Requirements and limitations for IBM Spectrum Protect client management services

In the documentation for the client management service, client system is the system where the backup-archive client is installed.

Diagnostic information can be collected only from Linux and Windows clients, but administrators can view the diagnostic information in the Operations Center on AIX®, Linux, or Windows operating systems.

Requirements for the client management service

Verify the following requirements before you install the client management service:

• To remotely access the client, the Operations Center administrator must have system authority or one of the following client authority levels:
  • Policy authority
  • Client owner authority
  • Client node access authority
• Ensure that the client system meets the following requirements:
  • The client management service can be installed only on client systems that run on Linux or Windows operating systems:
    • Linux x86 64-bit operating systems that are supported for the backup-archive client.
    • Windows 32-bit and 64-bit operating systems that are supported for the backup-archive client.
  • Transport Layer Security (TLS) 1.2 must be installed for transmission of data between the client management service and Operations Center. Basic authentication is provided and data and authentication information are encrypted through the SSL channel. TLS 1.2 is automatically installed along with the necessary SSL certificates when you install the client management service.
• On Linux client systems, you must have root user authority to install the client management service.
• For client systems that can have multiple client nodes, such as Linux client systems, ensure that each node name is unique on the client system.
  Tip: After you install the client management service, you do not have to install it again because the service can discover multiple client options files.

Limitations of the client management service

The client management service provides basic services for collecting diagnostic information from backup-archive clients. The following limitations exist for the client management service:

• You can install the client management service only on systems with backup-archive clients, including backup-archive clients that are installed on data mover nodes for IBM Spectrum Protect for Virtual Environments: Data Protection for VMware.
• You cannot install the client management service on other IBM Spectrum Protect client components or products that do not have backup-archive clients.
• If the backup-archive clients are protected by a firewall, ensure that the Operations Center can connect to the backup-archive clients through the firewall by using the configured port for the client management service. The default port is 9028, but it can be changed.
• The client management service scans all client log files to locate entries for the previous 72-hour period.
• The Diagnosis page in the Operations Center provides basic troubleshooting information for backup-archive clients. However, for some backup issues, you might have to access the client system and obtain further diagnostic information.
• If the combined size of the client error log files and schedule log files on a client system is more than 500 MB, delays can occur in sending log records to the Operations Center. You can control the size of the log files by enabling log file pruning or wrapping by specifying the errorlogretention or errorlogmax client option.
• If you use the same client node name to connect to multiple IBM Spectrum Protect servers that are installed on the same server, you can view log files for only one of the client nodes.

For updates about the client management service, including requirements, limitations, and documentation updates, see technote 1963610.