Resolving Tivoli Storage Manager client problems

Resolving problems with the client application can involve connecting to the server, changing policy settings, reproducing the error, or several other possible options.

Examining error messages
You can examine the error messages that are generated during program operation to help resolve problems that might occur.
Examining the server activity log messages
Use the QUERY ACTLOG command to view the server activity log file and the messages issued for this IBM® Tivoli® Storage Manager client session.
Identifying when and where the problem can occur
Problems with IBM Tivoli Storage Manager client processing often occur only when you are performing specific operations, at certain times, or only on certain client computers.
Reproducing the problem
When you reproduce a problem as part of problem determination, try to minimize the impact that the process has on the IBM Tivoli Storage Manager.
Collecting documentation to resolve problems with the client application
The support staff at IBM is better able to resolve a problem if you can supply them with relevant documentation. The Tivoli Storage Manager backup-archive client creates information in a number of different sources.
Determining why the dsmc, dsmadmc, dsm, or dsmj programs does not start
The Tivoli Storage Manager backup-archive client uses the dsmc, dsmadmc, dsm, or dsmj programs in its startup procedure. When one of these programs does not start, the backup-archive client does not start.
Resolving problems with client option sets
With client option sets, administrators can specify additional options that might not be included in the option file of the backup-archive client. The backup-archive client uses these options during a backup, archive, restore, or retrieve process.
Resolving password expiration problems
If you receive a client authentication error, it might be as a result of an expired password. Password expiration does not apply to node or administrator passwords that authenticate with an LDAP directory server.
Resolving LDAP-authenticated password problems
Most problems that arise from password authentication can be attributed to the connection between the Tivoli Storage Manager server and the LDAP directory server.
Resolving client scheduling problems
The administrator for the IBM Tivoli Storage Manager can schedule tasks to run automatically.
Resolving errors when including or excluding client files during backup processing
The include-exclude processing option impacts which files are sent to the server for a backup or archive operation. Several reasons are possible if you implicitly or explicitly indicate that a file is included or excluded during backup processing and it is not processed correctly.
Resolving Snapshot Difference problems
You can perform faster incremental backups of N-Series and NetApp filer volumes if you use the NetApp Snapshot Difference application programming interface (API).
Resolving image backup errors
Image backup errors can occur with Linux images, Linux Snapshot images, or during AIX® JFS2 Snapshot-based backup-archive and image backup.
Support solutions for the Tivoli Storage Manager API
Resources are available to learn about or to diagnose the IBM Tivoli Storage Manager application programming interface (API).
Determining whether data is sent to the Tivoli Storage Manager storage agent rather than the server
You must know whether your data is being sent to the Tivoli Storage Manager storage agent, rather than a server. If the data is sent to the storage agent, you cannot recover it.
Running applications that use the API as a non-root user ID
You must perform specific steps if you are logged on as a non-root user ID who is attempting to run an application that uses the application programming interface (API).
Journal Based Backup problem determination
Journal Based Backup (JBB) is appropriate for backing up file systems with small or moderate amounts of change activity between backup cycles.
Using Windows Volume Shadow Copy Services
The IBM Tivoli Storage Manager Windows client uses the Volume Shadow Copy Services (VSS) to complete system state and system services backup. VSS can also be used as a snapshot provider for open file support (OFS) and online image operations.
SHOW commands for the backup-archive client
SHOW commands are unsupported diagnostic commands that are used to display information about in-memory control structures and other runtime attributes. The SHOW commands are used by development and service only as diagnostic tools. Several SHOW commands exist for the backup-archive client.
Resolving problems for recovery of individual Microsoft SQL databases from a virtual machine backup
You can use IBM Tivoli Storage Manager for Virtual Environments Data Protection for VMware to recover individual Microsoft SQL databases from a virtual machine backup. When you recover a database, you might have to troubleshoot common problems that occur with individual SQL databases.