RE: Backup question -- MIDRANGE-L

The best way to test your backup process is to perform a Disaster
Recovery Test...

You will quickly discover what is missing...

All shops should do a DR Test at least once a year...

Kenneth

Kenneth E. Graap

-----Original Message-----
From: midrange-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:midrange-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of John McKee
Sent: Tuesday, August 26, 2008 12:34 PM
To: midrange-l@xxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: RE: Backup question

Rob, and others, thanks for the input. I still don't know what
triggered the
original conversation that I was not included on. Seems like what we
were
doing was exactly what was needed. Makes me think that somebody just
volunteered something and magic buttons got pushed.

About 9 months ago, I decided to get DSL. I use an Asus eeepc, which
runs
Linux. The DSL modem came with an install CD - my notebook has no CD
drive. I
called AT&T for assistance. I made the mistake of informing the "tech"
that I
had a Linux notebook. He immediately went into "we do not support
Linux" mode.
I ended up contacting the modem manufacturer and was properly told how
to set
it up with a web interface. The web page clearly shows AT&T. Just was
not on
that tech person's script to give me the URL for the modem, even though
I
explicitly asked him for it. Later, I found a web site with the precise
install instructions, thus not requiring installation of numerous pieces
of
software I did not need.

John McKee
Quoting "Ketzes, Larry" <Larry.Ketzes@xxxxxxx>:

Rob,
I agree with all of your points, but if you go into the 'Go

Save'

menu, and take option 20, it will bring you to the Define save system

and

user data defaults screen. You can then change the 'Prompt for

Commands'

parameter from a 'Y' to a 'N', and the backup will simply go from one

save

command to the next without prompting.

Larry

Larry Ketzes | Senior iSeries System Administrator | AIG / ALICO -

American

Life Insurance Company
One ALICO Plaza, 600 N. King Street, AMIS | Wilmington, DE 19801 | *:
302.594.2146 | 7: 302.830.4524| *: larry.ketzes@xxxxxxx

-----Original Message-----
From: midrange-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:midrange-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of rob@xxxxxxxxx
Sent: Tuesday, August 26, 2008 2:33 PM
To: Midrange Systems Technical Discussion
Subject: RE: Backup question

John,

As you can see by the confusion of some people as to what is included

in a

SAVSYS, and,
by the "if it ain't broke don't fix it" mentality of some people who

are

still using their pre IFS backup programs,
I can see why IBM encourages a GO SAVE option 21.

Biggest problems I have with GO SAVE 21 are:
- the lack of logging of times on each step (see earlier comments on

V6R1

- STRSBS at the end. Most times I do an IPL afterwards and I sure

don't

want to do that. Also, I almost never prompt for commands. What a

time

waster if you leave the room between steps.

Rob Berendt
--
Group Dekko Services, LLC
Dept 01.073
Dock 108
6928N 400E
Kendallville, IN 46755
http://www.dekko.com

John McKee <jmmckee@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent by: midrange-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx
08/26/2008 02:21 PM
Please respond to
Midrange Systems Technical Discussion <midrange-l@xxxxxxxxxxxx>

To
midrange-l@xxxxxxxxxxxx
cc

Subject
RE: Backup question

The Operations Manager had told me, in his words, that we needed to

use

Go SAVE
to continue to receive support. Exactly what was said, and why, I was

not

included on that. My curiosity was definitely peaked. For one thing,

how

could IBM determine that our backup was NOT performed via option 21?

suppose
that some object used date could be checked. But, as far as the
content of the
backup itself, it would seem to be the same no matter which method was
used. Which is why I am confused and asking what seemed a no-brainer
question.

John McKee

Quoting "Ingvaldson, Scott" <scott.ingvaldson@xxxxxxxxxx>:

I was told that IBM pretty much demanded that Go SAVE option 21 be

used instead.

What? Who told you that? IBM might recommend the option 21 save but
they would never "demand" it. Many, many installations cannot ever

run

an option 21 save due to the needs of their business or application.

It would appear that you have all that you need for a full system
restore per "Are you saving the Right Stuff?"
http://wiki.midrange.com/index.php/Are_You_Saving_The_Right_Stuff%3F

I would expect that you could even run a native Option 21 restore on

tape created with this backup, assuming "appropriate options" are

truly

used. You *might* need to specify Prompt for commands: YES, it's

been a

while since I've tested this. As with any and all backup and restore
procedures this should be tested and documented.

If you want to analyze the IBM full system backup do RTVCLSRC
PGM(QMNSAVE)

Regards,

Scott Ingvaldson
Senior IBM Support Specialist
Fiserv Midwest

-----Original Message-----
From: John McKee [mailto:jmmckee@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx]
Sent: Tuesday, August 26, 2008 9:01 AM
To: Midrange Systems Technical Discussion
Subject: Backup question

Our software package is provided by HBOC. They have a number of
commands that are based on IBM commands, with subtle changes. They
differentiate them by prefacing their versions with a 'B'.

Using their commands, a full save of the system was accomplished with
BBACKUP.
This command brings up a number of options. Ultimately, a set of

user

defined commands is run. In our case, the commands were: SAVSYS,
SAVLIB, SAVDLO, and SAV, with appropriate options.

I was told that IBM pretty much demanded that Go SAVE option 21 be

used

instead.

According to the command help, the only commands that appear

different

are that the controlling subsystem is ended and restarted. That

process

was performed by operators when BBACKUP command was used.

Is there something else that is going on that is different from the
scripted backup? One reason to ask is that the BBACKUP command logs
start and stop time of each step - which is sometimes an issue.

Thanks,

John McKee

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