Re: Tape volume tracking in temporary Flashcopy backup

[Rameez Raza <rameraza@xxxxxxxxx>]

Hi Tom,

First Thing " IBM documents are very good , however not all the information
is at one place" . Why invest in Copy Services Tool Kit ( Works with iASP )
or Full System FlasyCopy Tool Kit ( Works with SYSBAS) when you can
programatically do this.

Could you please let us know what Storage System you are using ( IBM DSxxxx
or EMC VMAX or DMX ) ? If you are using DSxxxxx you are free to use Copy
Services Tool Kit or Full System FlashCopy(FSFC). You wont face any
challeange of integration if you use IBM products.

However , if have VMAX or DMX storage both of the tool kits mentione above
would not work and you would have to manage things programatically.

On Source Side ( SYSTEMA )
To do the FlashCopy backup of SYSTEMA. You need to follow the steps
1)End SYSTEMA to Restricted State.
2)Check that System has reached to restricted state ( There are API to do
this ). When you put the system in restricted state Main Memory of SYSTEMA
would be flushed and all contents would be written to disk. This way you
would reduce chances damaged object on FLASHSYS ( Flash Copy System of
SYSTEMA )
3) Change the IPLA of SYSTEMA to start in restircted state
4) Set the source system to Flash Copy State ( There are commands to do
this )
5) Indicate to SYSTEMA that backup is in progress on FLASHSYS ( Though
backup has not started )
6) Now Split the associate between Source Disk Array and the Flash Disk
Array. This is called ENDPPRC link in IBM term and Split in EMC Term. A
number of checks can be incorporated to make this step more robust
7) Once the split is complete , Change the IPLA of SYSTEMA to start the
system normally
8) Start QCTL on SYSTEMA
9) Do Not Run Any backup on SYSTEMA till the time backup is running or
better say that till the time the backup completes on FLASHSYSA and QUSRBRM
( BRMS data Library ) is restored to SYSTEMA.

Target Side ( FLASHSYS System  Side)
1) IPL the FLASHSYS after the split is complete or after the ENDPPRC is
complete
2) FLASHSYS will come up in Restricted state or it will stall if it cant
find the load source disk ( if the split is failure )
3) Change the Flash state from source to flash target ( there are commands
to do this , its easy)
4) Remove Production IP address, Remote Route ( if required ) and assign
new ip adress and new Route. New IP address means dynamically creating line
description with correct resource name ( its easy )
5) Set Restricted state TCP/IP interface for BRMS to talk to other systems
in BRMS network
6) Do the backup
7) Irrespective of weather backup completes normally or abnormally, save
entire QUSRBRM in to save file and FTP it to source system SYSTEMA  ( to be
done as batch FTP )


Source Side ( SYSTEMA ) - Steps would be executed as part of FTP job from
FLASHSYSA )
1) Clear QUSRBRM
 2) Add to system reply list default reply of I to ignore deletion of
unsaved journal receiver
3) Restore QUSRBRM
4) Ensure the QUSRBRM is restore succesfful. If yes then indicate to
SYSTEMA that backup is now compelete on FLASHSYS.
5) End the Flash Copy on source.

We have done this and it work absolutely fine. :)

Regards
Rameez



We are converting our traditional tape backup
procedure to backup from a different partition running against a
flashcopy version of the primary partition. The partitions are
non-IASP so after the flashcopy is ended nothing remains on the backup
side. For anyone who is doing this or has implemented this, how did
you manage tracking the backup media on the primary partition ?




On Fri, Jul 13, 2012 at 9:16 AM, <rob@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:

> One reason I like to stick with IBM on stuff like this.  When new
> technology comes out they tend to be on top of it.
>
> Then again, if I could get BRMS to allow me to use virtual tape to
> transfer to another system to dup to physical tape and all be tracked in
> brms I would be happier.
>
>
> 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:   rob@xxxxxxxxx
> To:     Midrange Systems Technical Discussion <midrange-l@xxxxxxxxxxxx>,
> Date:   07/13/2012 10:12 AM
> Subject:        Re: Tape volume tracking in temporary Flashcopy backup
>  Sent by:        midrange-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx
>
>
>
> BRMS FlashCopy support
>
> http://publib.boulder.ibm.com/infocenter/iseries/v7r1m0/topic/brms/sc41534502.htm#ToC_352
>
>
> Not using FlashCopy, just a quick google.
>
>
> 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:   Tom Duncan <tduncan42@xxxxxxxxx>
> To:     Midrange Systems Technical Discussion <midrange-l@xxxxxxxxxxxx>,
> Date:   07/13/2012 08:54 AM
> Subject:        Tape volume tracking in temporary Flashcopy backup
> Sent by:        midrange-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx
>
>
>
> Prior to inventing my version of the wheel I thought I would hit up
> the brain trust to see what others had done to address this issue,
> assuming anyone has done it. We are currently using Help Systems
> Robot/Save for our tape saves. We have licenses for BRMS (advanced and
> networking options as well) but have chosen to continue to use
> Robot/Save. Please limit commentary on that decision to relevance for
> my specific issue. We are converting our traditional tape backup
> procedure to backup from a different partition running against a
> flashcopy version of the primary partition. The partitions are
> non-IASP so after the flashcopy is ended nothing remains on the backup
> side. For anyone who is doing this or has implemented this, how did
> you manage tracking the backup media on the primary partition ?
> Converting to BRMS is a viable option if it solves my problem. Help
> Systems tells me that they have comparable functionality within
> Robot/Save as the BRMS networking but we have not implemented to date.
>
> Tom Duncan
> iSeries Systems Administrator
> Wilton Brands, Inc.
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