Communications between the client, storage agent, and IBM Storage Protect server

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When you configure the storage agent, you establish communications between the storage agent, the client, and the IBM Storage Protect server.

When you configure the client, storage agent, and server, keep in mind the following rules:

Client nodes that are eligible for LAN-free data movement must be registered on the server. To register client nodes, use the REGISTER NODE command. The default parameter is TYPE=CLIENT.

The client must point to the server and storage agent. Ensure that the following options are configured correctly in the client system-options file:

Table 1. Options in the client system-options file
Option name	Description
LANFREETCPSERVERADDRESS	Specifies the TCP/IP address for the storage agent.
LANFREETCPPORT	Specifies the port on which the storage agent listens.
LANFREECOMMMETHOD	Specifies the communications protocol between the IBM Storage Protect client and storage agent.
LANFREESHMPORT	You can use the LANFREESHMPORT option when lanfreecommmethod=SHAREdmem is specified for communication between the IBM Storage Protect client and storage agent.
LANFREESSL	Specifies that the IBM Storage Protect client enables Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) when it communicates with the storage agent.
TCPSERVERADDRESS	Specifies the TCP/IP address for a IBM Storage Protect server.
TCPPORT	Specifies a TCP/IP port address for a IBM Storage Protect server.
SSL	Specifies that Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) is enabled, to provide secure communication between the storage agent, client, and server.
SSLRequired	Specifies whether the client must use SSL.

Restriction: When a LAN-free path is enabled, the storage agent settings override the client TCPSERVERADDRESS, TCPPORT, and SSL options. This override action occurs to ensure that both the client and the storage agent use the same server communication options.

The server and the storage agent must point to each other:
- To point the server to the storage agent, use the DEFINE SERVER or UPDATE SERVER command on the IBM Storage Protect.
- To point the storage agent to the IBM Storage Protect server, you must configure the storage agent device configuration file and options file with the name of IBM Storage Protect server. To configure, you can edit each of the files manually or you can use the DSMSTA SETSTORAGESERVER command.
When you set up communication between the storage agent and the IBM Storage Protect server, ensure that you are using the correct server name. Issue the QUERY STATUS command to show the server name.
IBM Storage Protect servers, clients, and storage agents, might be subject to rules when you authenticate passwords with the Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP) directory server. If nodes communicate with the storage agent and authenticate through an LDAP directory server, the storage agent can be configured to use Secure Sockets Layer (SSL). Passwords that are authenticated with the LDAP directory server can provide enhanced system security. When SSL is enabled, the IBM Storage Protect server and the storage agent communicate with each other using SSL. SSL is the default method of communication when LDAP authentication is in use and is optional.
Important: Do not change the IBM Storage Protect Server SelfSigned SHA Key and IBM Storage Protect Server SelfSigned Key label names when you use storage agents. The label is the name of the certificate that is stored in the Global Security Kit (GSKit) key database file. After you set up the storage agent for SSL, do not alter the certificate label names.

Linux operating systems AIX operating systems Figure 1 shows how configuration connects the storage agent, client, and the IBM Storage Protect server. Use this figure as a reference point when you install the software on client systems, and when you define the storage agent and configuring devices.

The client node is registered on the server. The storage agent is defined as a server on the IBM Storage Protect server. The IBM Storage Protect server is specified in the dsmsta.opt file of the storage agent and the devconfig.out file of the storage agent. — Figure 1. Connections between the client, storage agent, and server. The passwords are shown as `xxxxxxx` because they are encrypted in the file.

Note:

The SERVERNAME option in the dsm.sys file, the client system-options file, must match the SERVERNAME option in the dsm.opt file, the client user-options file. However, the option is unrelated to and does not need to match the SERVERNAME option that is defined for the storage agent in the storage-agent options file, dsmsta.opt.

Windows operating systems Figure 2 shows the connection between the client, the storage agent, and the IBM Storage Protect server. Use this figure as a reference point when you install the software on client systems and when you define the storage agent and configuring devices.