Test 904: IBM Tivoli Storage Manager V5.3 & V5.4 Operator

Section 1 - Monitor IBM Tivoli Storage Manager Operations

1. Given that IBM Tivoli Storage manager (TSM) is running and the administrative command line is available, run the query actlog command and review the output, so that server activity can be reviewed.


With emphasis on performing the following steps:

1. Log-in to TSM.
2. From an administrative command line type query actlog.
3. Review the activity log output for activities during a specific time, sessions, tape mounts, errors, and warnings.


2. Given that a TSM Server Instance is running, Operational Reporting is available review the daily report and note any areas that need corrective action plan, so that a corrective action plan can be developed.


With emphasis on performing the following steps:

1. Start the TSM Management Console.
2. Navigate to: Tivoli Storage Manager your TSM Server instance -->Reports Operational Reports --> Daily Report.
3. Review Issues and Recommendations section noting any items included in this section and invoke action plan as defined by site specific requirements.


3. Given that TSM is running and the administrative command line is available, run the query sessions command and review the output, so that node sessions have been reviewed.


With emphasis on performing the following steps:

1. Log-in to TSM.
2. From the administrative command line type query session.
3. Review the node session output for # of active sessions, names of nodes, data transmitted, and session state.


4. Given that TSM is running and the administrative command line is available, run the query process command and review the output, so that administrative process tasks have been reviewed.


With emphasis on performing the following steps:

1. Log-in to TSM.
2. From the administrative command line type query process.
3. Review the administrative task processes output for which administrative tasks are active, process numbers displayed, and process state.


5. Given that TSM is running and the administrative command line is available, run the query mount command and review the output, so that the operator can see which tape drives are in use and which volumes are mounted.


With emphasis on performing the following steps:

1. Log-in to TSM.
2. From an administrative command line type query mount.
3. Review the output to determine if a drive is in use and the names of the volumes that are mounted.


6. Given that a TSM Server Instance is running and the Administration Center or administrative command line is available, determine the number of tapes in the scratch status and take appropriate action, so that scratch tapes are available.


With emphasis on performing the following steps:

1. Navigate to the TSM administrative commands, CLI or Administration Center Command Line.
2. Type the database query: select count(*) as ScratchTapes from libvolumes where status='Scratch' .
3. Determine if retuned count is within your site’s operational target.
4. Invoke the defined corrective action plan in the case where the returned value is less that adequate.


7. Given that TSM is running and the administrative center is available, query the path with source name, destination type for library and tape drives with format type and review the output, so that hardware availability have been reviewed.


With emphasis on performing the following steps:

1. Log-in to TSM.
2. From the Administrative Center go to Storage Devices and check the hardware paths and availability.
3. Review the output for which devices, drives, library and paths are active, online and available.


8. Given that TSM is running and the administrative command line is available, determine the administrative schedules for the server, which ones have run, which ones are running, which ones will run, and which can be canceled, so that the state of the administrative schedule and appropriate actions can be determined.


With emphasis on performing the following steps:

1. Log-in to TSM.
2. From an administrative command line type query event* type=administrative begendate = today – 1 and query process commands.
3. Review the output to determine which administrative schedules have completed and which have not.
4. Cancel, start, or restart administrative commands as appropriate to meet processing objectives.


9. Given that a TSM Server Instance is running and the TSM Management Console in Operational Reporting or the administrative command line is available, query the status of client schedules and review invoking corrective action plan as needed, so that the status of client schedules have been reviewed.


With emphasis on performing the following steps:

1. Navigate to the CLI or Administration Center Command Line to enter TSM administrative commands or start the TSM Management Console.
2. Type the database query: query event * * begint=-24:00 . Using the TSM Management Console: Navigate to: Tivoli Storage Manager your TSM Server instance Scheduled Events.
3. Invoke corrective action plan for any missed of failed schedules.


10. Given that TSM is running and the administrative command line is available, query events for clients schedules, so that clients backups status have been reviewed.


With emphasis on performing the following steps:

1. Log-in to TSM .
2. From the administrative command line type Query event * *.
3. Review the output for which client schedules are displayed with schedule name, nodename, status, data transmitted, start and end times, and return codes.

Section 2 - Manage IBM Tivoli Storage Manager client and server function

1. Given that TSM is running, log into the TSM Administration Center, so that you have access to administrator functionality.


With emphasis on performing the following steps:

1. Launch a browser.
2. Point to the proper port on the ISC or start a command prompt.
3. Issue the dsmadmc command.
4. Enter the TSM administrator name and password.


