The Challenge

Growing infrastructures, shrinking budgets and compliance audits make Recovery Assurance a continuous struggle for IS management. Isolated D/R tests for a few systems are insufficient to mitigate the continuity risk with 100s or 1000s of servers.

The SMART Solution

The SMARTtsm test platform X-rays the enterprise backup storage through continuous full-server recovery tests, reporting on recoverability and recovery time. Restored applications are instantly integrity validated detecting backup errors of fatal impact to the business.

The Benefits

SMARTtsm executes automated, full-server recovery tests solely sourced from TSM backup data. SMARTtsm manages full recoveries, more frequent with unique integrity analysis onto a dissimilar, low-cost test platform. The management console features full reports on recoverability and recovery time matched against targets stated in Service Level Agreements.

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More benefits from the TSM investment

IBM has validated and approved the software with “Ready-for-Tivoli” accreditation. With automated validation processes integrated within SMARTtsm, the IS organization increases the return on investment in IBM Tivoli Storage Manager.  

Govern recovery services efficiently

SMARTtsm allows the IS organization to manage recovery tests of a production server via Service Level Agreements (SLA). The SLA controls the frequency and recovery time target for individual productions server restored from TSM.

The Management Console features Compliance reporting and supports granular data management of customers (internal or external), service level agreements, test platforms, production servers and more.

More for less: optimize staff efficiency

Compared to tedious manual recovery tests - let alone outsourced D/R tests - SMARTtsm puts IS staff in control of an impressive volume of full-server recovery tests at unprecedented cost-efficiency. With automated test processes, IS staff increases productivity, optimizes efficiency and enforces corrective actions to resume recoverability of mission critical system to meet contract-signed targets.

One staff – multiple roles

SMARTtsm incorporates the expertise of several specialists into a central software solution. For instance, a backup specialist with SMARTtsm can schedule a weekly Exchange recovery test, including a full Windows O/S restore, application recovery of Exchange, database rebuild along integrity testing into Exchange using SMARTtsm’s built-in query wizards. Exclusively, SMARTtsm features full reporting on all recovery tests.

Compliance – also archived backups

For legal reasons, server backups are archived in TSM to support future recovery in case of fatal events or legal procedures.

Uniquely, SMARTtsm also executes repetitive recovery tests of archived server backups, including servers (to be) decommissioned.

Auto Recovery – application wizards

Traditionally, testing of full application environments is both a “multi-discipline” and costly exercise. With SMARTtsm a single IS staff orchestrates recovery of complete application platforms, including Windows O/S, application front-ends, database backups including sophisticated integrity tests post-recovery.

Key activities are configured into one centralized, fully automated recovery process. Save costs, avoid redundant hardware configurations; reduced need for application experts and O/S experts.

Zero-impact on production systems

The SMARTtsm software easily deploys, running the automated recovery processes with a lean cost profile.

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SMARTtsm executes recovery commands solely into TSM with no requirements of changes to the individual production servers being recovery tested onto a SMARTtsm test platform.

Effectively, SMARTtsm is the unique solution featuring full-server recovery processes with application integrity analysis sourced from server backup data stored in TSM.

Integrates with IBM TSM

SMARTtsm is “Ready-for-Tivoli” accredited. SMARTtsm comes with zero-impact on IBM TSM’s code execution, nor does SMARTtsm impact production systems.

SMARTtsm only does what is designed for - performs server restores from TSM.

Test the backup – replication doesn’t

In some cases recovery based on replication or synchronization is appealing in respect to recovery times. However, it is imperative to acknowledge the need to validate TSM backups through full-server recovery processes:

1) Testing recovery from backup can be required to be regulatory compliant.

2) A valid backup is the key to continuity if the backup data proves to be last resort of recovery following a broken or failed replication setup.

3) Need to retrieve a historical server backup? Those are solely available from the backup environment.

4) Recovery from corrupt data, user-inflicted data distortion and mal-functioning requires a successful (i.e. tested) backup.

Optimize quality of backup processes

Changes to production systems and the underlying backup processes can inflict fatal impact on business operations if backups remain untested. Changes made to backup schedules, software clients and the application setup should be tested in full-server recovery tests. Absurdly, server backups reporting “Successful” can prove impossible to restore.