IBM Tivoli Storage Manager

Last updated
IBM Storage Protect
Other namesIBM Spectrum Protect, Tivoli Storage Manager
Developer(s) IBM
Stable release
8.1.22 [1] [2] / March 24, 2024;15 days ago (2024-03-24)
Operating system cross-platform
Type backup
License Proprietary
Website ibm.com/products/storage-protect

IBM Storage Protect (formerly IBM Spectrum Protect, Tivoli Storage Manager(TSM)) is a data protection platform that gives enterprises a single point of control and administration for backup and recovery. It is the flagship product in the IBM Spectrum Protect (Tivoli Storage Manager) family.

Contents

It enables backups and recovery for virtual, physical and cloud environments of all sizes.

This product is part of the IBM Spectrum Software Defined Storage suite of products and is unrelated to the Tivoli Management Framework.

History

TSM descended from a project done at IBM's Almaden Research Center around 1988 to back up VM/CMS systems. The first product that emerged was Workstation Data Save Facility (WDSF). WDSF's original purpose was to back up PC/DOS, OS/2, and AIX workstation data onto a VM/CMS (and later MVS) server. WDSF morphed into ADSTAR Distributed Storage Manager (ADSM) and was re-branded Tivoli Storage Manager in 1999.

Photo of an IBM Technical Award from 1991 given to the original Workstation Data Save Facility (WDSF) team at the IBM Almaden Research Center in San Jose, CA, USA. Original IBM Almaden Research WDSF team from an IBM technical award.jpg
Photo of an IBM Technical Award from 1991 given to the original Workstation Data Save Facility (WDSF) team at the IBM Almaden Research Center in San Jose, CA, USA.

The TSM database (through release 5.5) was a bespoke B+ tree database; although the TSM database used many of the same underlying technologies as IBM's Db2, has a SQL engine (for read-only use), and supports access through ODBC, the database had an architectural limit of approximately 530 GB, and 13 GB of log space. Starting with TSM 6.1, released in May 2009, TSM uses a Db2 instance as its database (thus eliminating the architectural limitations of the previous TSM database).

Product details

TSM maintains a relational database (limit 534GB through TSM v5.5, 4TB with TSM v6.3.3+) and recovery log (aka transaction log, limit 13 GB through TSM v5.5, 128GB with TSM v6.1+) for logging, configuration, statistical information, and object metadata. v5.5 DB pages are always 4KB, and partitions every 4MB. Single row inserts only. On average, 20GB of space is consumed for every 25 million objects. Shallow directory structures use less TSM DB space than deeper paths. This database may generally be queried via an emulated SQL-98 compliant interface, or through undocumented SHOW, CREATE or DELETE commands.

Actual user data is managed via a cascading hierarchy of storage media (Primary Storage Pools) presented as raw devices (UNIX), filesystem containers (Windows and Linux), streaming tape or optical media. Additionally, emulated tape from a Virtual Tape Library or EMC Centera WORM archival device is supported. Duplicate copies (backup sets or Copy Storage Pools) of any subset of data may be created on sequential media for redundancy or off-site management.

The 5.5 release of the TSM Server was supported on AIX, HP-UX, Linux, Solaris, Windows Server, and z/OS. The TSM Client of the same release is supported on NetWare, macOS, AIX, HP-UX, Linux, z/OS, Solaris, and Windows 32/64-bit. [3] The 6.1 release of the TSM Server is supported on AIX, HP-UX, Linux, Solaris, and Windows Server, while the TSM Client is supported on the same operating systems as 5.5. [3] On October 21, 2011, TSM 6.3 was released. [4] Version 8.1.21 was released in December 2023.

Components

Tivoli Storage Manager as a system is made up of several different components. The major components of TSM include: TSM Server, TSM Client, TSM Storage Agent, TSM Data Protector, TSM Operation Center and TSM Administration Center.

Data Sources

The most Common data source for TSM is the TSM Client ("TSM Backup/Archive Client" or "B/A Client"). The B/A Client allows backup and restore of data both "selectively" and "incrementally", which is generally known as "Progressive Incremental" or "Incremental Forever", as each unique client+filespace+path+file combination is separately tracked for retention. Further, a separate method is provided by the B/A Client which is known as archive (and retrieve). This method generates groupings of objects to be retained as a single unit. This still differs from traditional full/incremental style backup products in that the files are stored separately or in smaller aggregates rather than as a monolithic image. Additionally, there is no provision for an incremental archive.

Other data injectors include policy-based hierarchical storage management (HSM) components for AIX, Linux and Windows. These allow migration of data from production disk into one or more of the TSM storage hierarchies while maintaining transparent access to that data by the use of DMAPI or NTFS reparse points.

IBM General Parallel File System (GPFS) can use TSM as a storage tier for GPFS' Information Lifecycle Management (ILM) which provides HSM for a GPFS filesystem. A GPFS filesystem can be simultaneously accessed from multiple servers running Linux, Windows, and AIX by using GPFS filesystem software installed on any of these operating system platforms. GPFS provides transparent access to data whether online on disk or migrated to tape by requesting file saves and retrieves from TSM.

Additionally, many applications provide or are provided with TSM API connections allowing the storage of databases, mail systems, system backups and even arbitrary user data within TSM's repository. Aside from TSM's UNIX HSM product, only the "Backup" and "Archive" management facilities are accessed through the client API.

Agents

The TSM architecture makes use of two special-purpose agents. The LAN-Free Storage Agent is a limited function TSM server which is configured as a library client and uses server-to-server communication to coordinate the use of storage resources which are configured to TSM but which are also presented to the storage agent. Usually this LAN-free and server-free backup agent is installed on the specific client; however, it is network accessible and could be utilized to bypass network bottlenecks. One example would be to connect via infiniband between two Bladecenter chassis, where one has SAN attachment to tape, and the other does not. This could bypass limited ethernet bandwidth without having to move the TSM server instance.

The NDMP API agent is used by NetApp devices and other network attached storage (NAS) devices to allow backup access to the appliance itself rather than having to back up the device via an attached NAS client.appliance direct access to shared tape.

Administration

Administrative functions are accessed through the TSM Administrative command line interface tool or via a web based portal application known as the TSM Operations Center.

Subproducts & Other Products

Enterprise Edition Features

Associated Products

IBM's naming convention is to prefix every product name with "IBM Tivoli Storage Manager"; most products require an additional license. See also IBM Tivoli Storage Manager FastBack for more information on IBM's TSM product for block-level, continuous data protection.

Interface Products

Non-Tivoli API Clients

See also

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References

  1. IBM Storage Protect Downloads - Latest Fix Packs and interim fixes
  2. 8.1.22 What's new
  3. 1 2 "Tivoli Storage Manager Supported Operating Systems". IBM. 2009-07-23. Retrieved 2009-07-30.
  4. IBM Tivoli Storage Manager (TSM) Client APARs fixed in 6.3.0 and 6.3.0.x - United States
  5. "Home". tsm-pa-solutions.com.