DS-System Advanced Configuration


Creation Date: February 08, 2007
Revision Date: January 10, 2013
Product: DS-System

Summary

The Advanced Configuration option contains a list of parameters that determines how the DS-System behaves. The default settings are sufficient to run a typical DS-System, however advanced users with specific requirements may alter these settings.

For N+1 DS-Systems, some of these parameters are used to apply a consistent setting across all the nodes. This is because individual DS-System nodes may have different configurations in their "dssys.cfg" file (See "DS-System Configuration File Parameters".).

To enable the Advanced Configurations option in the DS-Operator Setup Menu:

WARNING: If you change any of these parameters, they will significantly change DS-System behavior (performance). Changes to parameters marked with an exclamation (!) icon take effect after the DS-System restarts.

Parameter
Value
RecycleSwitch
  • 0 = OFF, no delta recycling
  • 1 = ON, recycle delta (default)
Note: Delta recycling only affects the frequency of Master file reconstructions. If ON, backups are faster at the expense of storage. If OFF, backups are slower due to greater number of reconstructions.
HealingProcess
How many Autonomic Healing processes start at once:
  • range from 1-32, default is 3
DisasterRecoveryMode
(Extensible Storage specific)
(RESTART REQUIRED)
WARNING: This parameter should only be used in case of an actual failure in the DS-System's Extensible Storage. DS-System will rebuild the storage links for every backup set.
  • 0 = OFF, DS-System normal running mode (default)
  • 1 = ON, indicates the DS-System needs to run a Disaster Recovery process on its storage
RecoveryProcess
(Extensible Storage specific)
How many Disaster Recovery processes can start on each DS-System node at the same time:
  • range from 1-100, default is 4
SysAdminProcess
How many system admin processes can start on each DS-System node at the same time:
  • range from 1-20, default is 1
DirectorMode
(N+1 specific)
(RESTART REQUIRED)
Note: if the number of nodes is > 10, the default is 0, otherwise the default is 1.
  • 0 = Dedicated DS-Director, will not accept DS-Client connections
  • 1 = DS-Director still works as a normal DS-System to accept DS-Client connections
DirScanLimit
(RESTART REQUIRED)
To limit DS-System I/O. How many directories can be opened at the same time by DS-Client Synchronization Process:
  • range from 1-1000, default is 5
FailBackupOnBLMError
For backup sets configured with the BLM (Infinite Generations) option. Determines what happens if the move to BLM fails:
  • 0 (False) = The backup ignores the BLM error.
  • 1 (True) = The backup of that specific generation will fail.
UseClientSNAP
Use 3rd-Party snapshot for DS-Client BLM point-in-time copy requests (to unlock a backup set as quickly as possible):
  • 0 (False) = DS-System locks a backup set for the duration of the BLM Archiving activity.
  • 1 (True) = DS-System integrates with 3rd-Party software to create a snapshot of the required directories. Once the snapshot is created, DS-System unlocks the backup set. The BLM Point-In-Time request will be performed from the snapshot data.
ExcludeRecycleDelta
(RESTART REQUIRED)
Exclude recycled delta generations from calculations of stored size:
  • 0 (False) = DS-System includes recycled delta generations.
  • 1 (True) = DS-System does not include recycled delta generations.
AllowUnencryptedConnections
Allow unencrypted ("standard") connections from the GUI:
  • 0 (False) = DS-System does not allow "standard" connections. They are disconnected immediately.
  • 1 (True) = DS-System allows "standard" connections from the GUI.
RecoveryLibThreads
The number of threads used to recover libraries during Disaster Recovery of DS-System (i.e. when Parameter DisasterRecoveryMode=1):
  • range from 1-16, default is 4
MaxBlockSize
Maximum block size when sending messages:
  • range from 0-65,536 (bytes)
  • 0 = no maximum
PubLibSwitch
Global public library switch:
  • 0 (False) = No Public Libraries (however, Customer and DS-Client libraries can exist).
