Install and configure backup software

This user guide helps you to install and configure the backup software IBM Storage Protect on your macOS.

 Note

The backup software IBM Storage Protect used by the ZID will be shortend to ISP in this user guide.

Downloading backup software

  1. Download the latest Storage Protect software from the IBM website. To do this, open both of the following links and select the more recent version:

  2. Select the latest version of the client, for example v814 and download the file with the naming scheme similar to 8.1.4.0-TIV-TSMBAC-Mac.dmg This is usually the largest file in the directory.
  3. Compare the checksum of the file with the one specified on the manufacturer’s website in the download directory:
    shasum -a 256 8.1.<xx>.0-TIV-TSMBAC-LinuxX86.tar
    For older client versions with MD5 hash use md5 instead of shasum -a 256 as command.

Screenshot Mac Downloadverzeichnis

Installing the backup software

As a system administrator, double-click the downloaded file to mount the CD image.

Now double-click the IBM Storage Protect.pkg file to start the installation.

Screenshot Mac IBM Spectrum Protect Installations-Image

Follow all further instructions of the installation program and complete the installation.

The CD image can then be removed. 

Screenshot Mac - Installation erfolgreich

Basic configuration

To open the ISP desktop application, search for storage using the Spotlight search (CMD + space bar) and then open the program IBM Storage Protect.

Screenshot Mac IBM Spectrum Protect Start

Since there is no configuration file on your computer yet, the configuration wizard starts when the software is run for the first time. Click Next.

Select Create a new options file and then click Next.

Type in the account name (Node name).
You can find it in the e-mail you have received after registering for the central backup. Then click Next.

Screenshot Mac nodename for file

Select TCP/IP and click Next.

Screenshot mac tcp

Then enter the following data you received in the e-mail after registering for the central backup:

  • Server address: TCPServeraddress (etwa BACKUPX0.UNIVIE.AC.AT)
  • Port number: TCPPort (etwa 1500

Then click Next.

Screenshot Mac Server address

Server stanza

For Server Stanza (Serverzeilengruppe) enter the server stanza name (Serverzeilengruppennamen) you specified in the e-mail and then click Next.

screenshot mac server stanza

In the include/exclude list, select Select all first, then select Next.

screenshot mac recommended include exclude list

In Common File Exclusion Selection you don't have to select anything. To do so, first click Clear all and then Next.

screenshot mac Common File Exclusion Selection

Click Apply to confirm the configuration.

Screenshot mac confirm configuration

The assistant now asks for the password of your backup account. You can find it in the e-mail you received after registering for the central backup.

After typing in the password, click Login

screenshot mac typing in password

Close the configuration with Finish.

screenshot mac finish

More configuration options


Adjust keyboard layout

If you want to run the client via the command line (or via a cron job), you should check whether the keyboard layout you are using is recoginzed

To do this, start a terminal (as the root user) and type:

sudo dsmc


In case you get the following note when running the client

ANS0102W Unable to open the message repository /Library/Application Support/tivoli/tsm/client/ba/bin/DE_AT/dsmclientV3.cat. The American English repository will be used instead.

create a link to a similar keyboard layout (e.g. DE_DE) in the folder /Library/Application Support/tivoli/tsm/client/ba/bin/ according to the layout mentioned (in this case DE_AT):

cd /Library/Application\ Support/tivoli/tsm/client/ba/bin/

ln -s DE_DE/ DE_AT

Adjust file list

If you want to adapt your backup settings (e.g. exclude certain files or folders from the backup), select Edit - Client Preferences in the menu.

screenshot mac - client preferences

Go to the Include/Exclude section in the left column to change your backup rules.

The Include/Exclude rules are read from bottom to top. If you exclude a file or an entire file system from the lower part of the include/exclude list, it will be ignored, even if it is explicitly mentioned above. 

For example, the following definition Zum Beispiel würde folgende Definition

include /Users/user01/test/test.file
exclude /Users/user01/.../*

would not save the file test.file since the folder has been excluded before.
However, if you write the lines in reverse order, the test.file file is saved as the only object in the directory:

exclude /Users/user01/.../*
include /Users/user01/test/test.file


You can find possible Include/Exclude rules on the IBM websites:


To create a new rule, click on Add on the right-hand side and select the desired items from the drop-down menus according to your specifications.

screenshot mac file list

Exclude all

If all files are to be excluded from the backup (corresponds to the backup category), the rule looks like this: 

screenshot mac define include exclude options

Including folders

If you want to back up a folder including subdirectories, the rule must be created as follows:

screenshot mac include

Saving password

To avoid entering a password when starting the backup client, the password can be saved.

  1. To do this, open the Client settings under the menu item Edit and select the Authorization area on the left.
  2. Select the item Generate password and press Apply

This option must be selected if you want to automate the backup.

screenshot mac password

If you have defined an automatic scheduler task, make sure that when you log in to the backup client again, the password is saved and does not have to be re-entered. 

Changing password

To change the password of your account, select Change password ... in the Utilities menu.

screenshot mac change password

Enter the old password and the new password twice in the corresponding fields and click on Change to renew the password.

screenshot mac entering new password

Additional user guides

Storing data