Backing up data with client-node proxy support (Windows)

Backups of multiple nodes that share storage can be consolidated to a common target node name on the Tivoli® Storage Manager server.

Before you begin

Be aware of the following restrictions that exist when you use a proxy node to backup or restore data on other nodes:

Restrictions:

You cannot use asnodename with the backup nas command.
You cannot use asnodename with the fromnode option.
If you use asnodename to backup and restore volumes that are in a cluster configuration, do not use clusternode yes.
You cannot use asnodename to back up or restore system state.
If an agent node restores data from a backup set, the system state object in the backup set is not restored.
You can use asnodename with the backup image command, but you must specify the volume by UNC name. You cannot use the drive letter.
If you use the same asnodename value to back up files from different machines, you need to keep track which files or volumes are backed up from each system so that you can restore them to the correct location.

Additionally, the following restrictions also apply:

All agent nodes in the multiple node environment should be of the same platform type.
Do not use target nodes as traditional nodes, especially if you encrypt your files before backing them up to the server.

About this task

An agent node is a client node which has been granted authority to perform client operations on behalf of a target node.

A target node is a client node which grants authority to one (or more) agent nodes to perform client operations on its behalf.

Using an agent node to backup target nodes is useful when the workstation responsible for performing the backup can change over time, such as with a cluster configuration.

The asnodename option allows data to be restored from a different system than the one which performed the backup.

Use the asnodename option with the appropriate command to back up, archive, restore, and retrieve data under the target node name on the Tivoli Storage Manager server. This support is only available with Tivoli Storage Manager Version 5.3 and higher server and client.

To enable this option, follow these steps:

Procedure

Install the backup-archive client on all nodes in a shared data environment.
Register each node with the Tivoli Storage Manager server, if it does not exist. Register the common target node name to be shared by each of the agent nodes used in your shared data environment.
Register each of the nodes in the shared data environment with the Tivoli Storage Manager server. This is the agent node name that is used for authentication purposes. Data will not be stored using the node name when the asnodename option is used.
Grant proxy authority to all nodes in the shared environment to access the target node name on the Tivoli Storage Manager server, using the GRANT PROXYNODE command (Tivoli Storage Manager administrator).
Use the QUERY PROXYNODE administrative client command to display the client nodes of the authorized user, granted by the GRANT PROXYNODE command.