Server Quick Look window and server Properties page

In the Quick Look window or on the Properties page, view a set of server properties that are commonly used. You can change the values of some properties on the Properties page.

You can view more properties by issuing the following commands:

QUERY STATUS
QUERY SERVER FORMAT=DETAILED

Allow server cross definition

Specifies whether another server can automatically define itself to this server.

Equivalent property in results of QUERY STATUS command: Crossdefine.

Client-polling interval

The interval between times when a client polls the server to obtain scheduled work, in client-polling mode.

Equivalent property in results of QUERY STATUS command: Query Schedule Period.

Create accounting records

Specifies whether an accounting record is generated at the end of each client session. Accounting records track the amount of storage that is used by client sessions.

Equivalent property in results of QUERY STATUS command: Accounting.

Database backup and recovery

If you enable encryption when you create a storage pool, the master encryption key file is automatically included in server database backups to provide disaster recovery protection.

The encryption key file is password-protected, and the password is required to restore a server database backup.

To change the device class, you must enter the existing password or specify a new password.

If you change the password, the previous password must be used to restore any existing server database backups.

Default archive rule

The server replication rule that applies to archive data.

Restriction: This rule applies only if file-space rules and client rules for archive data are set to DEFAULT.

This property can have the following values:

ALL_DATA: Replicates archive data. The data is replicated with a normal priority.
ALL_DATA_HIGH_PRIORITY: Replicates archive data. The data is replicated with a high priority.
NONE: Archive data is not replicated.

Default authentication method

The default password authentication method. This property can have the following values:

Local: Password authentication is managed by the local IBM Spectrum Protect server.
LDAP: Password authentication is managed by a Lightweight Directory Access Protocol server.

You can change this property by issuing the SET DEFAULTAUTHENTICATION command.

Default backup rule

The server replication rule that applies to backup data.

Restriction: This rule applies only if file-space rules and client rules for backup data are set to DEFAULT.

This property can have the following values:

ALL_DATA: Replicates active and inactive backup data. The data is replicated with a normal priority.
ACTIVE_DATA: Replicates only active backup data. The data is replicated with a normal priority.
Attention: With this setting, inactive backup data that belongs to clients is not replicated. If the replication rules for backup data in any file spaces and any clients are DEFAULT, inactive backup data in those file spaces on the target replication server is deleted.
ALL_DATA_HIGH_PRIORITY: Replicates active and inactive backup data. The data is replicated with a high priority.
ACTIVE_DATA_HIGH_PRIORITY: Replicates only active backup data. The data is replicated with a high priority.
Attention: With this setting, inactive backup data that belongs to clients is not replicated. If the replication rules for backup data in any file spaces and any clients are DEFAULT, inactive backup data in those file spaces on the target replication server is deleted.
NONE: Backup data is not replicated.

Default space-management rule

The server replication rule that applies to space-managed data.

Restriction: This rule applies only if file-space rules and client rules for space-managed data are set to DEFAULT.

This property can have the following values:

ALL_DATA: Replicates space-managed data. The data is replicated with a normal priority.
ALL_DATA_HIGH_PRIORITY: Replicates space-managed data. The data is replicated with a high priority.
NONE: Space-managed data is not replicated.

Duration for one-time actions

The number of days that the schedule remains active for an action that the client performs only once.

This property specifies the duration for the schedule that was defined with the DEFINE CLIENTACTION command. A client action defines a schedule that runs one time on a client.

Equivalent property in results of QUERY STATUS command: Client Action Duration.

Invalid sign-on attempt limit

The number of invalid sign-on attempts before a client is locked. If you set this property, all IBM Spectrum Protect passwords, including passwords that are authenticated with an LDAP directory server, are controlled by the limit that you set. If you also configure the LDAP directory server to limit the number of invalid password attempts, a conflict might occur.

Maximum scheduled sessions

The maximum percentage of simultaneous client/server sessions available for processing scheduled work.

To change this property from the server Properties page, enter a percentage. The number of sessions that this percentage represents is automatically calculated and is displayed on the same line.

Maximum sessions

The maximum number of simultaneous client/server sessions, including scheduled sessions.

On the server Properties page of the Operations Center, you can specify a value in the range 2 - 2500. To specify a value greater than 2500, set the MAXSESSIONS option from the command line. The maximum value is limited only by available virtual storage size or communication resources.

Outbound replication

Specifies whether replication processing is enabled or disabled. If outbound replication is disabled, new replication processes cannot start on the server.

Tip: To configure replication, use the Add icon

Server Pair action on the Replication page.

This property can have the following values:

ENABLED: This source replication server can begin normal replication processing.
Attention: Replication is automatically disabled during a database restore operation. After restoring the database on the source server, determine whether any data needs to be recovered from the target server and do so before you enable replication.
For details, see the information about recovering from data loss or system outages in the IBM Spectrum Protect documentation.
DISABLED: This source replication server cannot start new replication processes. Replication processes that are running when this property is set to DISABLED are not stopped. They continue until they complete or until they end without completing.