  • 1 (True) = Allow Public Libraries (default)
ReadOnly
(RESTART REQUIRED)
Read-only DS-System:
  • 0 (False) = Normal DS-System (default)
  • 1 (True) = DS-System will run with read-only storage (it will not allow or perform any activities that would alter the storage)
SyncDRScan
(Extensible Storage specific)
Disaster recovery (DR) Scan during Synchronization: This was implemented to prevent DS-Client from deleting backup set\share\files from its database during a Synchronization process in the (unlikely) event that the DS-System online storage has extensible storage link problems.
This DR Scan will verify (and rebuild if necessary) the storage links for a backup set.
  • 0 (False) = (default) Disable DR Scan unless an entire backup set is missing on DS-System.
  • 1 (True) = Force DR Scan during any backup set Synchronization from DS-Client. This is more secure, in case of corruptions to the storage links in the DS-System's Extensible Storage, but will result in a slower synchronization.
NativeSize
This setting is for the Service Provider's internal use. DS-System will save the additional information in its "dsset_size" table, which can only be viewed if the Service Provider queries the database directly.
  • 0 - Disabled (default). DS-Client will not send native size to DS-System.
  • 1 - Enabled. DS-Client will send native size. The native size does not include files that are already pushed to BLM Archiver by retention rules. For each backup set, DS-Client calculates and sends the information to DS-System (stored in the database table "dsset_size").
  • 2 - Enabled. DS-Client will send native size. The native size includes files that have already been pushed to BLM Archiver by retention rules.
Additional Table data:
  • native size - size of the latest generation of all data detected on the backup set source (as of the last completed backup)
  • deleted size - size of the latest generation of all data deleted from the source (that is still on the online storage)
  • max generations - highest number of generations configured for a backup set item
  • min generations - lowest number of generations configured for a backup set item
  • current generations - the highest number of generations stored online for the backup set
MaxPrivateItems
Maximum number of potential libraries to keep in the DS-System database.
  • range from 10,000-1,000,000,000, default is 1,000,000
MaxPrivateDays
Maximum days to keep potential libraries in DS-System database.
  • range from 60-10,000, default is 365
OLWarnLevel *
The Warning Notification Level for the available space on the Online storage.
  • range from 1-10,000, default is 500
  • value divided by 100 is the percentage (e.g. 500/100=5%)
OLEmerLevel *
The Emergency Notification Level for the available space on the Online storage. The range and calculation are the same as for OLWarnLevel.
Default is 200 (2%). When reached, DS-System:
  • denies all new backup activities
  • allows existing backup activities to continue
OLStopLevel *
The Stop Notification Level for the available space on the Online storage. The range and calculation are the same as for OLWarnLevel.
Default is 50 (0.5%). When reached, DS-System:
  • denies all new backup activities
  • stops all existing backup activities
Note: The DS-System service will continue to run.
* These notifications are written to the DS-System Event Log, the Operating System Event Log, and appear in a Notification popup screen. Notifications occur for two types of space events:
  • Physical space is represented by the "Disk Space" column in the Extensible Storage Locations screen (Setup Menu > Storage > Extensible Storage). If any location reaches a notification level, then a notification is sent.
  • Logical space is represented by the "Used Size" column in the Extensible Storage Locations screen. If all storage locations reach a notification level, then a notification is sent.
WarnPMFreq
Warning message frequency (in hours). Each message is written to the DS-System Event Log, appears in a Notification popup screen, and is written to the Operating System Event Log.
  • range from 1-24, default is 4
EmerPMFreq
Emergency message frequency (in hours). Each message is written to the DS-System Event Log, appears in a Notification popup screen, and is written to the Operating System Event Log.
Emergency message pop-up frequency (in hours).
  • range from 1-24, default is 1
MemWarnLevel
Free memory warning level
  • range from 0-10,000
  • 0 = no check performed
  • value divided by 100 is the percentage (e.g. 500/100=5%)
MemEmerLevel
Free memory emergency level
  • range from 0-10,000
  • 0 = no check performed
  • value divided by 100 is the percentage (e.g. 500/100=5%)
AutoUpgrade
  • 0 (False) = No auto upgrade (DS-Clients will report error).
