STORServer,a provider of data backup solutions for the mid-market, has introduced STORServer Console v3.0 (SSC), which allows IBM Tivoli Storage Manager users to operate their environment from an easy-to-use interface. The upgrade is free to all existing STORServer Backup Appliance and SSC customers.
SSC offers monitoring and reporting features to keep users apprised of TSM server activities, in real-time with alerts available for a wide variety of TSM conditions. The combination of SSC and TSM ensures a highly disaster-tolerant environment for corporate data, while simplifying administration of the data protection solution.
Appropriately configured and running, during normal daily operations, administrators and operators should not even need to use the graphical interface because they are sent a graphical file every day in an email that shows them the entire state of the system, Bill Smoldt, president of STORServer, tells 5 Minute Briefing. If nothing needs attention, they don’t need to go into the interface at all on that day, but if something does require action, there is a section at the top that cites issues and recommendations allowing users to zero in on what they need to do on that specific day.
The interface permits users who are not completely proficient with TSM to have full operational and administrative ease of access, Smoldt notes. “It enables people who don’t know all the intricacies to manage it very effectively.”
A key new feature in SSC v3.0, adds Smoldt, is client node replication, which provides the ability to incrementally replicate a client node’s data from one TSM server (source) to a remote TSM server (target) for disaster recovery. The software is compatible with TSM versions back to v5.5. To operate node replication, however, TSM v6.3 or newer is required on both source and target replication servers, and TSM v6.3.3 or newer is required for replication of OpenVMS client nodes.
Enhancements to SSC v3.0 reports include new replication activities reports providing information on client node replication processing; TSM client version numbers in the client activities report; a missed files report that can now be configured to include specified policy domains only; and storage pools reports with a new section that identifies unprotected storage pools and provides more information as to why they are considered unprotected.
According to the company, users can still manage TSM at a command-line from within SSC and use any standard TSM interface. SSC v3.0 can be purchased as a standalone product for TSM users. A hardware integrated version of SSC comes included with the STORServer Backup Appliance models.
For more information on SSC v3.0 or to download a free 45-day demo license, visit http://storserver.com/STORServerConsole.aspx.