API overview

The IBM® Tivoli® Storage Manager application program interface (API) enables an application client to use storage management functions.

The API includes function calls that you can use in an application to perform the following operations:

Start or end a session
Assign management classes to objects before they are stored on a server
Back up or archive objects to a server
Restore or retrieve objects from a server
Query the server for information about stored objects
Manage file spaces
Send retention events

When you, as an application developer, install the API, you receive the files that an end user of an application needs:

The API shared library.
The messages file.
The sample client options files.
The source code for the API header files that your application needs.
The source code for a sample application, and the makefile to build it.
The dsmtca file (UNIX and Linux only) .

For 64-bit applications, all compiles should be performed using compiler options that enable 64-bit support. For example, '-q64' should be used when building API applications on AIX®, and '-m64' should be used on Linux. See the sample make files for more information.

Important: When you install the API, ensure that all files are at the same level.

For information about installing the API, see Installing the Tivoli Storage Manager backup-archive clients.

References to UNIX and Linux include AIX, HP-UX, Linux, Mac OS X, and Oracle Solaris operating systems.