How to Install & Configure LANFree Backup by using Storage Agent in TSM (AIX) - Part 2

To install and configure TSM storage agent for lanfree backup operations you should first check the compatibility of TSM server, TSM baclient and TSM storage agent . IF you use tivoli data protection (tdp) to backup your database and mail servers in your environment, you should also check the version compatibility between them. For version compatibility to your environment check the IBM information center and download the software packages appropriately. To use LAN-free operations, you need a Tivoli Storage Manager server license. If you use large tape libraries, you need a Tivoli Storage Manager Extended Edition license.

Follow these below steps to install and configure TSM Storage Agent. Before going further, you need to understand what is TSM Storage Agent and need to prepare or plan on which client systems you can install it.

Installation and Configuration steps of TSM Storage Agent

1) Preparing for install by knowing the Requirements & Limitations of TSM Storage Agents

1) By installing TSM storage agent on your systems you can backup the data lanfree i.e through fibre channel cables which reduces lots of pressure on LAN. These fibre channel cables should be used to connect TSM server, tape library and client computers in order to form Storage Area Networks (SAN). A Tivoli Storage Manager server, acting as a library manager, controls the storage devices. The storage agent can send the data directly to the server using the paths between the storage agent and the server. Only V6.2 or later storage agents can use LAN-free data movement to access storage pools that contain data that was deduplicated by clients. V6.1 or earlier storage agents cannot use LAN-free data movement to access these storage pools.

2) Multiple sessions are used for the no-query restore when data for the restore resides on devices with a LAN-free path and devices with a LAN-only path. Some sessions restore data from the server with a LAN-only path. The other sessions use the storage agent to restore data over the LAN-free path.

3) The number of sessions used for a restore operation is dependent on the value of the client RESOURCEUTILIZATION option and the number of server volumes that contain the client data to be restored. It is also a best practice to define all the available tape drives to all the storage agents, if one fails another will be used.

4) The storage agent can support several clients while installed on only one of the clients. You can also install the storage agent on a client system that does not share storage resources with the Tivoli Storage Manager server, but that is connected to a client system that does share storage resources. The LANFREECOMMMETHOD option allows a client system that shares storage resources to communicate with the storage agent. The LANFREECOMMMETHOD option also allows the storage agent to support several clients while the storage agent is installed on only one of the clients.

Also Read: TSM Storage Pool Concepts (V7 Revised)

2) Enabling required Network Connections
You should attach the TSM server system and the client systems to the LAN and to the SAN along with appropriate storage devices. If you are planning to use a storage agent with disk media, install IBM General Parallel File System, Tivoli SANergy, or IBM TotalStorage SAN File System on the applicable systems. Tivoli SANergy is included with the storage agent media.


3) Registering LANFree node on TSM server
You should first register the node name in TSM server which you want to use in lanfree backup operations. Assign this lanfree node to the domain copy group where destination storage pool is on a SAN attached library. You should also use parameters datareadpath and datawritepath and choose option ANY (LAN & LANFREE). If a failure occurs on the SAN path, failover occurs and the client uses its LAN connection to the Tivoli Storage Manager server and moves the client data over the LAN.


4) Installing TSM StorageAgent on Client Machine

1) You should first install tsm backup-archive or Tivoli Storage Manager Data Protection clients on client systems before installing storage agents. If you install a Data Protection application client, you must also install the Tivoli Storage Manager API. TSM API acts as a mediator between TSM server and Tivoli Data Protection software.

2) Follow the same procedure which you use to install TSM BA clients and TDP clients. To install storage agent, go to the directory where the executable packages are located and use either SMITTY tool or use installp commands. The default path for a storage agents 6.1 or later is /opt/tivoli/tsm/StorageAgent/bin.

Also Read: Full vs Differential vs Incremental vs Progressive Incremental Backups 


5) Configuring dsm.sys and dsm.opt files to enable LANFree on Client Machines

1) You should first edit the client system option file (dsm.sys) to enable LANfree operation to that client. To do this go to the BA client installation directory and edit/add the following lanfree parameters to the existing stanzas. If this is the first time you are configuring dsm.sys file, make sure you also add the correct tsm server details as shown below.

