Overview

IBM® Tivoli® Storage FlashCopy® Manager provides a method to back up and restore data by using the advanced snapshot technologies of storage systems.

Tivoli Storage FlashCopy Manager can back up DB2® databases, Oracle databases, or other applications that are on snapshot-oriented storage systems or file systems.

Tivoli Storage FlashCopy Manager backup operations are based on volume-level copy operations that are provided by the storage system. For GPFS™ in combination with DB2 pureScale®, or Custom Applications, the backup operations are based on GPFS file sets. In this scenario, any storage solution that is supported by the GPFS file system can be used. Tivoli Storage FlashCopy Manager takes snapshots at a volume group or GPFS file set level for granular control.

When you use Tivoli Storage FlashCopy Manager with other Tivoli Storage Manager products, snapshots can be sent to the Tivoli Storage Manager server. Depending on the application, Tivoli Storage FlashCopy Manager can transfer snapshots by using IBM Tivoli Storage Manager for Enterprise Resource Planning, IBM Tivoli Storage Manager for Databases, or Tivoli Storage Manager backup-archive client. Tivoli Storage FlashCopy Manager uses Oracle RMAN Media Management API. Using RMAN maximizes the protection of Oracle data, and provides a comprehensive storage management solution. To send snapshot backups to Tivoli Storage Manager, you must configure a backup server or cluster.

The following list identifies the applications that can be protected and cloned with Tivoli Storage FlashCopy Manager.

Protect the following database applications with Tivoli Storage FlashCopy Manager:
- DB2, DB2 in an SAP environment, DB2 in a partitioned database environment, and DB2 pureScale environment. You can back up and restore data from single-partition databases, and logically or physically partitioned DB2 databases.
- Oracle, Oracle with Automatic Storage Management (ASM), and Oracle in an SAP environment.
Clone the following database applications with Tivoli Storage FlashCopy Manager:
- DB2, DB2 in an SAP environment, DB2 with the Database Partitioning Feature included.
- Oracle and Oracle in an SAP environment that is on a file system that is supported by Tivoli Storage FlashCopy Manager.
Oracle with Automatic Storage Management (ASM)
Back up and restore custom applications with Tivoli Storage FlashCopy Manager:
- Any database application other than those database applications listed in the preceding list.
- Any other applications that are on file systems that are supported by Tivoli Storage FlashCopy Manager.

Tivoli Storage FlashCopy Manager supports specific operating systems. All servers that have Tivoli Storage FlashCopy Manager installed must be at the same operating system release level. Certain high availability (HA) environments are supported.

The following list identifies the storage solutions or file systems that you can use with Tivoli Storage FlashCopy Manager software:

IBM XIV® Storage System
IBM Storwize® family
IBM System Storage® SAN Volume Controller
IBM System Storage DS8000®
IBM System Storage N series
NetApp Storage system
GPFS file system in combination with DB2 pureScale
GPFS file system in combination with Custom Applications