Wednesday, May 18, 2005

Geek Post: Backups, Perl, and NetWare 6.5 SP3 Time for a geek post! I have been working on getting our backups to work on our cluster servers.  All is working as I expect, and I have the backup clients installed as we should.  We are moving to Tivoli Storage Manager (TSM) as out backup system of choice.  I am not too happy with it as it is slow, is not cluster-aware, and is missing some reporting.  Nonetheless, I am bound by the choices of our storage group.  Our initial backup passes went incredibly slow, so I need to put my head together with our backup staff to figure out the problem.  The funny part is that I am using an option file that was created by he and the consultants who were brought in to implement the new system.  The other problem I have with TSM is that there is no reporting mechanism.  Our older backup system uses Legato Networker.  When backups complete, the system sends a completion report to the admins of the server in question.  If it fails, we get a report as well.  It essentially a script that runs on the backup server that pulls relevant information from the backup log.  Well, TSM does not have this functionality.  Thus, the onus of reporting falls on the client.  Well, this has been working with the use of Perl on NetWare.  The script uses the Mail::Sender module, and until recently it worked flawlessly.  Apparently, the application of SP3 for NetWare 6.5 upgraded Perl.  In the process, it broke Perl's functionality with the Mail::Sender module.  I have the ear of someone on Novell's Developer Support Forums, but I am going to see if I can pester someone else.  I would much prefer to rest easy knowing that my reporting for our crappy TSM system works.  9:39:14 AM    comment []  trackback []

Short Work Week Today is my last day of work this week, as I am off the next two days to tend to personal matters involving my mother.  Before the family drama began, I had planned to take Thursday off to enjoy Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith at the Senator Theater.  I will still be enjoying it, just with a bunch of friends instead.  I will inevitably wind up doing some work from home Thursday and Friday.  I am heading to the gym this afternoon, as I have taken the last couple of days off to recover from football.  Man, I did not think I would be that sore.  Time to get back to my gym grind.  9:25:41 AM    comment []  trackback []

Let There Be Light Thankfully, I got to Target yesterday and bought some lightbulbs.  I now have a well-lit office, and I am not basking in the horrible glow of flourescent light.  9:14:27 AM    comment []  trackback []