To add only LANFree Parameters, use these in dam.sys
enablelanfree yes
lanfreecommmethod tcpip
lanfreetcpserveraddress 192.168.100.100 (storageagent/client ip)
lanfreetcpport 1502

To configure first time, use these in dsm.sys
servername tsmserv (tsmservername)
nodename LANFREENODENAME
commmethod tcpip
tcpserveraddress 192.168.200.200 (tsm server ip)
tcpport 1500
enablelanfree yes
lanfreecommmethod tcpip
lanfreetcpserveraddress 192.168.100.100 (storageagent/client ip)
lanfreetcpport 1502

2) Now, you have to configure the client option file (dsm.opt) to point to the correct stanza in dsm.sys file. To do this open the dsm.opt file located in the same directory and add the same tsmserver name which you added in dsm.sys file.
servername tsmserv 

The dsm.sys file can contain multiple stanzas to connect multiple client nodes in LAN/LANfree operations. The SERVERNAME option in the dsm.sys file, which is the client system options file, must match the SERVERNAME option in the dsm.opt file, which is the client user-options file. However, the option is unrelated to and does not need to match the SERVERNAME option that is defined for the storage agent in the storage-agent options file, dsmsta.opt

3) If you installed a Data Protection application client, you must also install and configure the Tivoli Storage Manager client API, verify that the client system meets the prerequisites for the application programming interface (API) software.  The default path for TSM API is /usr/tivoli/tsm/client/api/bin/ 

4) You should then specify the environment variables before. The Tivoli Storage Manager API uses unique environment variables to locate files. 

DSMI_CONFIG is the fully qualified name for the client user option file. 
DSMI_DIR points to the path containing dsm.sys, dsmtca, and the subdirectory en_US. 
DSMI_LOG points to the path for the dsierror.log file.

To do this, use these commands
export dsmi_config=/usr/tivoli/tsm/client/api/bin/dsm.opt
export dsmi_dir=/usr/tivoli/tsm/client/api/bin
export dsmi_log=/home/user_a/logdir

5) Then edit an existing stanza or create a stanza in the dsm.sys file to specify the communications options between the Tivoli Storage Manager API and server as below

servername tsmserv 
nodename LANFREETDPNODE
commmethod tcpip
tcpserveraddress 192.168.200.200 (tsm server ip)
tcpport 1500
enablelanfree yes
lanfreecommmethod tcpip
lanfreetcpserveraddress 192.168.100.100 (storageagent ip)
lanfreetcpport 1502

6) The next step is to create symbolic link between dsm.sys files in API directory and BA directory. This way they both uses the same server option settings. To do this run


6) Defining the storage agent devices and configuring Server-to-server communication on the TSM Server

1) To setup a LANFree communication between TSM server and TSM storage agents you must configure server to server communication between them, define storage agents to the server, configure SAN drives, set the LAN-free destination storage pool, and confirm node registration and configuration. Server-to-server communication is required for Tivoli Storage Manager servers and storage agents to share library devices on a SAN.

2) To set up server-to-server communication, issue the following commands on the Tivoli Storage Manager server.
set servername tsmserv
set serverpassword tsmservpassword
set serverhladdress 192.168.200.200 (tsmserv ip) 
set serverlladdress 1500

2) For each client that will use LAN-free data transfer, you must define the client's storage agent to the server as if the storage agent is another server. Use the same name and password that you specified for the storage agent when you installed it on the client system.


SSL option is introduced in TSM Storageagent from version 6.3. This parameter specifies that SSL communication is used. If you specify SSL as the communication method, you must import SSL certificates from the server to the storage agent, and from the storage agent to the server. Import SSL certificates before you start the storage agent or the server.

3) If the library to be used for LAN-free data movement is a Tivoli Storage Manager shared library and the data manager server is a library client, then you must define the storage agent to the library manager as well as the library client. The storage agent needs to be able to contact the library manager directly when making mount requests. If the storage agent is only defined to the library client, it will attempt to use information from the library client to define itself to the library manager. If the storage agent is unable to define itself to the library manager, then you must define the storage agent manually using the DEFINE SERVER command issued from the library manager. To verify that the storage agent is defined to the library manager, issue the following command from the library manager server

4) The next step is to define drives and paths to the storage agent from tape library. Paths allow a client, by means of a storage agent, access to the library drives that are available to the Tivoli Storage Manager server. Path-definition requirements depend on the type of device that you are using.