  • 1 (True) = DS-Clients connecting to this DS-System will be auto upgraded automatically.
CleanLibLink
Clean orphaned library links.
  • 0 = OFF (default)
  • 1 = ON, DS-System will remove from database: records that do not have corresponding online files.
SkipDBDump
Skip database backup.
  • 0 (False) = (default) DS-System Database is backed up (dumped) based on DBDumpMethod, DBDumpStart, and DBDumpEnd.
  • 1 (True) = Skips DB Dump
DBDumpMethod
Type of DS-System database backup.
The DS-System performs a database backup (dump) during the dump window created between DBDumpStart and DBDumpEnd (see the next two parameters).
The values are different for Windows (MS SQL) and UNIX (PostgreSQL).
  • [Windows] 0 = differential, DS-System performs a full database dump (by default at midnight - 00:00) every day and a differential backup of its database every hour. The differential database backup is appended to the full dump file. If a differential backup fails for any reason, then a full database dump will be performed immediately following that failure.
  • [Windows] 1 = full, DS-System performs a full database dump once a day (by default at midnight - 00:00) and it does not perform any other differential backups for that day.
  • [UNIX] 0 = custom, DS-System dumps the database in TAR format, compressed.
  • [UNIX] 1 = tar, DS-System dumps the database in TAR format, uncompressed.
  • [UNIX] 2 = plain text, DS-System dumps the database in plain text format.
DBDumpStart
Database backup window start hour.
  • [Windows] range from 0-23, default is 0; For differential backups, this start time is also when the full database dump occurs (in any 24 hour period).
  • [UNIX] range from 0-23, default is 8
DBDumpEnd
Database backup window end hour. If this value is less than the DBDumpStart value, it means the end hour occurs the next day (after the backup window starts).
  • [Windows] range from 0-23, default is 23
  • [UNIX] range from 0-23, default is 17
DBDumpDays
Number of days' worth of database dumps that will be kept (in the Primary Storage 'dump' sub-folder). Note the storage implications.
  • range from 1-10,000, default is 2
AllowStorageLock
(RESTART REQUIRED)
Allow lock of online storage for third-party snapshot:
  • 0 (False) = (default)
  • 1 (True) = DS-System will display a "Lock online storage for snapshot" option in the System Activities Administration screen. Every minute, it will also check the value of the "lock_cmd" column in its "storage_lock" database table (1=lock, 2=unlock).
CleanEventLog
How old (in months) a log must be before it is automatically cleaned by the Delete Logs process (Setup Menu > System Activities > Clear DS-System logs).
Log will be cleared on DS-System startup, and when the month on the DS-System changes:
  • range from 0-360, default is 12; 0 = disabled
CleanClientEvent
How old (in months) a log must be before it is automatically cleaned by the Delete Logs process (Setup Menu > System Activities > Clear DS-System logs).
Log will be cleared on DS-System startup, and when the month on the DS-System changes:
  • range from 0-360, default is 6; 0 = disabled
CleanActivityLog
How old (in months) a log must be before it is automatically cleaned by the Delete Logs process (Setup Menu > System Activities > Clear DS-System logs).
Log will be cleared on DS-System startup, and when the month on the DS-System changes:
  • range from 0-360, default is 12; 0 = disabled
CleanLoadSummary
How old (in months) a log must be before it is automatically cleaned by the Delete Logs process (Setup Menu > System Activities > Clear DS-System logs).
Log will be cleared on DS-System startup, and when the month on the DS-System changes:
  • range from 0-360, default is 12; 0 = disabled
CleanStorageSummary
How old (in months) a log must be before it is automatically cleaned by the Delete Logs process (Setup Menu > System Activities > Clear DS-System logs).