2. Given that a TSM Server Instance is running and the TSM Management Console is available and configured generate a ‘Daily Report’, review the report for any actionable issues, so that Daily Reports have been reviewed.


With emphasis on performing the following steps:

1. Start the TSM Management Console.
2. Navigate to: IBM Tivoli Storage Manager your TSM Server instance Reports Operational Reports Daily Report.
3. @Right mouse click and select ‘Refresh Using Current Time’.

Review the displayed report.


3. Given that TSM is running and the client Backup Archive GUI is available, select restore function and navigating through the directory table select required files to be restored and submit request to the TSM Server.


With emphasis on performing the following steps:

1. Log-in to TSM Backup Client GUI.
2. From the Client Backup Archive GUI choose Restore and navigate to the directory tree with the appropriate directory and files.
3. Select the requested files from the available client backups and submit session request to TSM Server for restore action.


4. Given that TSM is running, the Administration Center is available and running, and the operator is logged on, reschedule a missed backup, monitor it, and reschedule it for its normal time, so that a missed backup has been successfully run.


With emphasis on performing the following steps:

1. Log-in to the TSM Administration Center.
2. From Policy Domain and Client Nodes, disassociate the node from its current schedule and associate it with a run-once schedule.
3. Monitor the backup to ensure it completes successfully using the q actlog and q sess commands.
4. Re-associate the node with its original schedule.


5. Given that a TSM Server Instance is running and the administrative command line is available, start the reclamation process, so that database and media storage can be recovered.


With emphasis on performing the following steps:

1. Navigate to the CLI or Administration Center Command Line to enter TSM administrative commands.
2. Determine which sequential-access pools you wish to run reclamation for.
3. Enter the command(s): reclaim stgpool

Monitor process.


6. Given that TSM is running and the administrative command line is available, issue check-in command using tape volume serial number, library to be inputted to and status for the tape, so that tapes are available to the library.


With emphasis on performing the following steps:

1. Log-in to TSM.
2. From the Command line type in: checkin libvol status=.
3. Load the tape cartridges in to the library.
4. Respond to any open request for tape mounts and tape availability.


7. Given that TSM is running, the Admin Center is available and running, and the operator is logged on, move the volumes required for disaster recovery out of the TSM Library, so that tapes are ready to be sent offsite.


With emphasis on performing the following steps:

1. Log-in to the TSM Administration Center.
2. Navigate to the Disaster Recovery Management panel.
3. Move the Copy Storage Pool Tapes and Database Backups from the Mountable state to the Vault State.
4. Check the Off-site Tapes out of the TSM library.


8. Given that TSM Client code is installed and configured, place the TSM Client services in the ‘STARTED’ state, so that client commands will function appropriately.


With emphasis on performing the following steps:

1. Navigate to the Windows Services window.
2. Determine which TSM services are installed and in which status.
3. Insure TSM services are configured for appropriate Startup Type (Manual, Automatic, etc).


9. Given that TSM is running and the administrative command line is available, issue the disable session command, and review the output, so that client sessions are unable to start.


With emphasis on performing the following steps:

1. Log-in to TSM.
2. From the administrative command line type disable sessions.
3. Review the administrative log output to determine if sessions are disabled.


10. Given that TSM is running, the Administration Center is available and running, and the operator is logged on, change the time a client backup schedule will run, so that the client backup schedules have been updated.


With emphasis on performing the following steps:

1. Log onto the administrative command line.
2. Issue the command query schedule.
3. Review the displayed schedules to determine the schedule you wish to update.
4. Update a schedule using the update schedule standard daily starttime=18:00:00 command.


11. Given the TSM Service instance and TSM Client are operational, determine total number of objects to be restored, total size in bytes, so that an estimated restore time has been determined.


With emphasis on performing the following steps:

1. Start the TSM Client GUI on target system and navigate to Restore.
2. Select data to be restored and click the Estimate button.
3. Note the reported data: Number of Selected Items, Total Size in Bytes and Estimated Transfer Time.


12. Given an operational TSM server and access to a TSM client, change the settings to allow for a point in time restore, so that a file can be restored for a particular date and time.


With emphasis on performing the following steps:

1. Start the TSM Client GUI and choose Restore.
2. Select the Point In Time Button.
3. Enter the date and time desired for the file to be restored.
4. Navigate the tree to the file to be restored, and click the Restore button.


13. Given a TSM restore is not running fast enough, examine the client option file configuration and node configuration, so that performance can be improved.


