RE: need to move from monthly full save, fix apply, IPL to semi-annually

["Musselman, Paul" <pmusselman@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Gerald--

We're using the Full-System Flash Copy Toolkit (or whatever the current name is).  It handles all the talking to the HMC and the V9000 to quiesce the source system, make the flash copy, and restart the source, then call our exit program to run the actual save.

The FSFC takes care of blocking comm lines when the flash is IPLd and some other details to prevent issues with 2 systems with the same name and address active at once.

Our exit program takes care of allocating the tape drive, backing up the system, ejecting the tape, and shutting down the flash copy.

Paul E Musselman
PaulMmn@xxxxxxxxxxxxx

-----Original Message-----
From: MIDRANGE-L <midrange-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> On Behalf Of Gerald Magnuson
Sent: Monday, April 22, 2019 3:42 PM
To: Midrange Systems Technical Discussion <midrange-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: Re: need to move from monthly full save, fix apply, IPL to semi-annually

Paul,
do you back up the clone via IBMi or BRMS methods?

On Mon, Apr 22, 2019 at 1:40 PM Musselman, Paul <pmusselman@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
wrote:

> Gerald--
>
> Our storage is on a V9000, and we can clone (flash copy) our production
> partition.  We do that daily and run our backups from the clone.
>
> We IPL to:
>
> -- Apply PTFs every 2-3 months, often enough to stay current, but not risk
> being 'early adapters.'  Our daily backups handle saving the OS.
>
> -- Reorganize files that have too many deleted records.  Yes, most files
> re-use deleted records, but there are some...  the program logic, for
> whatever reason, involves mass deletes of records that never seem to get
> re-used.
>
> -- Programmer requests that require a 'quiet time.'
>
> So far (knock on wood) we've been able to schedule monthly IPLs, but, like
> you, we've skipped some when necessary.
> We usually schedule a 7-hour window, but have been returning the system
> after 4-5.
>
> Paul E Musselman
> PaulMmn@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: MIDRANGE-L <midrange-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> On Behalf Of
> Gerald Magnuson
> Sent: Monday, April 22, 2019 11:55 AM
> To: MIDRANGE-L@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> Subject: need to move from monthly full save, fix apply, IPL to
> semi-annually
>
> Our business is now at the point where Sunday morning uptime is critical.
> we have been performing a full save (restricted state, savsys, savlib
> *NONSYS, dlo, sav), followed by a IPL that will activate any fixes that
> have been applied...
>
> we have been "aggressive" with applying fixes, but are comfortable leaving
> the system running for many months where it makes sense...
>
> how do others perform patching and saving the OS on a twice a year basis?