RE: Save while active?

[Colin Williams <colin.williams@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

I'm with you on this one, 
Save entire system periodically, say once a month for arguments
sake(SAVSYS, SAVLIB *NONSYS etc) and after any changes.
Save changing application data daily (application data libraries,
configuration etc)

Theres no point in backing up system libraries, or vendor application
program libraries if they haven't changed.

They way I verified my backup tapes in my ops days, was to do a DUPTAP
of the tapes, that way you have an additional copy of the tapes, and
also you have read the data from the tape, so if the DUPTAP fails, you
schedule another backup, because you know your tapes might be duff!

-----Original Message-----
From: John Earl [mailto:johnearl@400security.com]
Sent: Tuesday, May 02, 2000 8:40 PM
To: MIDRANGE-L@midrange.com
Subject: Re: Save while active?


Eric,

Eric Kempter wrote:
> 
> They're not when you consider a complete backup solution 
which would include your SAVSYS, etc..

You touched one one of my pet peeves, so don't take this
personally, but look out.....    :^)

<rant>
I've known many an operations manager who feel compelled to get a
"complete" save on a daily or even a weekly basis.  For them a
"complete" save included a SAVSYS, SAVLIB *NONSYS, SAVDLO and SAV
(well actually, they often forget the SAV).  The problem that I
have with this is that a SAVSYS and a SAVLIB *NONSYS require a
dedicated system.  For many shops this means turning off access
for _many_ hours.  IMHO, this is unconscionable, and completely
unnnecessary!  

To start with, a SAVSYS saves the operating system.  How often do
you need to do that?  Does your operating system change daily,
weekly, or even monthly?  I submit that the answer for most shops
is no.  If that is the case in your shop, you could do two
SAVSYS's after each OS/400 (or major cum package) upgrade, keep
one on site and one offsite and be done with it.

That leaves the SAVLIB *NONSYS.  The differences between a SAVLIB
*NONSYS and a SAVLIB *ALLUSR are that *NONSYS backs up IBM
Licensed Program Product Libraries, and *NONSYS requires a
dedicated system.  If you were to do two SAVLIB *IBM at the same
time that you did your two SAVSYS's (and store them with the
SAVSYS's), you would eliminate the need for the SAVLIB *NONSYS
because, again, how often do the IBM LPP's change on your system?

Everything else that you want to backup is now available to Save
While Active.  And even if you don't do a Save While Active,
eliminating a daily or weekly SAVSYS and SAVLIB *NONSYS will
permit you to do a rolling application by application backup
without taking your system down to a restricted state. As more and
more shops move to 24x7 (which is a basic definition of an
internet app, no?), eliminating the backup window becomes more and
more important.

If you were to eliminate the SAVSYS and the SAVLIB *IBM from the
regular backup schedule (because you have already saved them
separately), your back up plan might then look something like
this:

SAVSECDTA (used to be done for you by the SAVSYS)
SAVCFG (used to be done for you by the SAVSYS)
SAVLIB *ALLUSR (Get all non IBM libraries)
SAVCHGOBJ (optional... as part of a daily backup)
SAVDLO (if you are still using DLO's and still care)
SAV (IFS and non QSYS.LIB file systems)

None of these commands requires a restricted state, and the
SAVLIB, SAVOBJ, SAVCHGOBJ, and SAV commands all support the Save
While Active.

The point of this rant is that a "complete" backup is often times
done to the detriment of regular business functions.  If the
system is "down' on a regular basis backing up stuff that will
ultimately not be usefull in a restore, we're hurting business
operations for no good reason.

After you have pieced a couple of systems back together from
backup tapes you get a better idea of the true value of backups
(that's why I always like at least two tape copies :).  My
experience has taught me that a  weekly SAVSYS and SAVLIB *IBM is
oftern overkill.

</rant>

jte

--
John Earl                               johnearl@400security.com
The PowerTech Group                     206-575-0711
PowerLock Network Security              www.400security.com
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