versions for 1 year. To use it on specific data types I would put an include in a clients DSM.OPT or in a client option set.

INCLUDE "C:\USERS\...\MY DOCUMENTS\WORD\*.DOC" 1_YEAR

• Diff b/w session & process? A session is a TSM client/admin/alternate TSM server connection where a process is an internal task (i.e. MIGRATION) running on the TSM server.
• Different types of client established session? There are standard client sessions, datamover sessions (NAS), storage agent sessions (LAN-Free), TDP sessions (Exchange, SQL, Oracle, etc), and TSM Server sessions (If the server is a library client accessing the library manager or if using the virtual volume feature).

So after answering these questions, with the added commentary on what I thought about such requests, you would think the person would get a clue and start researching the answers to any further questions...NOPE! I just received the following e-mail from the same person:

Pls clear me.....

1. Difference between other application and TSM?
2. About features of TSM.
3. Make clear me on Roll  forward Mode & Storage pool Hierarchy?
4. What is meant by copy storage pool?
5. What is need of SAN in TSM environment?
6. Where you will mention the destination of backup?
7. If client want 3 inactive version for 60 days what are the parameter we will mention?
8. Explain about scheduling and its types
9. Explain some types of tapes with its capacity.
10. What are the types of copy group
11. Where will you allocate the no.of tapes?
12. How will you check the node belongs to particular domain? 
13. Where will you define the server for the particular tape?
14. How will you know the particular volume which has data?
15. Advantages of Linux?
16. How to configuring the TSM?
17. How to see the Database time of yesterday missed file?
18. About device class and types?
19. What is meant by Admin Process?
20. How to see the node started confirmation from server side?
21. In Migration, why we r giving LOWMIG?
22. Retension period for node?
23. Diff between foreground and background?
24. Tell me the device name for library in TSM on AIX? 
25. Difference between clientopt and clopset? 
26. Difference between label and checkinlibvolume? 
27. Backupset where it will be used? 
28. If recovery log 100% what will happen?
29. Suppose TSM server crashed ...what we will do?
30. What is client option set?
31. About Restore process and Data Shredding?

Seriously?!? I would never hire this person...I can understand asking a question or two but 31? I just answered 18 out of shear boredom...are some people really this lazy?