Controlling the number of client mount points for simultaneous-write operations

During simultaneous-write operations, a client session requires a mount point for each sequential-access storage pool to which data is written. Transactions fail if the number of mount points that are required for a client session is insufficient.

About this task

Give careful consideration to the number of mount points that are available for a simultaneous-write operation. A client session requires a mount point to store data to a sequential-access storage pool. For example, if a storage pool hierarchy includes a sequential primary storage pool, the client node requires one mount point for that pool plus one mount point for each copy storage pool and active-data pool.

Suppose, for example, you create a storage pool hierarchy like the hierarchy shown in Figure 1. DISKPOOL is a random-access storage pool, and TAPEPOOL, COPYPOOL1, COPYPOOL2, and ACTIVEDATAPOOL are sequential-access storage pools. For each client backup session, the client might have to acquire four mount points if it has to write data to TAPEPOOL. To run two backup sessions concurrently, the client requires a total of eight mount points.

To indicate the number of mount points a client can have, specify a value for the MAXNUMMP parameter on the REGISTER NODE or UPDATE NODE commands. Verify the value of the MAXNUMMP parameter and, if necessary, update it if you want to enable the simultaneous-write function. A value of 3 for the MAXNUMMP parameter might be sufficient if, during a client session, all the data is stored in DISKPOOL, COPYPOOL1, COPYPOOL2, and ACTIVEDATAPOOL.

If the number of mount points that are required for a client session exceeds the value of the client MAXNUMMP parameter, the transaction fails. If the transaction involves an active-data pool, all the active-data pools are removed from the active-data pool list for the duration of the client session, and the client tries the operation again. If the transaction involves a copy storage pool, the setting of the COPYCONTINUE parameter in the storage pool definition determines whether the transaction is tried again:
  • If the value of the COPYCONTINUE parameter is NO, the client does not try the operation again.
  • If the value of the COPYCONTINUE parameter is YES, all the copy storage pools are removed from the copy storage pool list for the duration of the client session. The client tries the operation again.
Restrictions:
  • The setting of the COPYCONTINUE parameter does not affect active-data pools. If a write failure occurs for any of active-data pools, the server stops writing to the failing active-data pool for the remainder of the session, but continues storing files into the primary pool and any remaining active-data pools and copy storage pools. The active-data pool list is active only for the life of the session and applies to all the primary storage pools in a particular storage pool hierarchy.
  • The setting of the COPYCONTINUE parameter does not affect the simultaneous-write function during server import. If data is being written simultaneously and a write failure occurs to the primary storage pool or any copy storage pool, the server import process fails.
  • The setting of the COPYCONTINUE parameter does not affect the simultaneous-write function during migration. If data is being written simultaneously and a write failure occurs to any copy storage pool or active-data pool, the failing storage pool is removed and the data migration process continues. Write failures to the primary storage pool cause the migration process to fail.