Log will be cleared on DS-System startup, and when the month on the DS-System changes:
  • range from 0-360, default is 12; 0 = disabled
CleanHealingHistory
How old (in months) a log must be before it is automatically cleaned by the Delete Logs process (Setup Menu > System Activities > Clear DS-System logs).
Log will be cleared on DS-System startup, and when the month on the DS-System changes:
  • range from 0-360, default is 12; 0 = disabled
CleanClusterEvent
How old (in months) a log must be before it is automatically cleaned by the Delete Logs process (Setup Menu > System Activities > Clear DS-System logs).
Log will be cleared on DS-System startup, and when the month on the DS-System changes:
  • range from 0-360, default is 12; 0 = disabled
CleanAudit
How old (in months) a log must be before it is automatically cleaned by the Delete Logs process (Setup Menu > System Activities > Clear DS-System logs).
Log will be cleared on DS-System startup, and when the month on the DS-System changes:
  • range from 0-360, default is 0; 0 = disabled
ClientDeleteThread
This Parameter applies if a DS-Client is being moved to the trash directory.
How many processing threads should be started for Delete DS-Client Process:
  • range from 1-100, default is 2
MultiStorage
Allow multiple storage on the same volume. This option lets you configure multiple storage locations on the same volume. This is useful for testing, or when your network configuration requires it (for example: on Windows, all shares from some NAS devices are seen as sub-paths of C$).
  • 0 (False) = (Default) Do not allow on the same volume.
  • 1 (True) = Allow on the same volume
DeltaCheckOption
Whether to perform validation of Delta reconstruction indexes during Automatic Healing process.
  • range from 0-2, default is 0
  • 0 = validate delta index only
  • 1 = skip validation of delta indexes
  • 2 = validate delta index & check delta block checksum (this will significantly increase processing time because every data block is checked)
CleanStorageHistory
How old (in months) a log must be before it is automatically cleaned by the Delete Logs process (Setup Menu > System Activities > Clear DS-System logs).
Log will be cleared on DS-System startup, and when the month on the DS-System changes:
  • range from 0-360, default is 12; 0 = disabled
RecoveryValidateFile
Enable Disaster Recovery to perform some file level validations. Enabling this option will significantly impact the DR performance. It is recommended that you perform Autonomic Healing instead, since it has more advanced file level validations.
  • 0 = OFF
  • 1 = ON
DSSysGroup
(RESTART REQUIRED)
Allow DS-System group for Multi-Directional replication:
  • 0 = OFF
  • 1 = ON
GrpPort
(RESTART REQUIRED)
DS-System group communication port. All DS-Systems in the group must have the same setting:
  • default is 4409
GrpEncrypt
Use encrypted communication for DS-System group. All DS-Systems in the group must have the same setting:
  • 0 = OFF
  • 1 = ON
ReplicationProcess
Maximum number of concurrent replication processes on each node:
  • range from 0-100, default is 4
ReplicationCheck
Perform replication check for shared DS-Client interval (in hours, 0-disable).:
  • range from 0-360, default is 6, 0 = disabled
ReplicationSendThreads
How many send threads should be started for replication.:
  • range from 1-100, default is 2
ReplicationRecvThreads
How many receive threads should be started for replication:
  • range from 1-100, default is 4
ReplicationDelThreads
How many delete threads should be started for replication.:
  • range from 1-100, default is 2
FixDeltaChain
Fix a long delta chain during optimization process. This applies if the number of deltas for a file is longer than the value for the parameter 'Default delta chain length' (Setup Menu > Delta Chain Configuration). This applies to 'on-demand' Master/Delta Optimizations triggered from DS-Operator (automatic ones will always fix the delta chain).
  • 0 = OFF
  • 1 = ON
LibCreateCount
(RESTART REQUIRED)
A library file is created after this many copies of the same content is backed up.
  • range from 2-10, default is 3
GrpSerialCode
Serial code for all DS-Systems belonging to a common DS-System Group. All DS-Systems must have the same serial code. This is an enhanced security feature.
