Backup Recovery and Media Services

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What are the roles of BRMS and Tivoli Storage Manager for IBM i?
2. Why is the IBM i TSM client referred to as the BRMS Application Client to TSM?
3. Is there a beta or try-and-buy version of the BRMS Application Client to TSM?
4. What releases does the BRMS Application Client to TSM support?
5. What communications methods are supported by the BRMS Application Client?
6. The BRMS Application Client overview positions the product for use with low volume data. What does that mean?
7. The BRMS Application Client overview also states the solution is being limited to user data. Why can't I backup my entire system to the TSM server?
8. What does user data include?
9. BRMS automatically generates a recovery plan for the IBM i. Does this plan include the TSM saved objects?
10. Can the BRMS Application Client backup the DB2/400 database?
11. Can the BRMS Application Client backup objects in the QSYS, QDLS and QIFS file systems to TSM?
12. Can the BRMS Application Client backup spool files to TSM servers?
13. Why can't the BRMS Application Client run in restricted state? 
14. Does the BRMS Application Client use save files to save objects and do I need 1 gigabyte of system storage to save a 1 gigabyte database to a TSM server?
15. Does the BRMS Application Client have any file size limits? I understand that FTP has a limitation of 2 gigabytes?
16. Can I use the BRMS Application Client and my TSM for IBM i server to provide a standalone backup of my IBM i using TSM?
17. What is the direction of IBM with regards to using BRMS Hierarchical Storage Management (HSM) with TSM?
18. Can the BRMS Application Client perform incremental backups?
19. Does the BRMS Application Client support archive operations?
20. Why would I want to delete the data portion of an object and leave the object descriptor?
21. Does the BRMS Application Client support automated archive based upon object usage?
22. Who tracks the data saved by the BRMS Application Client to TSM - BRMS or the TSM server?
23. When I save objects to TSM servers, why don't I see the names of the objects or the names of the libraries when I query the OS/400 filespaces on the TSM server?
24. If the BRMS Application Client stores several objects as a large file on TSM servers, can I still recover single objects?
25. What do I need to do to enable BRMS Application Clients to my TSM server?
26. Why must the TSM domains for the BRMS Application Clients be unscheduled?
27. What do I need from my TSM administrator to use the BRMS Application Client.?
28. Why do I get ANR0422W - refused connection messages in my TSM server?
29. Why do I get BRM2265 message with reason code 0406 when creating my TSM device in BRMS?

1. What are the roles of BRMS and Tivoli Storage Manager for IBM i?

BRMS is the strategic IBM solution for backup, recovery, media, and storage management on IBM i. Tivoli Storage Manager for IBM i (TSM for IBM i) is the strategic IBM solution for backup, recovery and storage management of PC workstations and network servers attached to IBM i. There is no intent to use TSM for IBM i as a disaster recovery solution for IBM i systems, this will always be managed by BRMS. Nor is there intent to use BRMS to backup, recover or manage the storage on PC workstations or network servers, this will always be managed by TSM for IBM i. Consequently, there will always be two solutions for IBM i enterprises. Use TSM for IBM i to backup your distributed clients (workstations and servers) to the IBM i server. Use BRMS for IBM i to backup your IBM i server.

Note:
Tivoli Storage Manager Server, Version 5.2.

Migrate your TSM Server on IBM i to a TSM Server on a Linux partition on your IBM i or IBM i5 platform. See the IBM Tivoli Storage.

To migrate an existing TSM Server on IBM i to a TSM Server on Linux, use the TSM functions EXPORT/IMPORT. This can be done either using tape or network server-to-server EXPORT/IMPORT.

The BRMS Application Client to TSM remains the IBM i TSM Client. You can use BRMS to save low-volume user data on distributed IBM i or IBM i5 platforms to any TSM Server. Details on the BRMS Application Client can be found at BRMS application client to TSM

End of Service for TSM 5698-ISM

The manual "IBM Tivoli Storage Manager - for OS/400 PASE - Administrator's Reference -Version 5.2 - Document Number GC23-4695-01"
http://www.rzg.mpg.de/from_external/TSM_doc/TSM-5.2.0.0/pase/html/qstart/anrpqs51tfrm.htm (link resides outside of ibm.com)

refer to product numbers
- 5698-ISM
- 5698-ISX
- 5698-HSM

Product 5698-ISM V5.2 has and End of Service date 30 April 2007 as Found on the IBM Software Support Lifecycle website.

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2. Why is the IBM i TSM client referred to as the BRMS Application Client to TSM?

The BRMS Application Client function is based on a unique implementation of the TSM Application Programming Interface (API) and does not provide functions typically available with TSM Backup/Archive clients. The solution it integrated into BRMS and has a native IBM i look and feel. There is no TSM command line or GUI interfaces. The BRMS Application client is not a Tivoli Backup/Archive client nor a Tivoli Data Protection Client.

