Protecting custom application and file system data

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With IBM Storage Protect Snapshot, you can back up and restore custom application and file system data, and protect your environment.

About this task

When you use IBM Storage Protect Snapshot software that is configured with a IBM Storage Protect server, and you create VSS snapshot backups of application and file system data, you can send the data to the IBM Storage Protect server storage pools. The data is set as a full image backup. The backup that is stored on the IBM Storage Protect server is used to restore volumes and mount points.

Regularly back up the x:\adsm.sys\vss_staging directory, the LSM_REP_LOG_VOL_SNAP, and .TsmFmDatabases folders. If the folders become damaged and unusable, restore the last copy. When the TargetSetsState file has a mapping entry, the reconciliation process can detect an inconsistency between TargetSetsState and the metadata that is stored on the IBM Storage Protect server, and synchronize the data. For example, if there is an orphan VSSDC_xx value in the IBM Storage Protect server and the value does not exist in TargetSetsState, reconciliation processing deletes the orphan metadata from the IBM Storage Protect server.

  • Prerequisites To create VSS snapshot backups of NTFS or ReFS file systems and applications, use IBM Storage Protect Snapshot. When you back up applications and file systems, IBM Storage Protect Snapshot must access the data.

  • Backing up custom application and file system data

    You can back up custom application and file system data by using Microsoft Volume Shadow Copy Service (VSS).

  • Implementing custom application and file system backup scenarios

    You might decide to implement different backup strategies that depend on your network traffic requirement and backup schedule. Follow these typical backup scenarios if you want to back up custom application and file system data to local shadow volumes, or create a file-level backup to the IBM Storage Protect server.

  • Mounting custom application and file system backups

    You can mount a snapshot backup to see a point-in-time consistent copy of custom application and file system data.

  • Deleting custom application and file system backups

    You can remove a custom application or file system VSS backup object that you created with the VSS backup method. Complete this task only if necessary.

  • Restoring custom application and file system data

    The IBM Storage Protect Snapshot user interface displays information about active and inactive backups. Review this information so that you can select the custom application and file system data to restore.

  • Implementing custom application and file system restore scenarios

    Apply different restore strategies depending on your network traffic requirements and restore schedule. Follow these typical restore scenarios: restore the entire volume from local shadow volumes, restore individual files from a snapshot or from IBM Storage Protect server, or restore the entire volume from VSS image sent to IBM Storage Protect server pools.

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