Re: System Backup Strategy

One thought would be to ENDTCPIFC instead of ENDTCP. Then you could give
the system an additional IP address that only the operator's workstation
would use (if need be, you can config TCP and/or your network to only allow
the operator station access on that IP).

Example:
Current system uses 10.10.1.5 for all connectivity.
Add a TCP interface of 10.10.1.254 and configure the operator workstation
to use it.
Update the program to ENDTCPIFC on 10.10.1.5 but leave 10.10.1.254 alone.
Remove the ENDTCP.

This isn't a perfect solution but it may be good enough.

Also, you can very likely reduce your 5 minute delays to more like 1 minute
or even less unless you've some specific job that can take a long time to
shut down on the new hardware.

To Rob's comments about IPLing, a long time ago I moved to monthly IPLs and
never looked back. Daily differential backups were save changed objects
with UPDHST(*NO). The monthly pre-IPL backup was a full system save. So
any recovery was simply 1) restore the latest monthly followed by 2)
restore the latest daily. Keep it simple.

Even then, monthly IPLs were more a matter of practice than of necessity.
It also meant that I could easily d/l PTFs any time during the month and do
a delayed apply. The next IPL would apply them. (Just don't forget a
change control record if you track changes)



On Wed, Oct 2, 2013 at 6:43 AM, <rob@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:

That last line throws a wrench into a bunch of ideas, but I suppose you
have your reasons. <snip>FWIW, BRMS is not an option.</snip> Because
BRMS does have a lot of bail out points, etc.

I know IBM had something called a thin console at one time. But the
documentation I've read said that it's not supported on Power 6 or Power 7
machines.
http://www-947.ibm.com/systems/support/i/planning/upgrade/futurehdwr.html

Lan Console, HMC or something else I am hearing about FSM - Flex Systems
Manager has some potential. Verify what you really have. Because if you
do have a FSM then there are ways to start your system console sessions on
it, and get remote access to them that's even better than a PC Anywhere
type solution. I know for a fact that HMC has this. Do you have the
model number? Can you snap a picture of the screen and shoot it to me
offlist?

Someone mentioned a point about your weekly IPLs. There are pros/cons to
IPLing.
If you have an automated routine that downloads the latest cume and PTF
groups and sets those to apply every week then a frequent IPL will keep
you up to snuff on patches. Prompt SNDPTFORD and look for the special
values like *CUMPKG, *HIPERGRP, etc.
If you use SQL, imbedded in your applications or elsewhere, IPLs destroy
some things that help SQL to run faster. Let me explain it like this, you
run an sql statement. It analyses it and figures out the best way to run
it, and runs it. The next time you run it it checks a special area and
knows now how to run it and skips that step. You IPL and that is cleared
and it has to reanalyze it.
Back when disk drives were measured in MB instead of GB the amount of
space cleared up by an IPL was quite significant. It just isn't so
anymore.
If you frequently IPL you'll learn quickly to add stuff to the startup
program. If you only IPL every three years you may forget how to start up
all those WAS based applications and whatnot.



Rob Berendt
--
IBM Certified System Administrator - IBM i 6.1
Group Dekko
Dept 1600
Mail to: 2505 Dekko Drive
Garrett, IN 46738
Ship to: Dock 108
6928N 400E
Kendallville, IN 46755
http://www.dekko.com





From: "Buzz Fenner" <bfenner@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: "Midrange-L Discussion" <midrange-l@xxxxxxxxxxxx>,
Date: 10/01/2013 03:56 PM
Subject: System Backup Strategy
Sent by: midrange-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx



We do production backups every business day, and save the entire system
plus
IPL the system on the last day of the week.



We don't use the GO SAVE menu to accomplish this 2nd backup; instead it's
an
in-house-written program equipped with prompts (and bailout points) for
the
user and tape volume validation code. It's also interactive up to the
point
of issuing the power down with restart. The user acknowledges a series of
prompts along the way. This job runs in QCTL. (We don't have real
properly-trained system operators to handle these tasks, so the boss did
not
want to give them that sort of system access. These are part-time
employees
and I see his point.)



We changed over from a Power 5 to a Power 7 last weekend, so no more
twinax! (Yes, we had twinax devices.)



We had modified our code (with what also had been fixed via ptf, that is)
to
get TCP shutdown before ending the subsystems. It's a combination of
EndTcpPtp, EndHostSvr, & EndTcp with 5 minute delays sprinkled in between
them.



Now the twinax operator's workstation has been replaced with a thin
client.
The program as written no longer works because communication is terminated
with the workstation before they have the opportunity to answer some
prompts.



A guy with our Business Partner suggested loading up the Ops Console from
iSeries Access For Windows and somehow giving the operator a back door
into
the system.



I'm thinking of rewriting the process that does all the input validation
and
gives the operator the option of submitting a batch job (to QCTL) to
complete the task.



Better ideas, suggestions, or am I just way off base here?



FWIW, BRMS is not an option.



--

Buzz Fenner

Business Systems Analyst/Systems Administrator

City Water & Light

870.930.3374 | 870.219.5229

bfenner@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx



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