Release notes for IBM Spectrum Protect Backup-Archive Client Version 8.1

IBM Spectrum Protect™ Backup-Archive Client V8.1 is available. Read this document to find important installation information. You can also learn about product updates, compatibility issues, limitations, and known problems.

Description

IBM Spectrum Protect is a client/server licensed product that provides storage management services in a multiplatform computer environment. You can use the backup-archive client to back up and archive files from workstations or file servers to storage, and restore and retrieve backup versions and archive copies of files to local workstations.

For a list of the APARs that are fixed in this release, see technote 1993247.

Announcement

The announcement for the IBM Spectrum Protect V8.1 family of products includes the following information:
  • Detailed product description, including a description of new functions
  • Product-positioning statement
  • Packaging and ordering details
  • International compatibility information
To search for the product announcement, complete the following steps:
  1. Go to the product announcement website.
  2. In the Search for field, enter the product identifier (PID) for your product. The PID for IBM Spectrum Protect is 5725-W98.
  3. In the Information Type field, select Announcement letters, and click Search.
  4. From the Search in list, select Product Number.
  5. Optional: In the Refine Your Search pane on the left side of the window, select the country where you reside.
  6. In the Sort by section, select Newest first.

Compatibility with earlier versions

For compatibility with earlier versions, see IBM Spectrum Protect Server/Client Compatibility and Upgrade Considerations.

System requirements

For information about hardware and software compatibility, see the detailed system requirements document at the following websites:
Apple Macintosh client requirements
Technote 1053584
IBM® AIX® client requirements
Technote 1052226
Linux on Power® Systems client requirements
Technote 1169963
Linux x86_64 client requirements
Technote 1052223
Linux on z Systems™ client requirements
Technote 1066436
Microsoft Windows client requirements
Technote 1197133
Oracle Solaris x86_64 client requirements
Technote 1232956

Installing the backup-archive client

If you download the product from IBM Passport Advantage®, follow the directions in the download document at technote 4042940.

For installation instructions, see Installing the IBM Spectrum Protect backup-archive clients (UNIX, Linux, and Windows).

Updates, limitations, and known problems

Documentation updates, limitations, and known problems are documented as technotes in the Support knowledge base at the IBM Support Portal for IBM Spectrum Protect. As problems are discovered and resolved, IBM Software Support updates the knowledge base. By searching the knowledge base, you can find workarounds or solutions to problems.

Limitations and known problems
At the time of publication, the limitations and known problems are documented in the following technotes:
Documentation updates
For information that was not available at the time of publication, documentation updates are available in the following tech docs: