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Use Tivoli Storage Manager to back up and recover a Lotus Domino database

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This article describes the basics of IBM Tivoli® Storage Manager and IBM Lotus Domino architecture, and shows you how to use the Tivoli Storage Manager backup and restore features.

Tags: TDP backup recovery domino NSF notes

Introduction:

IBM data protection solutions, featuring IBM Tivoli® Storage Manager, enable advanced data backup and data recovery for virtual, physical,
cloud and software defined environments – as well as core applications and remote facilities.

IBM Tivoli Storage Manager is a software product that addresses the challenges of complex storage management across distributed
environments. This product protects and manages a broad range of data, from the workstation to the corporate server environment.

IBM Domino software is server software that provides enterprise-grade collaboration capabilities across a wide range of uses and applications.
IBM Domino software can be deployed as core e-mail and enterprise scheduling infrastructure, as a custom application platform, or both.

This article first reviews concepts and considerations. It explains how to install and configure the Data Protection for IBM Domino, and
provides step-by-step instructions and techniques that show you how to back up and restore data on a Tivoli Storage Manager server for the
Domino database.

DOMINO

IBM Domino Server provides the complete infrastructure needed to create, test, deploy, and manage distributed, multi-lingual applications,
including directory, database, application server, administration, security, connectivity, Web server, e-mail server, calendaring engine,
and so on, all in one application.

Three IBM Domino Server license types are available to organizations of all sizes: IBM Domino Messaging Server (messaging only), IBM Domino
Utility Server (applications only), and IBM Domino Enterprise Server (both messaging and applications).

Tivoli Storage Manager server:

Tivoli Storage Manager server is a software product that provides storage management services for data, primarily backup, restore,
archive, and retrieve, by using a client/server model. In general terms, Tivoli Storage Manager backup-archive clients are installed on each
system (such as file servers, database servers, client workstations). Using a configured network transport such as TCP/IP, each Tivoli Storage
Manager client sends copies of its files as either backup or archive objects to a Tivoli Storage Manager server. The server stores the client
files in a centralized storage system (typically consisting of large amounts of disk or tape storage).

A Lotus domino database is a self-contained data file that you can back up and restore using Tivoli Storage Manager. Tivoli Storage Manager
restores a Lotus Domino database in its entirety because it is just a file for IBM Spectrum Protect. If a Lotus Domino database is deleted or
corrupted, IBM Spectrum Protect can restore the most recent or any previous backup version of this database from the IBM Spectrum Protect
server to the Lotus Domino server or client.

Tivoli Data Protection API:

The Tivoli Storage Manager application programming interface (API) provides a library of functions that allow independent software
applications and custom-built applications to back up and archive their data to a Tivoli Storage Manager server. The Lotus Domino also uses the
Tivoli Storage Manager API for backup and restore operations.

Tivoli Data Protection for Domino communicates with a Tivoli Storage Manager server with the Tivoli Storage Manager application programming
interface (API). Tivoli Data Protection for Domino communicates with a Domino server through the Domino API.

Basic Lotus Domino and Tivoli Storage Manager architecture:

Tivoli Data Protection for Domino protects data on email servers running IBM Lotus® Domino®. This software module for IBM Tivoli Storage Manager

enables data protection of your mail databases while they are online. It automates data protection, enables hot backups without shutting down the application

and improves data restore performance.

Figure 1. Domino - Tivoli Storage Manager architecture

Figure 1 shows one method that you can use to back up a Lotus Domino database. The Tivoli Storage Manager server is on Server B. Server A contains the Lotus Domino server and the Tivoli

Data Protection for Domino and Backup-archive client.

In Figure 1, the following Tivoli Storage Manager components are used:

Tivoli Storage Manager backup-archive client: Backup Archive client is only require if you would like to perform Domino database backup from Tivoli Storage Manager Web Client
GUI and scheduled backup operations.

Tivoli Data Protection for Domino: Provides a tool for users to backup versions of Domino database file to a Tivoli Storage Manager Server, which can be restored if the
original database are lost or damaged. Tivoli Data Protection for Domino communicates with a Domino server through the Domino API.

Tivoli Storage Manager server: Provides services to store and manage the client's data. The server can store data on disk and tape storage devices. Tivoli Storage Manager Version
6 and later uses a DB2 database to track information about server storage, clients, client data, policies, and schedules.

