Using the Microsoft Windows Backup-Archive Client

Selecting a Management Class for Files

If the default management class meets the backup and archive requirements for all the files on your workstation, you do not need to take any action to associate your files with that management class. ADSM does that automatically when you back up or archive your files.

Use the Include-Exclude List to Assign a Management Class

To assign a management class other than the default to a file or group of files, use an Include statement in the include-exclude list. Management class names are not case-sensitive. Create the include-exclude list in your client options file. For example, to associate all the files in the costs directory with a management class named budget, you would enter:

   INCLUDE c:\adsm\proj2\costs\*.* budget

To specify a management class with the name of managall to use for all files to which you do not explicitly assign a management class, you would enter:

   INCLUDE * managall

For more information about using the include-exclude list, see "Assigning Management Classes With the Include Option".

Override the Management Class for Archived Files

When you archive a file, you can override the assigned management class. When using the graphical user interface, ADSM presents a window that permits you to select a different management class. Press the Archive Options button on the archive tree to override the management class.

When using the archive command, you can use the archmc option to specify a different management class. For example, to associate the file, budget.jan, with the management class RET2YRS, you would enter:

   dsmc archive -archmc=ret2yrs c:\plan\proj1\budget.jan

Consider These Questions When Selecting a Management Class

When selecting a different management class for some of your files, consider the following questions.

• Does the management class contain a backup copy group? If you attempt to back up a file associated with a management class that does not contain a backup copy group, the file is not backed up.

• Does the management class contain an archive copy group? If you attempt to archive a file associated with a management class that does not contain an archive copy group, the file is not archived.

• Does the backup copy group contain attributes that permit your files to be backed up often enough? Mode and frequency work together to control how often a file is backed up when you use incremental backup. ADSM does not check those attributes for selective backup.

• Do the copy groups specify either static or shared static for serialization? If serialization is shared dynamic or dynamic, you might get fuzzy backups or archive copies. Verify that this is acceptable.

  For example, you might want to use shared dynamic or dynamic serialization for a file to which log records are continuously added. If you used static or shared static serialization, the file might not be backed up at all because it is constantly in use. With shared dynamic or dynamic serialization, the file would be backed up, but the backup version of the file might contain a truncated message. However, you would not want to use shared dynamic or dynamic serialization for a file if it is very important that the backup version or archive copy contain all changes.

• Does the backup copy group specify an adequate number of backup versions to keep, and an adequate length of time to keep them?

• Does the archive copy group specify an adequate length of time to keep archived copies of files?

Select a Management Class for Directories

If the management class in your active policy set containing the longest retention period meets your backup requirements for directories, you do not need to take any action to associate directories with that management class. ADSM does it automatically when it backs up your directories.

If that default management class does not meet your requirements, select a management class with an adequate retention period specified on the retain only version parameter. Ensure that ADSM keeps directories at least as long as it keeps the files associated with those directories.

To assign a management class to directories other than the default, use the dirmc option in your client options file. For example, to assign a management class named DIRECT1 to your directories, you would enter:

   DIRMC DIRECT1