Restore files from GPFS snapshots from the IBM Storage Protect

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File retrieval from the IBM® Storage Protect server is done with the BA Client. The files that are offloaded from the GPFS™ file set snapshot are not grouped on the server by their snapshot IDs as other custom application backups are. A restore operation of all files in a file set can be done based on the file set junction path within the file system.

File backup dates in IBM Storage Protect show the date when the offloaded tape backup operation was run. This date is not the date that the file set snapshot was created by the IBM Storage Protect Snapshot backup operation. There are two types of restore operation as follows:

  • Restoring a specific version of a single file that is earlier than the latest one available. Use the B/A client GUI to access the date when the file was last modified or accessed.
  • Restoring files in bulk from a specific snapshot version that is earlier than the latest snapshot version. Use the point-in-time date pitdate and point-in-time time pittime options of the B/A client.
Use the IBM Storage Protect backup log file in ACS_DIR/logs/details directory to identify the time stamp when the mmbackup command finished moving the required file set. Identify a message such as: mmbackup: Backup of <fileset_path> completed successfully at <timestamp>.

When you want to restore data in a specific backup that was created by IBM Storage Protect Snapshot and that consists of various GPFS file systems or file sets, look for message FMM9096I in the backup log file in the ACS_DIR/logs/details dir. This message states that the offloading of the backup you are looking for, which is identified by <backup_ID>, to a defined IBM Storage Protect was successful at timestamp. Here is an example of the message to look for:

FMM9096I Offloading of backup with ID <backup_ID> to IBM Storage Protect server(s) <server_ list> ended successfully on <timestamp>.

The timestamp shows the client date. The IBM Storage Protect server date can differ according to the clock difference between the client and the server. Calculate the IBM Storage Protect server time stamp from the timestamp in the log file. Use this time stamp to specify pitdate and pittime options to restore a specific GPFS snapshot from IBM Storage Protect.