IT01982: CLIENT RESTORE OF MICROSOFT WINDOWS SYMLINK FILE OVERWRITES LINK TARGET WITH 0KB FILE.

IBM Tivoli Storage Manager (TSM) Client 7.1.1 Downloads and READMEs
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IBM Tivoli Storage Manager (TSM) client 6.3.2.x interim fix downloads - EOL

APAR status

• Closed as program error.

Error description

• When attempting to restore a Microsoft Windows symlink file with
  the Tivoli Storage Manager Client, the restore will follow the
  link and overwrite the target file with a 0kb file.
  
  This issue only affects restore cases where the symlink file is
  already present on the system and would be overwritten. The
  expected behavior would be for the link file to be replaced and
  no changes to be made to the real file. In the event a copy of
  the link file already exists the restore follows the link file
  that is already in place to its target and replaces the target
  with the file being restored, in this case a 0kb file. This
  behavior is incorrect.
  
  
  Customer/L2 Diagnostics:
  The following cases and outcomes were tested and confirmed.
  
  Restore of link file and real file when nothing exists for both
  real and link files is successful.
  Restore of link file when real file exists and link file does
  not is successful.
  Restore of link file when real file is missing and link file
  exists causes real file name to be recreated with a 0kb size in
  real file location. link file is not changed.
  
  Restore of link file when real file exists and link exists
  causes real file to be overwritten with a 0kb file. - this
  produces the unexpected results.
  
  The expected result of the above action would be the following
  outputs,
  
  F:\>dir f:\links
   Volume in drive F is New Volume
   Volume Serial Number is D809-C1F1
  
   Directory of f:\links
  
  22.05.2014  10:38    <DIR>          .
  22.05.2014  10:38    <DIR>          ..
  22.05.2014  08:30    <SYMLINK>      file1_link.txt
  [f:\targets\file1.txt]
                 1 File(s)              0 bytes
                 2 Dir(s)     189&#160;521&#160;920 bytes free
  
  F:\>dir f:\targets
   Volume in drive F is New Volume
   Volume Serial Number is D809-C1F1
  
   Directory of f:\targets
  
  22.05.2014  10:38    <DIR>          .
  22.05.2014  10:38    <DIR>          ..
  22.05.2014  08:29                23 file1.txt
                 1 File(s)             23 bytes
                 2 Dir(s)     189&#160;521&#160;920 bytes free
  
  F:\>
  
  
  The actual result of the above action produces the following
  outputs,
  
  F:\>dir f:\links
   Volume in drive F is New Volume
   Volume Serial Number is D809-C1F1
  
   Directory of f:\links
  
  22.05.2014  10:57    <DIR>          .
  22.05.2014  10:57    <DIR>          ..
  22.05.2014  08:30    <SYMLINK>      file1_link.txt
  [f:\targets\file1.txt]
                 1 File(s)              0 bytes
                 2 Dir(s)     189&#160;509&#160;632 bytes free
  
  F:\>dir f:\targets
   Volume in drive F is New Volume
   Volume Serial Number is D809-C1F1
  
   Directory of f:\targets
  
  22.05.2014  10:57    <DIR>          .
  22.05.2014  10:57    <DIR>          ..
  22.05.2014  10:57                 0 file1.txt
                 1 File(s)              0 bytes
                 2 Dir(s)     189&#160;509&#160;632 bytes free
  
  F:\>
  
  
  Note that the link files will be seen in Microsoft Windows
  Explorer as 0kb in size and have the small shortcut icon. From a
  Microsoft Windows Command line they will show <symlink> and show
  a blank for file size. The Tivoli Storage Manager GUI restore
  window will show these files as 0 bytes in size but otherwise
  will look like normal files.
  
  
  The existence or absence of the symlink file does not impact the
  restore of the real file when only the real file is selected for
  restore.
  This issue should have minimal impact on an initial system or DR
  recovery. In any case where the client does not already have a
  copy of the symlink file in place, both the link and real files
  will restore correctly.
  
  
  Tivoli Storage Manager Versions Affected:
  All supported Tivoli Storage Manager Windows Client versions.
  
  
  Initial Impact:
  Medium
  
  Additional Keywords:
  mklink, softlink, redirect
  

Local fix

• If a restore of the link file is desired, remove the current
  version of that file on the system prior to running the restore.
  

Problem summary

• ****************************************************************
  * USERS AFFECTED: Backup-archive client versions 5.4, 5.5,     *
  *                 6.1, 6.2  and 7.1 running on all Microsoft   *
  *                 Windows platforms                            *
  ****************************************************************
  * PROBLEM DESCRIPTION: See ERROR DESCRIPTION                   *
  ****************************************************************
  * RECOMMENDATION: Apply fixing level when available. This      *
  *                 problem is currently projected to be fixed   *
  *                 in levels  6.4.3 and 7.1.1. Note             *
  *                 that this is subject to change at the        *
  *                 discretion of IBM.                           *
  ****************************************************************
  *
  

Problem conclusion

• The problem has been fixed so it does not occur any more.
  

Temporary fix

• 6.3.2.2 Windows client interim fix
  

Comments

APAR Information

• APAR is sysrouted FROM one or more of the following:

• APAR is sysrouted TO one or more of the following:

Modules/Macros

• DSM      DSMC     DSMCSVC
  

Fix information

• Fixed component name

  TSM CLIENT

• Fixed component ID

  5698ISMCL

Applicable component levels

• R63W PSY

     UP

• R64W PSY

     UP

• R71W PSY

     UP