With emphasis on performing the following steps:

1. Log-in to the administrative command line.
2. Determine the maximum number of mount points using the q node command.
3. Determine the resourseutilization settings of a dsm.opt file.
4. Make appropriate changes to the node definition and dsm.opt file to improve performance.


14. Given that the TSM Service instance is operational and client option sets have been defined, associate an appropriate client option set to a node, so that appropriate objects are selected for backup.


With emphasis on performing the following steps:

1. Determine appropriate option set for the node based on client requirements.
2. Navigate to the TSM CLI and issue the command: query cloptset
3. Then issue the command: UPDATE NODE CLOPTSET=lt;WINDOWS_XPgt; CONTACT="".

Section 3 - Interpret Configurations

1. Given that a IBM Tivoli Storage Manager (TSM) Server instance and TSM command line are available, determine if outstanding requests are pending after a CHECKIN operation so that any mount requests may be cleared.


With emphasis on performing the following steps:

1. From the TSM CLI enter the command query request to display information on all pending mount requests.
2. Respond to pending request, if any, as appropriate, i.e., load media and clear request by issuing the command reply .


2. Given a operational TSM server and an administrative command line, determine the capacity of a TSM storage pool, what type of pool it is, and what type of collocation is being done on the pool, so that status of the storage pool configuration in known.


With emphasis on performing the following steps:

1. Log-in to the administrative command line.
2. Issue the command query stgpool.
3. Examine the type of the pool, its percentage used, and what type of collocation is being used.


3. Given that a TSM Server instance and TSM Administration Center are operational and client option sets have been defined, display and review the include/exclude list (filters) in order to determine which files will be acted upon during a backup.


With emphasis on performing the following steps:

1. Select TSM Instance by clicking on it’s name.
2. Navigate to the Administration Center Panel -->Policy Domains and Client Nodes.
3. Select Domain by clicking on it’s name.
4. Click on the twisty for Option Sets.
5. Select the Option Set by clicking on it’s name.
6. Select Filters to display the include/exclude list.
7. Review the list to understand backup and restore operations.


4. Given that a command line interface, Administration Center and a TSM Server instance are available, determine the retention settings for a client, so that data retention is understood.


With emphasis on performing the following steps:

1. Issue the command: query node for the node of interest to determine its domain.
2. From the Administration Center, select TSM Instance by clicking on it’s name.
3. Navigate to the Administration Center Panel àPolicy Domains and Client Nodes.
4. Select Domain by clicking on its name.
5. Click on the twisty for Management Classes.
6. Click on management class name.
7. Click on Backup setting.
8. The backup retention policies for this client is displayed.
9. Note the retention policies for the client.


5. Given an operational TSM server and an administrative command line, determine if an administrator has authority to perform a particular action on the TSM server, so that the privilege class and associated privileges are known.


With emphasis on performing the following steps:

1. Log-in to the administrative command line.
2. Issue the command: query admin.
3. Examine the privilege class of the administrator to determine what authority he/she has.


6. Given that a TSM Server instance and TSM Administration Center are operational and the client has been defined, display the options for the client, so that performance expectations can be understood.


With emphasis on performing the following steps:

1. Select TSM Instance by clicking on it’s name.
2. Navigate to the Administration Center Panel -->Policy Domains and Client Nodes.
3. Select Domain by clicking on it’s name.
4. Click on the twisty for Option Sets.
5. Select the Client Option set by clicking on it’s name.
6. Select Options to display the client options.
7. Review the displayed options to insure they meet best practice values or local requirements.

Section 4 - Basic Troubleshooting

1. Given that the IBM Tivoli Storage Manager (TSM) client software is installed and configured, verify that the scheduler task is running so that scheduled backups can proceed.


With emphasis on performing the following steps:

1. On UNIX/Linux clients issue the command ps –ef | grep “dsmc sched” and verify the process is running.
2. On Windows clients, navigate to the Services panel and verify that the Tivoli Scheduler (dsmcsvc.exe) service is started.


2. Given an operational TSM server and access to a TSM client, change the settings that show active and inactive backups for restore, so that the location of the file to be restored and the time it was last modified can be determined.


With emphasis on performing the following steps:

1. Start the TSM client and choose restore.
2. From the View menu, choose the View Active/Inactive Files setting.
3. Expand the local tree until the desired file is located.


3. Given that a TSM Server instance is running and TSM command line is available, identify suspect tape media and then move data from the suspect media to a scratch tape and monitor the suspect tape, so that you can identify and remove defective media.