Installing and configuring the Tivoli Data Protection for Domino:

Before you can back up a Domino database using Tivoli Storage Manager, you must install and configure the Tivoli Data Protection (TDP) for Domino client, backup-archive client

and the Tivoli Storage Manager server. For this article, both clients and server set up on Window systems, therefore, the following components are required:

- Tivoli Storage Manager backup-archive client Version 7.1, or later, for Window 2012 64 bit
- Tivoli Data Protection for Domino 7.1, or later, for Window 2012 64 bit
- Tivoli Storage Manager server Version 7.1, or later, for Window 2012 64 bit

Note: Backup Archive client is only require if you would like to perform Domino database backup from Tivoli Storage Manager Web Client GUI and scheduled backup operations.

Install the Tivoli Data Protection(TDP) for Domino client

The Tivoli Data Protection for Domino client must be installed on a Domino server and the Tivoli Storage Manager server must be installed on a separate system. In this example, the Domino server is located on an Window system.

Note: Data Protection for Domino must be installed from an account with administrator privileges to the local system.

- Download the TDP for Domino client software package from Passport Advantage.

- Like in this example software package name is “TSM_MAIL7.1.2_WIN_ML”

- Extract the package

- Run the setup from

{extract_directory}\domino\windows\x64\client

- Follow the installation wizard to complete the client installation.

- Once the installation complete successfully you will see following wizard.

Configure the Tivoli Data Protection(TDP) for Domino client

To configure the TDP for Domino client, complete the following tasks.
1. Go to TDP for Domino client installation directory by default it is
C:\Program Files\Tivoli\TSM\domino
2. Rename dsm.smp file to dsm.opt
3. Update following parameters:
TCPSERVERADDRESS x.x.x.x (Replace x.x.x.x from TSM server IP address)
Nodename dominonode (Must match nodename on Tivoli Storage Manager server)
4. Remaining parameter left as default

Tivoli Storage Manager server considerations:

The Tivoli Storage Manager server acts as a central storage repository for backup and archive data from one or more Tivoli Data Protection clients. The server maintains a

database to track client data, users (nodes, administrator IDs), data retention policies, and Tivoli Storage Manager server resources. The data retention policy manages the

following settings:

How long to keep an archive

How long to keep a backup

How many copy versions of a backup to maintain

The server also controls the Tivoli Storage Manager server storage (storage pools). These storage pools store the client's backup and archive data. Each storage pool represents
a single type of storage media. For example, one storage pool can represent a pool of random access disks, another can represent a pool of sequential access tapes, and a third
can represent a pool of sequential access optical platters.

Complete the following steps on the Tivoli Storage Manager server:

1. Define the policy domain.

2. Define the policy set.

3. Define the management class.

4. Assign the default management class.

5. Define the copy group.

6. Validate and activate the policy set.

7. Register the client node.

1. Use the following command to define the policy domain. When a client node is registered, it is assigned to an existing domain and this node or domain association defines

how that node's data is managed by the Tivoli Storage Manager server.

tsm: IMG-WIN2K12R2>define domain notesdomain

ANR1500I Policy domain NOTESDOMAIN defined.

2. Use the following command to define the policy set.

tsm: IMG-WIN2K12R2>define policyset notesdomain notespolicy

ANR1510I Policy set NOTESPOLICY defined in policy domain NOTESDOMAIN.

3.Use the following command to define the management class.

tsm: IMG-WIN2K12R2>define mgmtclass notesdomain notespolicy notesmgmtclass

ANR1520I Management class NOTESMGMTCLASS defined in policy domain NOTESDOMAIN,

set NOTESPOLICY.

4. Use the following command to assign a default management class.

tsm: IMG-WIN2K12R2>assign defmgmtclass notesdomain notespolicy notesmgmtclass

ANR1538I Default management class set to NOTESMGMTCLASS for policy domain NOTESDOMAIN, set NOTESPOLICY.

5. Use the following command to define the copy group.

tsm: IMG-WIN2K12R2>define copygroup notesdomain notespolicy notesmgmtclass type=backup dest=filepool VEREXISTS=2 VERDEL=2 RETEXTRA=30 RETONLY=30

ANR1530I Backup copy group STANDARD defined in policy domain NOTESDOMAIN, set NOTESPOLICY, management class NOTESMGMTCLASS.

All database backup objects are complete file backups so normal version controls available through Tivoli Storage Manager server policies apply. Set the

verdeleted, verexists, retonly and retextra parameters of the Backup Copy Group according to your needs for the number of backup versions to be kept

and the retention period of these backup versions.

