Scheduling events using the command-line client

This task guides you through the steps to schedule events using the command-line client.

About this task

You must be a system administrator to configure the backup-archive client to use the command-line client interface to handle scheduled events. The command-line tools must be installed to enable this function.

Note: If you run the client scheduler on the command line, the scheduler does not run as a background service.

Before starting the client scheduler using the client acceptor daemon, you must complete the following steps:

Procedure

Ensure that the managedservices option includes schedule in the client systems options (dsm.sys) file.
Set the passwordaccess option to generate in the client systems options (dsm.sys) file.

Results

If you include files for encryption processing, ensure that you select the Save Encryption Key Password Locally option in the Authorization Preferences window so that the client scheduler can perform unattended scheduled services without prompting the user for the encryption key. If the encryption key has not been previously saved, you must perform an attended backup of at least one file so that the encryption prompt is given and the key is saved.

To start the client scheduler on your client node and connect to the server schedule:

Change to the backup-archvie client installation directory and enter the following command:
```
dsmc schedule
```
When you start the client scheduler, it runs continuously until you close the window, end the process, or log off your system.
If the client executable directory is not in your PATH environment variable, change to the installation directory and enter the following command:
```
./dsmc schedule
```
To run the schedule command in the background and to keep the client scheduler running, even if you log off your system, enter the following:
```
nohup dsmc schedule 2> /dev/null &
```

If the IBM Spectrum Protect password is required for your workstation and you want to run the schedule command in the background, enter the password with the command.

Root User: To start the client scheduler automatically, ensure that the passwordaccess option is set to generate in dsm.sys, then follow the procedure for your operating system:

To start each client scheduler automatically, add an entry to the /etc/inittab file. Typically, the run level to use is 2, 3, 4, 5, or 6, depending on the operating system and its configuration. Consult documentation for your operating system for details on run levels.

Verify the correct syntax for the entry by consulting documentation for your operating system.

Here are some examples:

For AIX®, add the following entry to the /etc/inittab file:

itsm:2:once:/usr/bin/dsmc sched > /dev/null 2>&1 # TSM scheduler

In this example, the run level is set to 2.

For Solaris, add the following entry to the /etc/inittab file:

itsm:23:once:/usr/bin/dsmc sched > /dev/null 2>&1 # TSM scheduler

In this example, the run level is set to 2 and 3.

Note: You must include the redirection to /dev/null in the command.

Mac OS X operating systems For Mac OS X:

The system administrator must generate a password so that the client can store the password in the password (TSM.sth) file. This can be done either with IBM Spectrum Protect Tools for Administrators or with the command line.

A system administrator must use either of the following methods to enable the client acceptor daemon to launch the command-line client in schedule mode to handle scheduled events when you start the system.

Method 1 (preferred)

Use IBM Spectrum Protect Tools for Administrators and Start the Client Acceptor Daemon applications. This installs the client acceptor daemon as a system startup item so the client acceptor daemon starts after system restarts. The client acceptor daemon is also started immediately, so you do not need to restart the system to handle scheduled events.

Method 2

Use the shell script in "/Library/Application Support/tivoli/tsm/client/ba/bin" to install the client acceptor daemon as a startup item. The script name is StartCad.sh.

Complete the following steps to start the client acceptor daemon manually, and to check that it is running.

To check whether the client acceptor daemon is running, enter the following command:
```
  sudo ps -x | grep dsmcad
```
If the client acceptor daemon is running, one of the processes listed has the path /usr/bin/dsmcad.
To start the client acceptor daemon manually, enter the following command in a terminal window:
```
  sudo /sbin/SystemStarter start dsmcad
```

Mac OS X operating systems Oracle Solaris operating systems Linux operating systems AIX operating systems The client scheduler can fail to properly initialize at system startup because TCP/IP is not fully initialized. You might need to delay the scheduler service start up to allow time for TCP/IP to initialize.

Mac OS X operating systems Oracle Solaris operating systems Linux operating systems AIX operating systems The client does not recognize changes made to the dsm.opt or the dsm.sys file while the client scheduler is running. If you make changes to these files while the client scheduler is running, and you want to use the new values immediately, stop the client scheduler and restart it. For example, if you change the inclexcl option in your dsm.sys file to point to a different include-exclude options file, you must stop the client scheduler and restart it before the client uses the new file.

Mac OS X operating systems Oracle Solaris operating systems Linux operating systems AIX operating systems To manually stop the client scheduler, use the kill command if the client scheduler is running in the background, or press q or Ctrl+C if it is running in the foreground. To restart the client scheduler, enter the schedule command again.

Mac OS X operating systems Oracle Solaris operating systems Linux operating systems AIX operating systems Tape prompting does not occur during a scheduled event regardless of the tapeprompt option setting in your options file.