With emphasis on performing the following steps:

1. Issue the command query volume * access=unavailable from the CLI.
2. Reset media access on suspect media with the following command: update volume access=readwrite.
3. Move the data from the suspect to volume to a scratch tape with: move data stgpool=.
4. If move data is not successful, run the command: audit volume fix=yes.
5. Monitor suspect media.
6. Repeat for each volume returned in step a.


4. Given a TSM server which has a library which may not be working properly, determine if the library is operational, so that it’s status is known.


With emphasis on performing the following steps:

1. Start the TSM administrative command line.
2. Check to see if volumes are mounting using the q mount command.
3. Then issue the command query request for any outstanding tape mount requests.
4. If no outstanding requests, then issue the command query path to determine if paths are online.


5. Given that a TSM Server instance is operational and the administrative command line is available, determine the operational status of tape drives and note any that are not working, so that tape drive status has been determined.


With emphasis on performing the following steps:

1. Issue simultaneous audit volume commands for the number of drives in the library using a different (random) volume name.
2. After ensuring tapes mount and read, issue the cancel process command for the audit processes.
3. Monitor to insure completion.
4. Alternative process, issue the command query drive and investigate any drive where the On-Line state is No.


6. Given that a TSM Server Instance is running and the Administration Center or administrative command line is available, query the paths defined on the system so that their status can be determined.


With emphasis on performing the following steps:

1. Navigate to the TSM administrative commands, CLI or Administration Center Command Line.
2. Issue the command query path f=d.
3. Note the path definitions and the online status for each path.


7. Given a TSM client, determine if it can access the TSM server through the network, so that the status of the network between the TSM client and TSM server is known.


With emphasis on performing the following steps:

1. Log-in to the TSM client.
2. Determine the IP Address of the TSM server in the client’s dsm.opt file.
3. Ping the TSM server to check for a reply.


8. Given access to client dsm.opt file, review basic configuration parameters, so that basic the TSM configuration is verified.


With emphasis on performing the following steps:

1. Issue a query node and note if the client is defined on that server instance.
2. Issue a query option and note the TCP Port parameter.
3. Display the contents of the client dsm.opt file and verify that the NODENAME matches value from step a., verify that TCPPORT matches value from step b and verify that TCPSERVERADRESS matches server used in step a.
4. If all values are as expected then basic troubleshooting is complete otherwise correct and continue operations.


9. Given that a TSM Server instance is running and the TSM command line is available display volume information so as to verify volumes are available and online.


With emphasis on performing the following steps:

1. Issue the command query volume * from the CLI.
2. Review the volume status displayed by the above command and compare with the expected state, initiate any corrective action plan needed.


10. Given a TSM server and an administrative command line, check the status of a TSM storage pool to see if it’s full and it’s volumes are on-line, so that it’s status is known.


With emphasis on performing the following steps:

1. Log-on to the TSM administrative command line.
2. Issue the command: query stgpool to determine if a storage pool is full.
3. Issue the command: query volume stgpool= to determine if a storage pools volumes are available and on-line.


11. Given that an operational command line interface is available, determine which storage pools are currently be used by a client, so that volume usage can be determined.


With emphasis on performing the following steps:

1. Issue query nodedata .
2. Note the storage pools in use by the client.


12. Given that a TSM Server Instance is running and the Administration Center or administrative command line is available, query the activity log to determine when/if system status has change so that system issues can be resolved.


With emphasis on performing the following steps:

1. Navigate to the TSM administrative commands, CLI or Administration Center Command Line.
2. Issue the command query actlog search=””.
3. Note System Messages so that troubleshooting can be performed.


13. Given a TSM server, TSM client, and an administrative command line, get an overview of the configuration of the TSM server and client using the query sys and query systeminfo commands, so that the necessary information can be sent to support.


With emphasis on performing the following steps:

1. Log-on to the TSM administrative command line.
2. Issue the command: query system and save it to a file.
3. Start the TSM command line client and issue the command query systeminfo.
4. Gather the dsmserv.opt file.
5. Gather the client dsm.opt file.


14. Given that an command line interface, Administration Center and a TSM Server instance are available, determine which storage pools may be used by a client, so that data use and flows are understood.


With emphasis on performing the following steps:

1. Select TSM Instance by clicking on it’s name.
2. Navigate to the Administration Center Panel -->Policy Domains and Client Nodes.
3. Select Domain be clicking on it’s name.
4. Click on the ‘twisty’ for Management Classes.
5. Click on management class name.
6. Click on Backup setting.
7. The storage pool (STG Prim) for this client is displayed.
8. Issue query stgpool from TSM CLI.
9. Note any Next Storage Pool for the storage pool above (STG Prim) .