6. Use the following commands to validate and activate the policy set.

tsm: IMG-WIN2K12R2>validate policyset notesdomain notespolicy

tsm: IMG-WIN2K12R2>activate policyset notesdomain notespolicy

7. Use the following command to register the client node. To access the Tivoli Storage Manager server, nodes must log in to the Tivoli Storage Manager server

using their respective node name and password. Issue the following command to register the Domino node with a password to the server and also assign the

node to the policy domain.

tsm: IMG-WIN2K12R2>register node dominonode password domain=notesdomain

Confirm the configuration:

Both TDP for Domino client and Tivoli Storage Manager configuration completed on above steps. Now, to verify the communication between TDP client and

Domino server, TDP client and Tivoli Storage Manager server run the following commands:

1. Verify the communication between TDP client and Domino server:

domdsmc q domino

If the configuration is fine you will receive output as follow:

C:\Program Files\Tivoli\TSM\domino>domdsmc q domino

IBM Tivoli Storage Manager for Mail:
Data Protection for Lotus Domino
Version 7, Release 1, Level 0.0
(C) Copyright IBM Corporation 1999, 2013. All rights reserved.

ACD5221I The C:\Program Files\Tivoli\TSM\domino\domdsm.log log file has been pru
ned successfully.

Domino Server Information

Domino Server Name: MyDominoServer
Domino Server Level: 9.0.1.0
Domino Server Build: 405
Logging: Archival

Important: In above steps we didn't configure the TDP for domino client to talk with Domino server, however as per above command output, TDP client communicated

successfully with Domino server. The reason is that TDP Domino needs to know is the location of the notes.ini file, it uses this files to determine the location of Domino

library and load it.

When you execute any TDP for domino command it searches for notes.ini, if NOTESInipath is not set in domdsm.cfg, then it looks in the default Domino install location.

In our case we haven't set NOTESInipath parameter in domdsm.cfg file so tdp client looks in default location and completed the command successfully.

If you don't have notes.ini in default location then you must set the NOTESInipath in domdsm.cfg to tell the location of notes.ini file.

2. Verify the communicate between TDP client and TSM server:

domdsmc q adsm

If the configuration is fine you will receive output as follow:

C:\Program Files\Tivoli\TSM\domino>domdsmc q adsm

IBM Tivoli Storage Manager for Mail:
Data Protection for Lotus Domino
Version 7, Release 1, Level 0.0
(C) Copyright IBM Corporation 1999, 2013. All rights reserved.

Tivoli Storage Manager Server Connection Information

Nodename ............................... DOMINONODE
NetWork Host Name of Server ............ localhost
TSM API Version ........................ Version 7, Release 1, Level 3.0
Server Name ............................ IMG-WIN2K12R2
Server Type ............................ Windows
Server Version ......................... Version 7, Release 1, Level 1.100
Compression Mode ....................... Client Determined
Domain Name ............................ NOTESDOMAIN
Active Policy Set ...................... NOTESPOLICY
Default Management Class ............... NOTESMGMTCLASS

Your TDP client is ready to take Domino database and Transaction log backups.

Tivoli Data Protection for Domino is now ready for back up and restore operation.

Backup Techniques: After the Tivoli Storage Manager server and Tivoli Data Protection client are configured, Domino database can back up data onto the Tivoli Storage

Manager server.

There are two way you can back up the Lotus Domino database using Tivoli Data Protection for Domino client:

- Selective Backup
- Incremental Backup

Selective backup: The selective command backs up database that you specify. During a selective backup, Tivoli Storage Manager sends copies of the database to the Tivoli

Storage Manager server even if they have not changed since the last backup.

Incremental backup: Tivoli Data Protection for Domino incremental backup is different from normal file level backup. In normal file level incremental backup it backed
only new and changed file since last full backup. However, for Data Protection for Domino incremental backup below criteria are used to determine
if a database that matches the backup file specification is backed up in an Incremental backup.

- The database is within the Domino data path or symbolically linked to the Domino data path by directory or database links.
- The database is not excluded from backup by exclude statements within the Tivoli Storage Manager options file.
- If the database is logged, the DBIID has changed.
- If the database is not logged, it has been modified since the last backup occurred (data and non data modification dates are checked).
- The database is new or newly included in the backup.

Domino Transaction logging:

Domino server have 2 option whether you wants to enable transaction logging or disable it. By default transaction logging is disable. When the transaction logging is

enabled any change happen in domino database get record in transaction log file.

