RE: [External]Where do I learn about SAN backup?

We're not using iAsps, but our production LPAR is replicated with Metro?Mirror with Change Volumes from our data center to a hot site several miles away. Our production LPAR has 2 clones-- the Change Volumes for the Metro?Mirror, and a second we use for local backups.

The link between systems keeps our production system and the clone LPAR at the hot site in sync.

At the hot site we have the clone LPAR, and yet another Flash LPAR. We don't want to fire up the copy of the production system because that will break the link and we'll have to save all the data again! So we fire up the flash copy and prove that we have a backup system.

--Paul E Musselman

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At 11:57 PM +0000 8/24/17, Graap, Kenneth wrote:

> Is anyone doing something like this?

I am, as part of my PowerHA configuration using IBM V7000 SAN's.

My production iASP is continuously mirrored to an iASP attached to a remotely located DR system...

A FlashCopy of the Mirrored iASP on the DR system is created at regular intervals and attached to an iASP defined to another partition which is dedicated to BACKUP. This iASP copy (a point in time when the FlashCopy was run) is then backed up to tape. Easy backup, no object locks!

The SAN of course only needs to keep track of CHANGES. So as the remote mirror is continuing to be updated with production data that has changed, the data image "before a change" is copied to the FLASHCOPY iASP in order to preserve the "point in Time" image. This is why a FLASHCOPY can be created so quickly. What takes a little more time is varying on the FLASHCOPY to the backup partition...
Works really slick! Our production system can stay up 7X24 except for a few hours a month when I apply PTF's and do a SAVSYS.

Reply or Forwarded mail from: Kenneth E Graap


-----Original Message-----
From: MIDRANGE-L [mailto:midrange-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Joe Pluta
Sent: Thursday, August 24, 2017 12:18 PM
To: Midrange Systems Technical Discussion
Subject: [External]Where do I learn about SAN backup?

I'm hearing that SAN storage allows us to do a very fast "snapshot" of the system and then backup from that snapshot. It's supposed to make the backup less intrusive. Is anyone doing something like this?

Thanks in advance!