SAV/RST spool files function in OS/400

Hello all ...

I have heard that IBM is finally seriously considering adding base OS/400
support for saving and restoring spool files....

I was wondering what you might think of this?

To start off the discussion.... I was asked for an opinion by IBM and passed
along the following after thinking about it for a few minutes....

******************************************************

I would suggest that you consider saving *OUTQ entries via the SAVLIB
command like you already do *SAVF's ... Have a new parameter SPLF(*YES) or
SPLF(*NO).  

Example parameter: Save spool file data . . . . . . . . . SPLFDTA
*YES

I would also suggest that you supplement this feature with a new command
SAVSPLFDTA which would save *OUTQ's just like SAVSAVFDTA saves save files...

I would suggest that the functionally be similar to saving *SAVF's ... When
I save a SAVF to tape I can use the DSPTAP command to see all the objects
contained in it and then use the RSTOBJ command to recover. So, when I save
an *OUTQ to tape with a command like SAVSPLFDTA or SAVLIB or SAVOBJ, allow
me to restore individual spool files with a command like RSTSPLF or RSTOBJ
with the addition of some spool file specific parameters. When a spool file
is restored, restore all the original attributes with it to, just like you
do currently for any other system object. Also add an new attribute to a
spool file indicating the date and time it was restored. If the user profile
associated with the spool file doesn't exits, then use QDFTOWN, just like
you would with any object restore.

I guess what I'm saying here is... Treat spool files like any other system
object. Being able to *FREE storage for a spool file and keeping it's entry
in the queue would be nice. An archive feature in a TMS could then use this
entry to support auto recall. I also like your idea of saving any spool
files "new" to the queue. This could be a function very similar to the
support provided for new or changed objects via SAVCHGOBJ. 

Example restore request -
 
RSTSPLFDTA
 Dev(TAP01)       <tape device>
 Vol(nnnnnn)
 Seqnbr(nnnn)   
 File(QPRINT)     <spool file name - allow generic selection and a list of
names>
 Outq(QGPL/PRT01) <where it was originally>
 Job(*Any)        <allow a fully qualified job name - allow generic
selection>
 Splfnbr(*Any)    <allow a integer too>
 Usrdta(*Any)     <allow specific usrdata entry - allow generic selection>
 Formtype(*Any)   <allow specific formtype entry - allow generic selection>
 Rstoutq(*SAVOUTQ)<allow a fully qualified outq name>
 Fromtype(*FIRST) <create time range>                
 Totime(*LAST)    <create time range>
 .............    <plus other parameters similar to any RST command>      
                            

This would restore all the spool files saved from out queue QGPL/PRT01 named
QPRINT, back into the original *OUTQ - QGPL/PRT01

Let BRMS or other TMS take care of providing a database containing
information on when things were backed up and where they were backed up too.
Just supply API's in the base OS to facilitate this. 

Currently we use the support in BRMS to archive spool files to tape. We
create gigabytes of spool files a week, but by archiving them using BRMS we
are able to keep them for a year. For example, we generate 25,000 + AFP
billing statements nightly. These statements are left online for 7 days and
then archived to tape via BRMS. The current limitation with recovery though
is the losing of some of the original attributes of the spool file since the
spool files aren't really restored, they are recreated. This is the main
problem I'd like to see a base OS SAV/RST function for spool files
address... If you start all your design from the premise that a spool file
is an object and that you save and restore all attributes of that object,
then everything else should come together quite nicely. 

******************************************************

Kenneth

****************************************
Kenneth E. Graap
IBM Certified Specialist
AS/400 Professional
Network Administrator
NW Natural (Gas Services)
keg@nwnatural.com
Phone: 503-226-4211 x5537
FAX:    603-849-0591
****************************************

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