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Status Not under consideration
Created by Guest
Created on Aug 30, 2013

Allow snapdiff backups of NetApp CIFS volumes containing widelinks

TSM uses NetUseEnum() to determine if a NetApp CIFS share is connected before attempting a snapdiff backup. When run on a NetApp CIFS volume with widelinks, it results in the following error:

ANS2831E: Incremental by snapshot difference cannot be performed on 'volume-name' as it is not a NetApp NFS or CIFS volume.

This is because "...The NetUseEnum function does not support Distributed File System (DFS) shares. To enumerate shares using a different network provider (WebDAV or a DFS share, for example), use the WNetOpenEnum, WNetEnumResource, and WNetCloseEnum functions."

NetUseEnum function
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/desktop/aa370647(v=vs.85).aspx

Additional details on widelinks can be found at
https://library.netapp.com/ecmdocs/ECMM1277928/html/filesag/multi8.htm

Below is an example 'net use' of a NetApp CIFS share with widelinks enabled:

-
New connections will be remembered.


Status Local Remote Network

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\\server\share_with_widelinks
Microsoft Windows Network
The command completed successfully.
-

Notice that the status column is empty - this is because 'net use' uses the NetUseEnum() function to check connectivity.

When widelinks are enabled on a NetApp CIFS share, it behaves as a DFS root to clients. This means any connections to it will not be found when calling NetUseEnum(). According to Microsoft's own documentation, the fix is to "use the WNetOpenEnum, WNetEnumResource, and WNetCloseEnum functions."

WNetOpenEnum
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/desktop/aa385478(v=vs.85).aspx

WNetEnumResource
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/desktop/aa385449(v=vs.85).aspx

WNetCloseEnum
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/desktop/aa385431(v=vs.85).aspx

Enumerating Network Resources
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/desktop/aa385341(v=vs.85).aspx

Can an option be added to TSM to have the Windows client use the WNet* functions instead of NetUseEnum? This would allow snapdiff backups to work on a CIFS NetApp volume that has widelinks enabled. This option could be exclusive to snapdiff backups (e.g., -snapdiff -widelinks).

Idea priority High
  • Guest
    Reply
    |
    Jun 12, 2015

    Due to processing by IBM, this request was reassigned to have the following updated attributes:
    Brand - Servers and Systems Software
    Product family - Storage
    Product - Tivoli Storage Manager (TSM) Family

    For recording keeping, the previous attributes were:
    Brand - Tivoli
    Product family - Storage
    Product - Tivoli Storage Manager (TSM) Family

  • Guest
    Reply
    |
    Feb 2, 2014

    Thank you for submitting this request. While consistent with our current product direction, we cannot at this time commit to delivery of this enhancement in the next release or two.  If, after our next release of TSM, you would like this requirement to be re-considered, please reopen it in RFE and we will again consider it. Thank you for your commitment to TSM and for your support in moving the product forward.

  • Guest
    Reply
    |
    Oct 30, 2013

    Can you please send me an update or how the voting/considering of this is going? It's important to this customer as well as a couple others.
    Thx,
    Todd Schneeberger
    toddsch@cdw.com