3. Is there a beta or try-and-buy version of the BRMS Application Client to TSM?

Yes. BRMS is available as a license keyed product. As such, BRMS is shipped with all IBM i servers. You can use BRMS and the BRMS Application client for 70 days without requiring a license. After 70 days, you will need to purchase a license to the product to continue BRMS operations. This allows you to implement and test a backup and recovery strategy for your IBM i server at no charge.

4. What releases does the BRMS Application Client to TSM support?

The BRMS Application Client to TSM is supported on all current IBM i releases.

5. What communications methods are supported by the BRMS Application Client?

The BRMS Application Client supports the TCP/IP and APPC communications methods.

6. The BRMS Application Client overview positions the product for use with low volume data. What does that mean?

IBM i save and restore rates vary depending on the size of the system and the attached tape drives. Large systems with 3480, 3490, 3575, 3580 or 3590 drives can achieve save rates that may exceed the capabilities of a network or a TSM server. The BRMS Application Client is not intended for use in data intensive environments.

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7. The BRMS Application Client overview states the solution is being limited to user data. Why can't I backup my entire system to the TSM server?

The IBM i architecture and BRMS only allow you to save system data to local media so that you are protected should you need to recover the system. The means of recovery is to re-install all the system software and fixes, or re-boot the system using the media containing the latest system save. Re-booting the system using the latest save is the fastest way to recover the system. If the system saves are managed by BRMS, the recovery of the IBM is even easier because BRMS guides you step-by-step. Only after the operating IBM is restored can communication with an TSM server be established for restoration of the user data stored there. BRMS automatically restores the most current data stored at TSM servers.

8. What does user data include?

User data are OS/400 objects which are not required to restore the operating system to a functional level. Typically this is any object that can be saved to a save file with the following exceptions.

• Libraries with names prefixed with letter Q.
• Security data
• Configuration data
• Licensed programs

BRMS will provide the policing necessary to assure only user data is saved on TSM servers.

9. BRMS automatically generates a recovery plan for IBM i. Does this plan include the TSM saved objects?

Absolutely!!!!

10. Can the BRMS Application Client backup the DB2/400 database?

The BRMS Application Client) can perform full backup of the DB2/400 databases which are IBM i physical file objects (data) and logical file objects (access paths). Incremental backup capability is provided by backing up the journal receiver objects associated with a particular database (journal receivers are similar to DB2 log files). There is no real IBM i equivalent to table spaces because of IBM i single level store concept. A collection of database files in a library is the closest similarity. You can backup all databases in this library (full) or all changes databases in this library (incremental).

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11. Can the BRMS Application Client backup objects in the QSYS, QDLS and QIFS file systems to TSM?

The BRMS Application Client can backup objects from the QSYS, QDLS and QIFS files systems to TSM. The BRMS Application client can also be used for online Lotus server backups.

12. Can the BRMS Application Client backup spool files to TSM servers?

Yes, the BRMS Application Client saves spool files to TSM servers. In releases prior to V5R4, BRMS saves spool files by first copying the spool files to documents, then saving these documents to TSM. In V5R4, BRMS saves the spoolfiles directly to the TSM servers.

13. Why can't the BRMS Application Client run in restricted state?

The BRMS Application Client cannot perform save or restore operations while in restricted state because IBM i subsytems managing the communication with the TSM servers are no longer running in this state.

14. Does the BRMS Application Client use save files to save objects and do I need 1 gigabyte of system storage in order to save a 1 gigabyte database to an TSM server?

No. The BRMS Application Client does set up the operation as a save to a save file but the data is intercepted and rerouted to the TSM APIs instead of being written to the save file. This allows the BRMS Application Client to operate on storage constrained systems and with better performance.

15. Does the BRMS Application Client have any file size limits? I understand that FTP has a limitation of 2 gigabytes?

The TSM Application Client uses Sockets not FTP. These is virtually no restriction on the size of the saved objects.

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16. Can I use the BRMS Application Client and TSM for IBM i server to provide a standalone backup of my IBM i using TSM?

BRMS is the recommended solution for backing up standalone IBM i systems. Using the BRMS Application Client and TSM for IBM i to backup a standalone IBM i in most cases would complicate the backup process and degrade backup performance. You also would not be able to backup the system data through this interface.

17. Can I use BRMS Hierarchical Storage Management (HSM) with TSM?

Hierarchical Storage Management (HSM) is available as a seperately priced option of the BRMS product. BRMS archive operations can be performed to TSM servers using the BRMS Application Client. It is as simple as specifying the TSM server as the device in the Archive control group. BRMS HSM operations are managed by BRMS policies, not TSM policies.