A transaction log is a binary file where transactions are written. The transaction log has a .txn file extension. These .txn files should never be deleted. The maximum

size of each log extent (.txn file) is 64 MB. You can have several .txt logs based on the size specified in the Server document. The maximum total of .txn files is 4 GB.

There are 3 kind of transaction logging:

- Archive logging

- Circular logging

- Liner logging

By default, transaction logging feature is disabled on domino server. To enable Transaction logging, you can enable it from server document in Domino Administrator client.

Please refer below screen capture for more information

When you have set the archive logging, then only you can able to take the backup of transaction log into Tivoli Storage manager server or third party backup software.

So, make sure Transaction logging is enable and logging style must set to archive logging at Domino end.

Transaction logs cannot be backed up from a Domino server that has circular or linear loop logging in effect.

You must have following parameter enable for transaction log backup:

You can also verify same using below command from Domino server console:

show config trans*

Example output:

TRANSLOG_Status: represents whether transaction logging is enable or disable

0 means Disable (Default)

1 means Enable

TRANSLOG_Style: represents type of transaction logging enabled on server

0 means Circular (Default)

1 means Archive

2 means Linear

How Tivoli Storage Manager archive (backup) Domino logs:

When you set the archive logging at domino end then Data Protection for Domino client software takes a copy of transaction log into
Tivoli Storage Manager server, then notify to the Domino server to say that this transaction log has been "archived". Domino then
allows this transaction log to be reused. Note that is the Domino server itself that cleans up and reuses archive log files.

When you run a archive log operation from Data Protection for domino client a request goes to domino API then domino API provides
the transaction logs to Data Protection for domino client that are available for archive which is then passed to the IBM Tivoli
Storage Manager (TSM) server for storage.

If logs are not being reused or deleted from the Domino server, this can cause the Domino log partition to fill, as this may cause
the Domino Server to crash. Hence, transaction log files must be archived frequently enough to ensure the transaction log never
fills completely and stops the Domino server.

Recovery Techniques:

Domino databases are restored by reloading a database backup that was created by DP for Domino and optionally

applying updates (from the transaction logs) that occurred after the backup was taken.

Data Protection for Domino have two steps of recovery:

1. Restore database

2. Activate database (Apply the logs)

Note: If you don't want to apply the logs then you can activate the database during restore database.

Restore database:

DP for Domino client restores a database or group of database in its entirety because it is just a file for Tivoli Storage Manager. If a domino database is deleted or

corrupted, DP for Domino client can restore the most recent or any previous backup version of this database.

When you run restore you have 2 options:

- You wants to replace the existing database or restore into new location. Default setting says replace the exiting database.

- You want to activate (bring the database online) the database during restore db step. Default setting says don't activate database during db restore.

So, if database was activated during database restore step then you require additional step to activate the database and apply the log during activation.

Activate database: Activate the database means, database has been restored successfully but has not been online or ready for use. So, when you run the activate

database operation it brings the database online.

One additional feature available here that you can also apply the logs during activation so you can recover you database to most current state.

Task1: Lotus Domino database backup:

In this article we will use Tivoli Data Protection GUI however same steps can perform using command line as well.

The following example shows how to perform mail database backup that is available on Louts domino server.

Let verify from Lotus Domino end, how many mail client exists.

Follow these steps to backup Domino mail database.

Open TDP for Domino client GUI
Click the plus sign in the tree view, to the left of a Domino server
Click the plus sign in the tree view to the left of the Data Directory to expand the view
Click a folder to display Domino databases and other subfolders within that folder.
Click the selection box in front of mail folder.

We have 3 mail boxes so selected all three for backup.

bvyas.nsf
naadmin.nsf
njani.nsf

In backup tab select either “selective” or “incremental” backup type.

Now, click the backup button to start the backup operation.

Once the backup completes a below pop-up window will show you the detail.

Above screenshot shows all three NSF database backed up successfully.

Same operation can perform using below command:

domdsmc selective mail\* /ADSMOPTFile="C:\Program Files\Tivoli\TSM\domino\dsm.opt" /CONFIGfile="C:\Program Files\Tivoli\TSM\domino\domdsm.cfg"

TASK 2: Lotus Domino database Recovery:

Step A: Restore Database

Follow these steps to recover a mail database that has been deleted/corrupted from Domino database. These steps use the TDP for Domino GUI to recover the

bvyas database.

The following screenshot shows that 'bvyas' mail database has been deleted from the Domino database.

