Each backup-archive client, HSM client, TDP application client, TDP host server, and source server is given a node name when it is registered as a node with the TSM server. The server considers each as a node that requires services and resources from the server.
Typically, a node is equivalent to a machine as in the case of a backup-archive client that is installed on a user's computer for file system backups. However, multiple nodes can exist on a single machine. For example, a Structured Query Language (SQL) server machine can contain both a TDP for SQL server application client for database and transaction log backups, and a Tivoli Storage Manager backup-archive client for file system backups.