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Bucky Backup

Tips for Windows

File Locations:

  • The Options File for the Windows TSM Client is C:\Program Files\Tivoli\TSM\baclient\dsm.opt.
  • The Scheduler Log File is C:\Program Files\Tivoli\TSM\baclient\dsmsched.log.
  • The Error Log File is C:\Program Files\Tivoli\TSM\baclient\dsmerror.log.
  • The complete TSM manual can be found in Start -> (All) Programs -> Tivoli Storage Manager -> Online Information If you'd like more information about anything discussed below, please consult the TSM manual or contact the DoIT Helpdesk.
  • The complete TSM manual can also be found online here.

Verifying Scheduler Functionality:

You can check to see that things are setup for your next scheduled backup to happen successfully by verifying that the "TSM Scheduler" service is running and that the tail-end of your dsmsched.log file has time stamps from within the last 4 hours. If the service is not running and/or the most recent time stamps in dsmsched.log are older than 4 hours, restart the "TSM Scheduler" service:

  1. Go to Start -> Run.
  2. Type cmd and hit Enter.
  3. In the Command Prompt window that appears, type net stop "TSM Scheduler" and hit Enter.
  4. Type net start "TSM Scheduler" and hit Enter. If the service will not start back up, please see this Helpdesk document.

Then check the tail-end of dsmsched.log again. If you don't see a new entry detailing when your next scheduled backup will occur, please contact the DoIT Helpdesk.

DOMAIN Statement:

By default, all local drives & Windows Objects will be backed up. To change the scope of what is considered for backup, start by modifying the DOMAIN statement. Open dsm.opt in Notepad, delete the asterisk (*) in front of DOMAIN, and list the drive letters and/or Windows Objects you want to backup. You can further restrict file backups with INCLUDE & EXCLUDE statements (next section). Here are some examples of the DOMAIN statement:

  • (Windows 2000/XP/2003) Only backup files from the C: drive:
        DOMAIN C:
  • (Windows XP/2003) Only backup files from the C: drive & Windows Objects:
        DOMAIN C: ASR SYSTEMSTATE SYSTEMSERVICES
  • (Windows 2000) Only backup files from the C: drive & Windows Objects:
        DOMAIN C: SYSTEMOBJECT
  • (Windows XP/2003) Only backup files from the D: & G: drives, and Windows Objects:
        DOMAIN D: G: ASR SYSTEMSTATE SYSTEMSERVICES

Please note that if you want to be able to do a disaster recovery with your TSM data, you must backup SYSTEMOBJECT (Windows 2000) or ASR, SYSTEMSTATE & SYSTEMSERVICES (Windows XP & 2003).

Be sure to save changes to dsm.opt & restart your TSM Scheduler service for changes to take effect. See this document for more information on reducing backup costs.

INCLUDE & EXCLUDE Statements:

INCLUDE & EXCLUDE statements are entered into the options file and only apply to files & directories that are within the scope of your DOMAIN. EXCLUDE.DIR statements (which exclude entire directories) get processsed first. Next, regular INCLUDE & EXCLUDE statements are read from the bottom-up. The first one found that matches a particular file is the one used. You only need to put quotes around a drive letter & path if a section of the path is longer than 8 characters and/or there are spaces in the path, but you can put quotes around all drive letters & paths if you want. Here are some examples:

  • Exclude any directory named "temp" on the root of any drive. Note that ? means to match any drive letter:
        EXCLUDE.DIR ?:\temp
  • Exclude any directory named "stuff not to back up" where ever it might exist. Note that adding "...\" to a path means "match any number of directories":
        EXCLUDE.DIR "?:\...\stuff not to back up"
  • Exclude any file that has a dmp extension where ever it might exist:
        EXCLUDE ?:\...\*.dmp
  • Exclude all files from "D:\something", but allow files in sub directories of "D:\something" to be backed up. Note the lack of "...\":
        EXCLUDE "D:\something\*.*"
  • Exclude all files from "C:\Program Files\My Application" & any sub directories except for files that have a log extension. Note that the INCLUDE is below the EXCLUDE statement so that it gets processed first. We can't use EXCLUDE.DIR on the "My Application" directory here because that would get processed before any regular INCLUDE's or EXCLUDE's, effectively nullifying the INCLUDE statement. Also, the entire subdirectory structure will be backed up (the EXCLUDE statement only applies to files):
        EXCLUDE "C:\Program Files\My Application\...\*.*"
        INCLUDE "C:\Program Files\My Application\...\*.log"
  • Exclude everything from the C: drive except for the entire "C:\Documents and Settings" directory. Note that this only excludes all the non-"C:\Documents and Settings" files on C: -- an empty directory structure of the entire C: drive will still be backed up.:
        EXCLUDE C:*.*
        INCLUDE "C:\Documents and Settings\...\*.*"
  • Here are two ways to exclude all files from the D: drive. Note the lack of a backslash in the first one which means "match the file anywhere on the drive". Also, this only excludes all the files on D: -- an empty directory structure of the entire D: drive will still be backed up. If you want to exclude the entire D: drive, it is best to define a DOMAIN statement that does not reference D:
        EXCLUDE D:*.*
        EXCLUDE D:\...\*.*

Be sure to save changes to dsm.opt & restart your TSM Scheduler service for changes to take effect. See this document for more information on reducing backup costs.

Using Alternate Management Classes:

Let's say, for instance, you want to keep 10 versions of all Active & Inactive files for 365 days within "C:\Important Files", and only 2 versions of all other Active files, and only 1 version of all other Inactive Files, both only for 30 days. You should send an email to DoIT SysOps similar to this:

  • Hello - My node name is XXXXXX and I'd like 2 management classes created: 1 that keeps 10 versions of all active & inactive files for 365 days. And 1 that keeps 2 versions of all active & 1 version of all inactive files for 30 days. Thanks.

And suppose SysOps responds telling you that the first one is called 10_VERSIONS_365_DAYS and the second is called 2_VERSIONS_1_INACTIVE_30_DAYS. Here is how you'd bind your files to those management classes. Note that the Important Files are included & bound to the 10 versions management class below the other statement to make sure it gets processed first. All other files will match the Include statement above it:

  • INCLUDE ?:*.* 2_VERSIONS_1_INACTIVE_30_DAYS
    INCLUDE "C:\Important Files\...\*.*" 10_VERSIONS_365_DAYS

Be sure to save changes to dsm.opt & restart your TSM Scheduler service for changes to take effect.

File Space Maintenance:

See the first part of this document for how to delete file spaces.

Extra Tips:

  1. Please read through the Windows Disaster Recovery information.

  2. To tell what will be backed up during your next scheduled backup by starting the GUI client and going into “Backup.” If you have restricted your backup domain to just a couple of drives, all of them will still show up here, but only files that fall within your specified domain will be considered for backup. Only pay attention to the drives that are part of your domain. Directories that have been excluded with Exclude.Dir statements will not show up at all and won’t be backed up. Files that have been excluded with a regular Exclude statement will be visible, but a little red x or “not sign” will appear over their icons and the files won’t be backed up either.