Follow these steps to recover the bvyas mail database:

- Start the Data Protection for Domino GUI.
- Click the Restore tab in the Data Protection for Domino interface.
- Click the plus sign to the left of Backups on Tivoli Storage Manager Node in the tree view. The tree expands displaying backups from different servers. (In this example we have only one Domino server)
The tree expands displaying the Domino Data Directory.
- Click the plus sign to the left of the Data Directory to expand the view.
- Click the desired folder to display Domino Databases. (In this example click on mail folder)
It display all three mail databases that has been backed on previous task.
- Now, select only “bvyas” database that we wants to restore:

- Click “Restore” button.

Once restore process finish following window display with restore statistics:

Click OK.

Same operation can perform using below command:

domdsmc restore mail\bvyas.nsf /ADSMOPTFile="C:\Program Files\Tivoli\TSM\domino\dsm.opt"

/CONFIGfile="C:\Program Files\Tivoli\TSM\domino\domdsm.cfg"

As mentioned above TDP for Domino recovery process is 2 step recovery process (1) Restore db (2) Activate db. Hence, now you need to activate the restored db.

Activation brings the restored databases online for use by the Domino server. If you won't activate db after restore then you will not find/online restored database

in domino server database.

Step B: Activate Database

- Click the Activate Tab
- Click the plus sign to the left of Activation to... . The tree expands showing the Pending dbs, local or other Domino servers
- Click the plus sign to the left of either Pending dbs, local or other Domino servers.
- Click the plus sign to the left of the Domino server name.
- Click the plus sign to the left of the Domino data directory.
- Click a folder to display Domino Databases (In this example select “mail” folder)
- Select 'bvyas' database for activation.
- Check Apply Logs if you want to apply the transaction logs to the database.

- Click 'Activate' button.

Once activate process finish following window display with activate statistics:

- Click OK

Both recovery steps finish successfully hence, we can verify from Domino server end whether 'bvyas' mail database recovered or not. Below screenshot confirmed

that 'bvyas' database available in Domino database server after successful restore operation.

Same operation can perform using below command:

domdsmc activatedb /applylog /ADSMOPTFile="C:\Program Files\Tivoli\TSM\domino\dsm.opt" /CONFIGfile="C:\Program Files\Tivoli\TSM\domino\domdsm.cfg"

Note: If you don't wants to apply the logs then remove /applylog parameter.

Task3: Archive transaction log

- Open DP for domino client gui
- Go to Utilities
- Click “Archives logs..”

Once a archive log operation trigger a request sent by DP for Domino client to Domino API requesting for log that are ready for archiving. Then, domino API sent the log

to DP for domino client for backup this log file into Tivoli Storage Manager server.

You should run this command frequently to ensure that allocated transaction log space is freed, also to recover database to this most current status.

Same operation can perform using below command:

C:\Program Files\Tivoli\TSM\domino>domdsmc archivelog /ADSMOPTFile="C:\Program Files\Tivoli\TSM\domino\dsm.opt" /CONFIGfile="C:\Program Files\Tivoli\TSM\domino\

domdsm.cfg"

Resources

Tivoli Storage Manager knowledge Center:

http://www-01.ibm.com/support/knowledgecenter/SSGSG7_6.4.0/com.ibm.itsm.ic.doc/welcome.html

developerWorks Lotus Notes and Domino product page:

http://www.ibm.com/developerworks/lotus/products/notesdomino/

Data Protection for Lotus Domino for Windows Installation and User's Guide:

http://www-01.ibm.com/support/knowledgecenter/SSTG2D_6.3.0/com.ibm.itsm.mail.dom.doc/b_dp_dom_win.pdf

About the author

Bharat Vyas is a Tivoli Storage Manager(TSM) and Tivoli Storage Productivity Center (TPC) Level 2 Technical Support Engineer with IBM in Pune, India.
He spends most of his time working with TSM and TPC administrators to resolve problems related to TPC and TSM component. His areas of
expertise include Tivoli Storage Manager, Tivoli Storage Manager FastBack, Tivoli Storage Manager FastBack for Workstations, and storage
area networks.

Niraj V Jani is working with IBM India Pvt Ltd. He has more than 9 years of experience and he is part of IBM Notes Domino and Sametime Level 2 Technical Support, Pune - India.
Niraj is responsible to provide L2 Technical Support to all APAC/CEMEA customers as well EMEA and US customers during off-shour hours.