Re: BRMS 'moves'

Le mer. 12 janv. 2005 15:36:49, Jeff Crosby écrivait:

> Now that I have been using BRMS a week or so, I really like it. 

I have allways thought that it is a great product. You will appreciate 
it again and again if you test a disaster recovery or implement 
advanced function like archiving, using network, or using incremental 
backup and so on.

> And I discovered yesterday that I now know enough to be dangerous.

But it needs to be implemented carefully and with method and rigour.

> 
> All the tapes showed a location of *HOME.  I didn't like that
> (being anal-retentive and all).  Two of the tapes are stored at 2
> different offsite locations and the rest are stored in a data safe
> in the computer room.  So I decided to set up some locations and
> move policies.  The result was the control group CHANGES wouldn't
> run yesterday afternoon, even though it's been running for a week.
>  It said the tape volume TUE001 that was in the drive could not be
> used.  I had to open a supportline call and while waiting, figured
> it had to be the move policies I had put in.  I removed those and
> by the time the guy came on the line I had the control group 
> running.  Supportline said yes it was the move policies.  The fact
> the tape was physically in the drive was immaterial, it had to
> "logically" be in the drive (ie, BRMS had to "think" it was
> there).  The end of the move policy had to put the tape back into
> the drive.  The redbook examples were not very detailed nor
> extensive nor explained well. 

In fact, BRMS wants to use expired tapes located in the same location 
of the tape.

> 
> What I want to happen with the onsite tapes is 1) They get used
> for backup, 2) then go in the data safe for a week, and 3) then
> get used for backup again.  I set up a move policy NORMAL for this
> that look like this: 
> 
>  
> 
>  Move policy  . . . . . . . . . :  NORMAL
> 
>  Home location  . . . . . . . . .  *ORIGIN
>  Use container  . . . . . . . . .  *NO
>  Verify moves . . . . . . . . . .  *NO
>  Calendar for working days  . . .  *ALLDAYS
>  Calendar for move days . . . . .  *ALLDAYS
>  Text . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  Normal computer room storage
>   
>  Type choices, press Enter.
>   
>    Seq    Location      Duration
>  
>     10    DATASAFE      6
>     20    *HOME         *EXP

I would think that the 20 sequence is not necessary. The move policy 
should keep the tapes at the DATASAFE location during 6 days then, 
bring them back in the *ORIGIN location the 7th day.

> 
> And I set up one for the tape stored at my house like this:
> 
> Move policy  . . . . . . . . . :  JEFF                   
> Home location  . . . . . . . . .  *ORIGIN
> Use container  . . . . . . . . .  *NO          *YES, *NO
> Verify moves . . . . . . . . . .  *NO          *YES, *NO
> Calendar for working days  . . .  *ALLDAYS     Name, *ALL
> Calendar for move days . . . . .  *ALLDAYS     Name, *ALL
> Text . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  Offsite at Jeff's house
>  
> Type choices, press Enter.
>  
>   Seq    Location      Duration
>   
>    10    JLCHOUSE      6
>    20    *HOME         *EXP

Same comment that for the NORMAL move policy.

> 
> Am I on the right track?  Location *HOME shows both TAP01 and
> TAP02.  And by doing move policies, am I opening up other issues
> like I need to run some kind of move report every day?  What are
> best practices?  Move manually or have the system do it somehow? 
> I basically want it hands off, but the operator should know what
> tape to load what day. 

It is important to un a BRMS maintenance every day after the backup 
(STRMNTBRM EXPMED(*YES) MOVMED(*YES)). This command expires the media 
and performs the logical moves for BRMS. It prints the move media 
reports for your operators.

> 
> (Oh, and the other issue is I want to change from using the tape
> devices TAP01 and TAP02 to using the tape libraries TAPMLB01 and
> TAPMLB02.  I thought the move policies would be an easier thing to
> tackle, but should I do the MLB switcheroo first?)
> 

In this case, you will have (or maybe you already have these) to create 
storage locations TAPMLB0x for the MLB, and of course fill these 
locations with medias (both physically and logically for BRMS, you can 
use the WRKMLMBRM command for that). If you don't have the 20 sequence 
in your move policies, they can apply to these locations.

-- 
Cordialement/Best regards
Marc Rauzier

Opinions I stated here are my own.