Tivoli Storage Manager for UNIX Using the Backup-Archive Clients


Chapter 5. Automating TSM Tasks

This chapter applies to the TSM authorized user only. Root authorization is only required when updating the /etc/inittab and /etc/rc files.

Your administrator can schedule TSM to perform tasks automatically on a regular basis. For example, you can automatically back up files at the end of each day, or archive some of your files every Friday. This procedure, known as central scheduling, is a cooperative effort between the server and your client node. Your administrator associates clients with one or more schedules that are part of the policy domain maintained in the database. The administrator defines central scheduling on the server, and you start the client scheduler on your workstation. Once you start the client scheduler, further intervention is not necessary.

Note:The schedule start time is based on the server clock, not the workstation clock.
With client scheduling, you can also:
Note:Install the command line client and ensure the communication software is running before you start the client scheduler.

Specifying Scheduling Options

You can modify scheduling options in the client system options file or in the graphical user interface. However, if your administrator specifies a value for these options, that value overrides what you have in the client system options file.

For more information about scheduling options, changing the scheduling mode, specifying the TCP/IP address or port number, or running commands before or after a schedule, see "Scheduling Options".


Starting the Client Scheduler

To start the client scheduler on your client node and connect to the server schedule, change to the TSM directory and enter the following command:

   dsmc schedule

When you start the client scheduler, it runs continuously until you close the window, end the process, or log off your system.

To run the schedule command in the background and to keep the client scheduler running even if you log off your system, enter the following:

   nohup dsmc schedule 2> /dev/null &

If a TSM password is required for your workstation and you want to run the schedule command in the background, enter the password with the command.

Root User: To start the client scheduler automatically, ensure that the passwordaccess option is set to generate in your client system options file, then follow the procedure below for your operating system:

For OS/390 UNIX:
  1. Create a shell script called /usr/lpp/adsm/bin/rundsmc which contains the following entries:
    cd/usr/lpp/adsm/bin
    ./dsmc schedule
    
    Note:This prevents creation of two jobs with the same name and enables automatic shutdown.
  2. Modify the /etc/rc file and add entries to set environment variables to retrieve the servername and nodename options from dsm.sys and to start the TSM client scheduler, as follows:
    1. Set environment variables to retrieve the servername and nodename options from dsm.sys.
      export DSM_DIR=/usr/lpp/adsm/bin
      export DSM_CONFIG=/usr/lpp/adsm/bin/dsm.opt
      
    2. Start the TSM client scheduler and redirect outputs to schedule.out instead of the /etc/log file.

      _BPX_JOBNAME='ADSMCLNT'/usr/lpp/adsm/bin/rundsmc 1>/usr/lpp/adsm/bin/schedule.out 2>&1 &
      
Note:Enter the _BPX_JOBNAME entry on a single line in the /etc/rc file.

TSM does not recognize changes to the dsm.opt or the dsm.sys file while the client scheduler is running. If you make changes to these files while the client scheduler is running, and you want TSM to begin using the new values immediately, stop the client scheduler and restart it. For example, if you change the inclexcl option in your dsm.sys file to point to a different include-exclude options file, stop the client scheduler and restart it before TSM can begin using the new file that you specified.

To manually stop the client scheduler, enter the kill command if it is running in the background, or press Ctrl+C if it is running in the foreground. To restart the client scheduler, enter the schedule command again.

Tape prompting does not occur during a scheduled event regardless of the tapeprompt option setting in your options file.


Displaying Information About Scheduled Work

To view schedules that are defined for your client node, enter:

   dsmc query schedule

TSM displays detailed information about all scheduled work for your client node. The figure below displays sample query schedule output.

Figure 6. Sample Query Schedule Output


 Schedule Name: DAILY_INC
   Description: Daily System-wide backup
        Action: Incremental
       Options: QUIET
       Objects:
      Priority: 1
Next Execution: 30 minutes
      Duration: 4 Hours
        Period: 1 Day
   Day of Week: Any
        Expire: Never
 
 Schedule Name: WEEKLY_INC
   Description: Weekly backup for project files
        Action: Incremental
       Options: QUIET
       Objects: /proj
      Priority: 1
Next Execution: 60 minutes
      Duration: 8 Hours
        Period: 7 Days
   Day of Week: Friday
        Expire: Never

The schedule name, DAILY_INC, starts a daily incremental backup. The next incremental backup will start in 30 minutes. Because no objects are listed, TSM runs the incremental backup on your default domain. The schedule has no expiration date.

The schedule name, WEEKLY_INC, starts a weekly incremental backup in the /proj file system.


Displaying Information About Completed Work

When you run the schedule command in the foreground, output from scheduled commands displays on your screen. Output is also directed to the dsmsched.log file in the current directory unless you change the path and file name using the schedlogname option.

When you run the schedule command in the background, output from scheduled commands is directed to the dsmsched.log file in the current directory, or to the path and file name that you specified.

After scheduled work is performed, check the schedule log to verify that all work completed successfully.

When a scheduled command is processed the schedule log may contain the following entry:

   Scheduled event eventname completed successfully
 

This is merely an indication that TSM successfully issued the scheduled command associated with the eventname. No attempt is made to determine the success or failure of the command. You should assess the status of the command by evaluating the return code from the scheduled command in the schedule log. The schedule log entry for the command's return code is prefaced with the following text:

   Finished command. Return code is:

The schedule log continues to grow unless you prune it using the schedlogretention option. See "Specifying Scheduling Options" for more information.


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