Re: Backup - more questions and thanks

Stephanie,

-----Original Message-----
From: Stephanie Coulshaw <scoulshaw@aimtronics.com>


>When I run the MAPICS system Backup Master Files procedure, what exactly is
>being backed up?  There is no report or job listing produced when I run it.
> Is there an option I can set somewhere that will cause these procedures to
>produce a listing?
>
>And, finally, if I do the Save, #21, and then carry on doing the Mapics
>Backup Master Files, does this mean that I could restore by doing a
>Restore, #21, then restore Master files and have a complete recovery?  I am
>not doing any development work at all, we are simply running the production
>Mapics system.

The MAPICS Backup Master Files is a strange bird.  It does some
pre-processing to ensure that MAPICS is in a consistent state for the MAPICS
recovery operations to function correctly, saves a data area, then does
SAVLIBs on AMFLIB_ and AMTLIB_.  MAPICS backup tapes can be used with a
plain RST command, but you have to remember that all the objects in AMFLIB_
are at sequence number 2 and enter that on the command - if you let it
search, it stops on the first instance of AMFLIB_ which only has the ZSVCTL
data area in it and tells you it couldn't find what you wanted.  There's two
straightforward ways to get a list of what it puts on the tape:

    1)  DSPTAP DATA(*SAVRST) OUTPUT(*PRINT) after the fact.
    2)  Change the default for the OUTPUT parameter on the SAVLIB command to
*PRINT, i.e.
        CHGCMDDFT CMD(SAVLIB) NEWDFT('output(*print)')


What a MAPICS backup gives you over plain SAVLIB commands is the ability to
use the MAPICS recovery procedures.  The question in my mind for years has
been "Why would I ever want to do that?".  In my experience with MAPICS (18
years and counting, covering MAPICS I, II, /db, and XA) I've never seen a
MAPICS recovery done.  It would be an interesting question for the MAPICS
list members whether anyone there has seen or done it.  In my shop, the only
times we do a MAPICS backup are immediately before and after applying cume
tapes or release upgrades ("Application Correction Sets").

Save option 21 saves AMFLIB_ and AMTLIB_ along with everything else on your
system, so doing a MAPICS backup afterward just makes another copy of those
libraries.  You could restore from the option 21 tape completely and fire
MAPICS up without doing a MAPICS recovery and you wouldn't have any problems
because of it - I know that because I've done it.

If you haven't already, please consider joining the MAPICS list -
instructions are below.

---
Dave Shaw, General Nutrition, Greenville, SC
To subscribe to the MAPICS-l mailing list send email to
MAPICS-L-SUB@midrange.com
The opinions expressed may not be my employer's unless I'm sufficiently
persuasive...


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