Password common expiration

The common expiration period for administrator and client passwords. This period applies to all administrator and client passwords, except the following passwords:

Passwords for which you selectively set the expiration period by specifying an administrator or client with the SET PASSEXP command
Passwords that authenticate with an LDAP directory server

Equivalent property in results of QUERY STATUS command: Password Expiration Period.

Poll by client or prompt by server

The scheduling mode can have the following values:

POLLING: Clients poll the server at scheduled time intervals to obtain work.
PROMPTED: Clients wait to be contacted by the server when scheduled work must be performed and a session is available.
ANY: Clients can run in either the client-polling or the server-prompted scheduling mode.

Equivalent property in results of QUERY STATUS command: Scheduling Modes.

Retain activity log data

The number of days that information is retained in the activity log, or the size of the log in megabytes. The activity log contains normal activity messages that are generated by the server. These messages include information about server and client operations, such as the start time of sessions or device I/O errors.

On the Properties page, you can adjust the length of time that the activity log retains messages to avoid insufficient or outdated data. The server automatically removes the messages from the activity log after the retention period passes.

Alternatively, you can limit the total size of the activity log to control the amount of space that is occupied by the activity log. The server periodically removes the oldest activity log records until the activity log size no longer exceeds the configured maximum size that is allowed.

On the Properties page, click the units ("days" or "MB") to select the management style.

Equivalent property in results of QUERY STATUS command: Activity Log Retention.

Retain activity summary data

The number of days that information is retained in the SQL activity summary table. The SQL activity summary table contains statistics about each client session and server processes.

For the Operations Center to function optimally, it requires activity summary data to be retained for at least 14 days. You can change the value of this property on the server Properties page.

If at-risk intervals that are greater than 14 days are set for one or more clients that are managed by the server, increase the value of the "Retain activity summary data" property to the longest of these at-risk intervals. Otherwise, some clients are reported as being unprotected in the Operations Center.

Equivalent property in results of QUERY STATUS command: Activity Summary Retention Period.

Retain replication history

The retention period for client-node replication records in the source replication-server database. You can use client node replication records to monitor running and completed processes. By default, IBM Spectrum Protect retains client-node replication records for 30 calendar days. A calendar day consists of 24 hours, from midnight to midnight.

Equivalent property in results of QUERY STATUS command: Replication Record Retention Period.

Retain schedule events

The amount of time that scheduler event records are retained. An event record is created whenever processing of a scheduled command is started or missed.

For the Operations Center to function optimally, it requires scheduler event records to be retained for at least 14 days. You can change the value of this property on the server Properties page.

If at-risk intervals that are greater than 14 days are set for one or more clients that are managed by the server, increase the value of the "Retain schedule events" property to the longest of these at-risk intervals. Otherwise, some clients are reported as being unprotected in the Operations Center.

Equivalent property in results of QUERY STATUS command: Event Record Retention Period.

Session security

The level of encryption that is required or tolerated for communication between the hub and the spoke server. This property can have the following values:

Strict

Specifies that the strictest security settings are enforced for the spoke server. The spoke server must use the most secure communications protocol available, which is currently TLS 1.2. To establish a session with the hub server, the spoke server must meet the following requirements:

The server must be running a version of IBM Spectrum Protect that supports the session security property. The property is available beginning in V7.1.8 for IBM Spectrum Protect V7 software and in V8.1.2 for IBM Spectrum Protect V8 software.
The spoke server must be configured to use the TLS 1.2 protocol for secure sessions with the hub server. For configuration instructions, see Securing communication between the hub server and a spoke server in the IBM Spectrum Protect documentation.

If a spoke server does not meet these requirements, it is not able to connect to the hub server.

Transitional

Specifies that the existing security settings are enforced for the spoke server. Transitional session security is less secure, and is intended to be used temporarily while you update the server for strict compliance. Update the spoke server to run a version of IBM Spectrum Protect that supports the session security property, and configure it to use the most secure communications protocol that is available. After the spoke server successfully authenticates to the hub server by using the most secure communications protocol, the server sets the session security property to Strict.

To identify which cryptographic protocol, if any, was last used to secure communication from this server, view the Transport method property. Future communication from the server must use at least the same level of security.

Schedule randomization

The percentage of the startup window over which start times for client schedules are distributed, in client-polling scheduling mode.

Client-polling scheduling mode is a client/server communication technique whereby the client queries the server for work. A startup window is the start time and duration during which a schedule must be initiated. To balance network and server load, the schedule start times for different clients can be scattered across the startup window.

Communication errors can result when many clients contact the server simultaneously. If you experience communication errors, you can increase the randomization percentage so that client contact is spread out and the chance of communication overload and failure is reduced.

Target server

The target replication server, to which client data is replicated.

You cannot use the Operations Center to change settings for an existing server pair. You can change settings by using the command-line interface or you can disable replication and configure replication again.

To disable replication, change the target server setting to Not Assigned and complete the following steps:

On the source and target servers, disable replication for clients by using the REMOVE REPLNODE command.
Delete the daily replication schedules by using the DELETE SCHEDULE command or disable the schedules by using the UPDATE SCHEDULE command.
These schedules are named REPLICATE and PROTECT1 - PROTECT4.

Equivalent property in results of QUERY STATUS command: Target Replication Server.