Required node names for basic VSS offloaded backups

VSS offloaded backups require specific node name settings.

To complete VSS offloaded backups, you must have one target node and two agent nodes:
Table 1. Table 1. Required node names for basic VSS offloaded backups
Proxy node typeNode nameWhere to specify
Target nodeIBM Storage Protect Snapshot for Microsoft Exchange ServerIBM Storage Protect Snapshot for Microsoft SQL Server node nameUse the nodename option in the IBM Storage Protect Snapshot for Microsoft Exchange Server or IBM Storage Protect Snapshot for Microsoft SQL Server options file (dsm.opt)
Agent nodeLocal DSMAGENT NodeUse the localdsmagentnode parameter in the IBM Storage Protect Snapshot for Microsoft Exchange Server or IBM Storage Protect Snapshot for Microsoft SQL Server configuration file (tdpexc.cfg) or (tdpsql.cfg)
Agent nodeRemote DSMAGENT NodeUse the remotedsmagentnode parameter in the IBM Storage Protect Snapshot for Microsoft Exchange Server or IBM Storage Protect Snapshot for Microsoft SQL Server configuration file tdpexc.cfg) or (tdpsql.cfg)
Target node
This node name is where IBM Storage Protect Snapshot for Microsoft Exchange Server or IBM Storage Protect Snapshot for Microsoft SQL Server is installed. This node name (specified with the nodename option in the dsm.opt file) is referred to as the IBM Storage Protect Snapshot for Microsoft Exchange Server or IBM Storage Protect Snapshot for Microsoft SQL Server node name.
Agent node - Local DSMAGENT Node
This node name is where the backup-archive client and VSS provider are installed. This node is responsible for processing the VSS operations because IBM Storage Protect Snapshot for Microsoft Exchange Server does not process any direct VSS operations.

This node name is referred to as the Local DSMAGENT Node and is specified with the localdsmagentnode parameter in the IBM Storage Protect Snapshot for Microsoft Exchange Server or IBM Storage Protect Snapshot for Microsoft SQL Server configuration file ((tdpexc.cfg) or or (tdpsql.cfg) by default). To specify this parameter with the Properties window of Microsoft Management Console (MMC), select VSS backup. In the Properties window, you can update the Local DSMAGENT Node name. Otherwise, use the tdpexcc set or tdpsqlc set command to specify this parameter.

Agent node - Remote DSMAGENT Node
This node name is a separate system that must also have the backup-archive client, and the VSS provider installed. In addition, for Exchange Server workloads, ensure that you install the same level of the Exchange System Management Tools that is installed on your Exchange production server. This node is responsible for moving VSS snapshot data from local shadow volumes to the IBM Storage Protect server.

This node name is referred to as the Remote DSMAGENT Node and is specified with the remotedsmagentnode parameter in the IBM Storage Protect Snapshot for Microsoft Exchange Serveror IBM Storage Protect Snapshot for Microsoft SQL Server configuration file (tdpexc.cfg or tdpsql.cfg by default). To specify this parameter with the Properties window of MMC, select VSS backup. Then, you can update the Remote DSMAGENT Node name. Otherwise, use the tdpexcc set or tdpsqlc set command to specify this parameter.

The choice of available systems depends on whether the systems have access to the local shadow volumes that contain the VSS snapshot backups. This node name is only valid for VSS environments that support shadow copies that can be transported.

If you are using the default VSS system provider, you cannot specify the node name.

If you are running offloaded backups, a dedicated (and unique) remote DSM agent node must exist for each local DSM agent node.

Ensure that the localdsmagentnode and remotedsmagentnode are registered to the same IBM Storage Protect server that is specified in the IBM Storage Protect Snapshot for Microsoft Exchange Server or IBM Storage Protect Snapshot for Microsoft SQL Server options file (dsm.opt) and the backup-archive client options file (also dsm.opt).