Reconciliation might erroneously delete files from nested volumes on the TSM server

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HSM for Windows reconciliation might erroneously delete migrated files on the TSM server that were migrated from nested volumes. The files are recoverable only if they were backed up before reconciliation has run. Fixes are available.

This problem is described by APAR IC85430.


RELEASES AFFECTED

• TSM HSM for Windows version 5.5.0.0 to 5.5.2.7 inclusive
• TSM HSM for Windows version 6.1.0.0 to 6.1.3.3 inclusive

REQUIRED CONDITIONS
Files can be affected when all of the following conditions are in effect

• The files belong to a nested volume
• Reconciliation has run for the nested volume while one of the affected HSM for Windows versions listed above was installed.
• The volume or a directory of the volume has been configured as nested for reconciliation.

Note: If a nested volume has been configured as drive letter the problem does not occur.


HOW TO TELL IF A SYSTEM HAS BEEN AFFECTED
To identify affected files, if any, invoke

dsmreconconverter <volumen_name or driver_letter> -filesp all

Replace <volumen_name or driver_letter> with the volume name or driver letter of a HSM file system.
Example: dsmreconconverter e: -filesp all
Potentially affected files will be reported in dsmreconconverter-orphan.log. This log file is located in the logs subdirectory of your HSM code installation path, usually
c:\Program Files\Tivoli\TSM\hsmclient
If dsmReconConverter does not find any orphans, you are not affected by this problem.

Note: Orphaned files might be listed in dsmreconconverter-orphan.log for reasons not related to the problem discussed in this flash. Other possible reasons include, but are not necessarily limited to:

• Migrated files were expired as described in Flash HSM for Windows migrated files may expire after 365 days
• Individual files were deleted by a user or process external to TSM
• The file space on the TSM server that contained the migrated files was deleted by the TSM server administrator

If the TSM backup-archive client is used to back up the HSM managed file systems, and HSM for Windows option Backup files before migration is enabled, then the files should be recoverable. Backup files before migration is the default setting. To restore identified files issue the following command:

dsmc restore -replace=yes -restoremigstate=no
<volume_name_or_drive_letter\path\file_name>

Replace <volume_name_or_drive_letter\path\file_name> with the volume name or drive letter, path and file name for the file.
E.g. dsmc restore -replace=yes -restoremigstate=no
 e:\m_dir\ms_subdir\tfile.txt
Note: This command restores the file to resident state, the file content and meta data is restored. Therefore make sure that the file system does not run out of space.


WORKAROUND UNTIL THE FIX CAN BE APPLIED
Either unconfigure reconciliation until the APAR fix has been applied and after the fix has been applied, configure reconciliation again, or configure the nested volume as a drive letter.


FIX
This problem has been fixed in the 5.5.3.1 and the 6.1.4.2 HSM for Windows interim fixes and in higher 5.5 and 6.1 levels. Click on the platform name below in the row for the required release to get the latest interim fix.

Release	Platforms
6.1	Windows x32 Windows x64
5.5	Windows x32 and x64