  • range from 0-2,147,483,647, default is 0
SmallFileCount
Configure threshold when to consolidate small files during System Admin.
For more information, see the Knowledge Base article: "FileStore: Consolidated small regular files".
  • range from 0-10,000, default is 10
  • 0 means all small files in a directory will be consolidated to the FileStore.
FileStoreCache
This applies to backup, Disc/Tape write-to-buffer, Autonomic Healing, BLM Archive, and Replication processes.
This is the number of consolidated FileStores that can be open at the same time. By caching FileStores, DS-System reduces the I/O overhead if the process needs to access the same FileStore multiple times.
  • range from 0-100, default is 2
  • 0 means only the current FileStore is allowed to be open
  • higher numbers require more system resources (RAM, open handles, etc.)
MLRCache
This only applies to backup processes for E-Mail level backup sets. It will have the most effect on CDP E-Mail backup sets.
This is the number of consolidated FileStores that can be open at the same time. By caching FileStores, DS-System reduces the I/O overhead if the backup needs to access the same FileStore multiple times.
  • range from 0-100, default is 10
  • Note: This works best if the number is at least the number of folders in the E-Mail backup set. This will allow the backup process to keep an open cache for all folders that might receive new CDP E-Mails.
FileStoreVacuum
Files deleted from the DS-System Online Storage that are located in a FileStore are only marked for deletion. They are not automatically removed from the storage, however, they are marked as 'free space' available for re-use by new files.
Deleted files in the FileStore are removed from the storage when the Vacuum FileStore process runs. System Admin triggers a Vacuum FileStore process when the number of the deleted files reaches this configured percentage of the total number of files in the FileStore.
  • range from 0-100, default is 5 (i.e. 5%)
  • Note: Each FileStore (in each directory) is assessed separately.
DBDumpPath
Location where the DS-System database dump will be written.
For more information, see: "Daily DS-System Database dump".
  • Valid values: any path accessible by the DS-System for writing.
  • The SQL service account must have rights (read / write) for this dump location.
  • Note the potential space requirements in this location
LicExpireNotif
The number of days prior to the DS-System license expiration when DS-System sends a notification to DS-Operator GUI and the Operating System Event Log.
  • range from 1-100, default is 7
LicStorageNotif
Licensed storage capacity warning level (percentage left). Value is divided by 100 to give a percentage (accurate to two decimal places). When available capacity falls below this amount, DS-System sends a notification to DS-Operator GUI and the Operating System Event Log
  • range from 1-10000, default is 1000 (i.e. 10.00% left / 90.00% used)
LicNotifFreq
Notification frequency (in hours) for license expiration (LicExpireNotif) and license capacity (LicStorageNotif) advanced parameters.
  • range from 1-24, default is 1
ClientDBDumpDays
By default, each DS-Client saves a database dump to the DS-System during its Daily Admin process. This parameter determines how many days' worth of each DS-Client's database dumps the DS-System will keep online.
  • range from 1-10, default is 2
DirStoreVacuum
[This is vacuum is similar to the one for "FileStoreVacuum" (above).]
Configure threshold (percentage) when to vacuum (clean up empty space) in the _dir_store file for backup sets. When DS-System detects this much space can be reclaimed, it will re-write the _dir_store file to compact it.
  • range from 0-100, default is 5 (i.e. 5%)
  • Note: each _dir_store (for each backup set) is assessed separately.
DirStoreSafeMode
If this parameter appears, it means the DS-System default behavior will be to use a consolidated "_dir_store" file at the backup set level, which contains all the directory descriptor information for that backup set.
  • When DirStoreSafeMode is off, only the "_dir_store" is updated with directory descriptor information. [DS-System will no longer update individual "_dirdesc" files in each backup set directory.]
  • When DirStoreSafeMode is on, DS-System will write the directory descriptor information twice: once in the backup set's "_dir_store", and a second time in each backup set directory's "_dirdesc" file. When this information is required, DS-System will search "_dir_store" file first; if that fails, DS-System has the alternative of searching in the specific directory's "_dirdesc".
