20 Tivoli Storage Manager Interview Questions and Answers

Tivoli Storage Manager (TSM) is a backup and archiving software used by businesses to manage and protect their data. When interviewing for a position that uses TSM, it is important to be able to answer questions about the software confidently. In this article, we will review some of the most commonly asked TSM interview questions and provide tips on how to answer them.

Tivoli Storage Manager Interview Questions and Answers

Here are 20 commonly asked Tivoli Storage Manager interview questions and answers to prepare you for your interview:

1. What’s the difference between Tivoli Storage Manager and IBM Spectrum Protect?

Tivoli Storage Manager is a data backup and recovery software product. IBM Spectrum Protect, formerly known as Tivoli Storage Manager, is an enterprise data protection platform that offers data backup, archive, space management, and disaster recovery.

2. Can you explain what data deduplication is in context with Tivoli Storage Manager?

Data deduplication is a process of identifying and removing duplicate copies of data. This can be useful in reducing the amount of storage space required to store data, as well as reducing the amount of time required to back up data. Tivoli Storage Manager uses a number of techniques to perform data deduplication, including content-aware compression and block-level deduplication.

3. Can you explain how to use TSM for application backup?

TSM can be used for application backup in a few different ways. One way is to use the TSM client API to create a custom backup application. Another way is to use the TSM Scheduler to schedule backups of specific files or directories. Finally, TSM can also be configured to automatically backup files that are changed or created within a specific directory.

4. How does an administrator create a storage pool in TSM?

An administrator can create a storage pool in TSM by using the “define stgpool” command. This command will allow the administrator to specify the name and size of the storage pool, as well as the type of storage devices that will be used.

5. How can an admin configure tape drives and libraries in TSM?

An administrator can configure tape drives and libraries in TSM by using the TSM Management Console. From the console, the admin can add, remove, or modify tape drives and libraries as needed.

6. What are some common issues that arise when using TSM?

Some common issues that can arise when using TSM include:

-Backups failing due to insufficient disk space
-Backups failing due to corrupt or incomplete files
-Restore operations failing due to incorrect permissions
-Restore operations failing due to missing files
-Data loss due to accidental deletion or overwriting of files

7. How should one deal with situations where backups fail as a result of TSM database errors?

In the event that a backup fails as a result of a TSM database error, the first step is to check the TSM error log. This will provide information on what the specific error is. Once the error has been identified, it can then be addressed accordingly. In some cases, it may be necessary to contact IBM support for assistance.

8. How do you perform a restore operation in TSM?

In order to perform a restore operation in TSM, you will need to use the RESTORE command. This command will allow you to specify the files or objects that you wish to restore, as well as the location where you wish to restore them to.

9. What are the different types of restores available in TSM? Which one would you recommend in certain situations?

There are three types of restores available in TSM: full, incremental, and selective. A full restore will restore an entire database, while an incremental restore will only restore changes made since the last backup. A selective restore allows you to choose which individual files or objects you would like to restore.

In general, you should always try to perform a full restore first. If that is not possible or practical, then an incremental restore may be the next best option. Selective restores should only be used as a last resort, as they can be very time-consuming.

10. What steps could be taken if the TSM server fails due to hardware problems?

There are a few steps that could be taken if the TSM server fails due to hardware problems:

1. Check the server’s event logs to see if there are any clues as to what might have caused the hardware failure.

2. If possible, try to replace the failed hardware component and see if that fixes the problem.

3. If the server is still not working, contact IBM support for assistance.

11. Can you explain what it means to mount a volume in TSM?

Mounting a volume in TSM means that the volume will be accessible and usable by the TSM server. This is typically done so that the TSM server can perform backups or restores from the volume.

12. How do you setup a new client machine on TSM?

You will need to install the TSM client software on the machine that you want to backup. Once the software is installed, you will need to configure the client to connect to the TSM server. This can be done by editing the client options file. You will need to specify the TSM server name, the TSM server port, and the TSM server password.

13. What are some best practices for configuring TSM?

Some best practices for configuring TSM include ensuring that all data is backed up regularly, setting up multiple backup schedules to cover different types of data, and testing backups regularly to ensure that they are working properly.

14. How do you set up disk pools in TSM?

You can set up disk pools in TSM by using the DEFINE DPVOL and DEFINE ASSOCIATE commands. The DEFINE DPVOL command will create a new disk pool, and the DEFINE ASSOCIATE command will add volumes to that disk pool.

15. Is it possible to change the ownership of files backed up by TSM? If yes, then how?

Yes, it is possible to change the ownership of files backed up by TSM. You can do this by using the chown command.

16. How do you prevent clients from backing up their local databases to TSM?

You can prevent clients from backing up their local databases to TSM by setting the NO_DB_BACKUP option to 1 in the dsm.opt file.

17. What is your opinion about TSM for managing file systems?

I believe that TSM is a great tool for managing file systems. It is very user-friendly and has a lot of features that make it very versatile. It is also very affordable, which makes it a great option for small businesses or individuals.

18. What’s the importance of checking logs when troubleshooting TSM?

Checking the logs is important when troubleshooting TSM because it can provide information about what actions were taken by the TSM server, when they were taken, and whether or not they were successful. This information can be vital in pinpointing the cause of a problem.

19. What are some of the most recent updates made to TSM?

TSM 6.3 was released in December 2016 and contains a number of new features and enhancements, including:

-A new REST API for improved integration with third-party applications
-A new HTML5-based user interface for the TSM web client
-Support for Microsoft Azure blob storage
-Enhanced security features, including encryption of backups in transit and at rest

20. Can you give me examples of real-world applications of TSM?

TSM is used by a variety of businesses and organizations in order to help manage and protect their data. Some examples of companies who use TSM include IBM, Symantec, and Oracle.