Introduction
External Data Connector (EDC) provides the facility to collect and merge vital information from IBM Tivoli Storage Manager (TSM) to a CommCell. TSM’s vital configurations, such as client nodes, schedules, and compression settings are automatically collected and merged to the CommCell.
After the merge has completed, CommCell Agents can be installed directly on the previous TSM clients using the CommCell Console. Client nodes, schedules, compression, and other settings will remain on the clients, which greatly reduces configuration time. CommCell reports can be run to view data protection schedules of TSM clients and other configuration information of External Data Connector (license, service packs, etc.).
Complete Discovery of Tivoli Storage Manager Information
When External Data Connector is installed on a Tivoli Storage Manager Server, all TSM client information can be easily incorporated into a CommCell by performing a simple discovery process. Your first discovery merges all information about each TSM client into the CommServe database. All these details can be viewed using the CommCell Console graphical interface as soon as the first full discovery is performed.
Subsequent incremental discovery operations continue to update the CommServe with details on new or changed TSM client configurations. You can choose from a number of discovery options, such as assigning discovered client nodes into additional CommCell client groups.
Seamless Migration of TSM Clients to a CommCell
Existing TSM client computers can be seamlessly migrated to a CommCell for future data protection and recovery operations using the wide variety of CommCell products and features available. CommCell software can be simultaneously installed to any number of client computers directly through the CommCell Console graphical interface. You can choose to keep the original configuration of the migrated client computers or modify them to suit new needs and requirements.
Supported Tivoli Storage Manager Versions
After the first full discovery process is complete, each Tivoli Storage Manager component, such as client nodes, schedules, etc. is mapped to the appropriate CommCell entity. The following versions of Tivoli Storage Manager are supported for these TSM components:
|
Tivoli Storage Manager Grouping |
Description |
Supported Tivoli Storage Manager Versions* |
|
Configuration |
Client nodes, Client node schedules, Schedule repetitions, Client Node Platforms, Schedule Actions (Backup), Schedule Expiration, Client node option sets (compression). |
5.4, 5.5, 6.1, 6.2, 7.1, and 8.x |
|
Jobs |
Job information is migrated for CommCell reporting purposes. |
5.4, 5.5, 6.1, 6.2, 7.1, and 8.x |
*Both Windows and Unix platforms are supported.
Terminology
The External Data Connector documentation utilizes the following terminology:
-
Tivoli Storage Manager Server - The computer hosting the main data protection and recovery software engine. This computer is the equivalent of the CommServe computer.
-
Discovery - The process in which External Data Connector collects information about the vendor's client computers and populates that information into the CommServe database.