For more information, refer to the Knowledge Base article "_dir_store files in the DS-System Online Storage".
  • 0 = OFF
  • 1 = ON (default)
SMTPDebug
Enable logging of SMTP connection send and receive data for E-Mail notifications. This debug information will be saved to the DS-System event log, which can help trace problems with the SMTP server used.
  • 0 = OFF (default)
  • 1 = ON
UseSnapshot
Use a storage snapshot for DS-System snapshot-capable processes (e.g. Replication Send, BLM Archiving, Disc/Tape - Write to Buffer, Restore). A maximum of one snapshot per minute is taken. DS-System waits 60 seconds from the first process that requests a storage snapshot and queues all other snapshot-capable requests received (in that 60 seconds) to use the same snapshot.
  • 0 = OFF (default)
  • 1 = ON
TrashSwitch
Configures the Trash feature on this DS-System.
  • If Trash is enabled (default), all processes that delete data from the DS-System will actually move 'deleted' files to the corresponding Extensible Storage Location's Trash folder. Data must wait in the Trash folder for at least the 'DefaultTrashDays' amount before an "Empty Trash" process will be able to permanently remove the data.
  • If Trash is disabled, any data that is deleted from DS-System online storage is permanently removed.
For more information when this feature is enabled, see "Empty Trash from a Storage Location".
  • 0 = OFF
  • 1 = ON (default)
DefaultTrashDays
Default minimum number of days that a file must have been in an Extensible Storage Location's Trash folder, before it qualifies for removal by the "Empty Trash" process.
  • range 0-99, default is 7 (days)
RemoteDSVDRRetry
If the DS-System needs to connect to a Remote DS-VDR Tool and that connection fails, this is the number of times it will attempt to connect before failing the activity.
  • range 0-99, default is 5
RemoteDSVDRWait
This parameter affects the 'RemoteDSVDRRetry' parameter. If DS-System fails to connect to a Remote DS-VDR Tool and is configured to retry the connection, this is the amount of time it waits before trying again.
  • range 0-99, default is 5 (minutes)
DefaultHardwareResetTimer
DS-Client hardware registration timer. Once re-registration is permitted, this amount of time is permitted for the DS-Client to connect and perform a "Register Now" activity.
  • range 1-10080, default is 5 (minutes)
RepairFromReplication
If enabled, the DS-System will use data from a replication DS-System (if available) to repair corrupted generations discovered by the Autonomic Healing, System Admin, Validation or System Validation activities. (This is the "Replication Send - Repair" activity.)
  • 0 = OFF - If Autonomic Healing, System Admin, Validation or System Validation activities find a corrupted generation, they will just delete the file without trying to recover the file from a Replication DS-System.
  • 1 = ON (default)
RemoteVDRPowerOnPrioDelayDef
This is the default delay setting for the "Power On" option if multiple Virtual Machines are configured for Remote DS-VDR.
  • range 0-3600, default is 60 (seconds)
LicRecoveryCapacityNotif
Licensed recovery capacity warning level (percentage left). Value is divided by 100 to give a percentage (accurate to two decimal places). When available restore capacity falls below this amount, DS-System sends a notification to DS-Operator GUI and the Operating System Event Log.
  • range from 1-10000, default is 1000 (i.e. 10.00% left / 90.00% used)
RemoteVDRMaxSched
The maximum number of scheduled Remote DS-VDR activities that are allowed to run concurrently. If more are scheduled at the same time, they will be postponed until some that are running complete.
  • range from 0-99, default is 10



The information provided in this document is provided "AS IS", without warranty of any kind. ASIGRA Inc. (ASIGRA) disclaims all warranties, either express or implied. In no event shall ASIGRA or its business partners be liable for any damages whatsoever, including direct, indirect, incidental, consequential, loss of business profits or special damages, even if ASIGRA or its business partners have been advised of the possibility of such damages. © Asigra Inc. All Rights Reserved. Confidential.


PREVNEXT