Adding a client

When you add a client, the client is registered on an IBM Spectrum Protect server. The server can then provide data protection services to the client.

Before you begin

You can configure client authentication to use the local IBM Spectrum Protect server database or a Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP) server. To configure client authentication with an LDAP server, the IBM Spectrum Protect server must be configured to authenticate passwords with an LDAP server. The client name that you specify in the wizard must specify a user or account ID that can log on to the LDAP server. The ID must have an associated LDAP password. For configuration instructions, see Authenticating IBM Spectrum Protect users by using an LDAP server in the IBM Spectrum Protect documentation.

About this task

You can use the Add Client wizard to register most types of clients, except for the following restrictions:

You cannot register virtual machines by using the Add Client wizard. For information about adding virtual machines, see the IBM Spectrum Protect for Virtual Environments documentation. If you plan to use the backup-archive client to protect a virtual machine, see the IBM Spectrum Protect documentation.
You cannot register NAS file servers by using the Add Client wizard. To register a NAS file server, issue the REGISTER NODE command with the TYPE=NAS parameter. For information on this command and on registering NAS clients, see the IBM Spectrum Protect documentation.

Procedure

On the Operations Center menu bar, click Clients.
The Clients page opens.
In the Clients table, click Client.
Complete the steps in the Add Client wizard.
Tips:
- After you complete the wizard, the added client might not be displayed in the Operations Center until the status information on the Clients page is automatically refreshed.
- You can set the status refresh interval on the Settings page of the Operations Center ( > Settings > General > Retention > Status).
- The wizard provides a set of basic configuration options. You can specify additional options by issuing the UPDATE NODE command. You can also change some settings on the client Properties page in the Operations Center (Clients > Details > Properties).

What to do next

Before a system or application client can back up data, additional configuration is required. If you are configuring a system or application client, complete the following tasks:

Install the IBM Spectrum Protect client software on the client system.
Connect the client to the IBM Spectrum Protect server by configuring an options file on the client system. The Add Client wizard provides configuration settings, which you can copy into the options file.

For more information, see the IBM Spectrum Protect documentation.