5) You should obtain the names of your tape or disk devices. If you are configuring tape devices, review the device names. The name of a tape device as known to the server will probably not match the name of the same tape device as known to the storage agent If your tape library is in shared mode and multiple TSM servers are connected to single library then you must define paths on the library manager for the storage agent to each drive that the storage agent will access. In addition, you must define a path for the library manager to each drive so that the storage agent can use the drive. Define paths by using the following example command. It is always a good practice to define all the paths available to storage agent. Suppose if your tape library has 10 drives, define 10 drive paths to storage agent and then to library manager also.
define path storagnt drive1 srctype=server desttype=drive library=sanlib1 device=/dev/mt1
define path storagnt drive2 srctype=server desttype=drive library=sanlib1 device=/dev/mt2
define path storagnt drive3 srctype=server desttype=drive library=sanlib1 device=/dev/mt3
define path storagnt drive4 srctype=server desttype=drive library=sanlib1 device=/dev/mt4

Important: For the same tape device, the device name as known to the server will probably not match the device name as known to the storage agent. Failures can occur if incorrect device information is provided.

Also Read: 15 tips to efficiently use the tape drive resources


7) Finally Configuring and Starting TSM Storageagent services on client systems

1) Next step is to configure and initialize the storage agent by adding communication information to the device configuration file and the storage agent options file dsmsta.opt. Ensure that the DEVCONFIG option is specified in the storage agent options file dsmsta.opt. 
The default location for dsmsta.opt file is /usr/tivoli/tsm/StorageAgent/bin

2) Now use the following command to initializee the storage agent.

You should use the same server name and passwords which you used while defining server to server communications. The HLADDRESS option must match the TCPSERVERADDRESS option that is in the dsm.sys file on the Tivoli Storage Manager client. The SERVERNAME option in the dsm.sys file, which is the client system options file, must match the SERVERNAME option in the dsm.opt file, which is the client user-options file. By running the above command it generates the following output in the storage agent device configuration file

 The passwords are encrypted in the file. The command also generates the following line in the dsmsta.opt file
 SERVERNAME tsmsrver


8) Validating and Verifying the LAN-free configuration
To verify that you have configured your system correctly for LAN-free data movement, perform the following procedure

1) Issue the VALIDATE LANFREE command to determine which destinations for your node are capable of LAN-free data movement. For those nodes that are not capable of LAN-free data movement, this command provides an explanation as to why they are not capable. You can use this information to correct your configuration before proceeding to the next step.
Validate lanfree  nodename storageagentname 

Now run a backup operation from the client. Ensure the following if you receive a message saying that the backup has failed:

• The Tivoli Storage Manager server is running. If the Tivoli Storage Manager server is not running, the storage agent will not start.

• The client, storage agent, and server are communicating with each other as expected.

• The paths to the drives are correctly defined.

• All drives in a library have defined paths from the server.

The output of this command also provides explanations about destinations that are not LAN-free capable. Use this information to correct your configuration before proceeding.

Also Read: Increase TSM server performance by following these guidelines


9) How to check if backup is going in LAN or LANFree

1) When the data transfers on a LAN-free path, a message displays informing you that the client is starting a session with the storage agent:
    ANR0415I Session session number proxied by storage agent name for node your node name
    This message confirms that LAN-free data movement has occurred.

2) You can also view the backup report issued when backup processing completes. When LAN-free data movement has occurred, the number of "LAN-Free Bytes Transferred" is greater than zero.

3) Monitor the QUERY SESSION output against the node that is running the LAN-free backup. Review the Bytes Sent and Bytes Received. You can perform this action by using a Tivoli Storage Manager administrative command-line client to login to the Tivoli Storage Manager server and storage agent to verify that the proper sessions have been established. When LAN-free data movement is occurring, a QUERY SESSION on the storage agent should show bytes received (displayed as Bytes Recvd) for the node increasing to the total amount of data being backed up. The QUERY SESSION on the Tivoli Storage Manager server should show a very small number of bytes of metadata received for the same node. If the node's session exhibits this behavior, the data movement is LAN-free.

4) You can also run the Q SESSION command by using Storagent as below