18. Can the BRMS Application Client perform incremental backups?

BRMS provides both full and incremental backup capability. A BRMS full backup is equivalent to an TSM full incremental backup.

BRMS provides two methods of incremental backup, cumulative and incremental .

Cumulative backups save all changed objects since the last full backup.

Incremental backups save all changed objects since the last incremental backup and are equivalent to TSM incremental by date backups.

19. Does the BRMS Application Client support archive operations?

BRMS provides both archive and retrieval of OS/400 objects. In addition, policies can be changed to delete the archived object off the system or to delete only the data portion of the object, leaving the object descriptor.

20. Why would I want to delete the data portion of an object and leave the object descriptor?

The IBM i allows selected objects like data base members, documents and stream files to be saved with the option to free the storage used by the data portion of the object. A description of the object is left on the system. BRMS exploits this capability by automatically restoring the data portion of these freed objects dynamically when needed by the system. This function is known as Dynamic Retrieval and is similar to the TSM Space Management function, except it is managed by BRMS policies. Archive with dynamic retrieval is a very useful tool that can be used to manage IBM i storage.

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21. Does the BRMS Application Client support automated archive based upon object usage?

The policies of BRMS allow the Application Client to automatically archive objects to TSM based on size of the object, age of the object or frequency of use.

22. Who tracks the data saved by the BRMS Application Client to TSM - BRMS or the TSM server?

BRMS uses the TSM servers as if these are virtual tape devices. BRMS tracks the objects saved at TSM servers in the same manner it tracks objects saved to local media. The BRMS media information for objects saved at TSM servers contains *ADSM for the volume serial identifier, and 0 (zero) for the file sequence number. The media information detail identifies the device (TSM server) where the objects were saved, as well as the filespace, high-level and low-level names, and the management class.

23. When I save objects to TSM servers, why don't I see the names of the objects or the names of the libraries when I query the OS/400 filespaces on the TSM server?

BRMS Application Client does not save individual objects to the TSM server as is typical of TSM Backup/Archive clients. Saving OS/400 objects one by one degrades IBM i save/restore performance. The BRMS Application client saves collections of objects like, all objects in a library, all changed objects in a library, all objects of a specific type, or all documents in a folder for example. These objects are stored at the TSM server as a single file. BRMS assigns a unique name to this file. BRMS manages the expiration of the objects in this file and will explicitly delete the file from the TSM server when all objects in the file have expired. The user still has the capability to save and restore single objects as needs require, but these will still be stored at TSM with unique BRMS names.

24. If the BRMS Application Client stores several objects as a large file on TSM servers, can I still recover single objects?

Yes. The BRMS Application Client allows a single object to be restored from an TSM server. The operation is similar to restoring the same object from tape media. The file data is retrieved from the TSM server and scanned for the object descriptor. When the object is found, it is restored and the retrieval of the file from the TSM server is terminated. The entire file in most instances does not need to be retrieved unless the target object was the last object saved.

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25. What do I need to do to enable BRMS Application Clients to my TSM server?

Refer to section "Setting Up Your BRMS Client" in Chapter 12 for the Backup Recovery and Media Services for IBM i book, SC41-5445-03. This provides directions for setting up a special domain for BRMS Application clients.

26. Why must the TSM domains for the BRMS Application Clients be unscheduled?

TSM servers cannot performed scheduled operations to Application Clients using the TSM Application Programming Interface. BRMS provides the capabilities to automate backup or restore operations through its own scheduling functions.

27. What do I need from my TSM administrator to use the BRMS Application Client?

You will need to provide the TSM administrator your node name and password. The TSM administrator will need to provide you the communications method and the means to identifying the host system on the network.

28. Why do I get ANR0422W - refused connection messages on my TSM server?

ANR0422W Session nnnn for node QBRMS (OS400) refused - node name not registered.

To connect with TSM servers, BRMS requires the user create a device of type *NET or *APPC (depending in the communications method). When the device is created, BRMS attempts to communicate with the TSM server using a node name of QBRMS in order to verify the connection. This message is logged by the TSM when the connection attempt is made.

29. Why do I get BRM2265 message with reason code 0406 when creating my TSM device in BRMS?

• Message ID:BRM2265
• Severity:70
• Message type:Diagnostic
• Message:Errors occurred initiating session using device xxxxx.
• Cause:Errors occurred initiating a session using device xxxxx for control group *N type *N. Reason code 0406

The TSM API running in library QANSAPI cannot find an TSM options file. Issue the following IBM i commands to create the file and the member.

CRTSRCPF FILE(QANSAPI/QOPTADSM)
ADDPFM FILE(QANSAPI/QOPTADSM) MBR(APIOPT)

This should correct the problem.

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