Backup strategy

In general, we recommend a full backup of the entire subsystem at regular intervals and full backups of the newly created spaces and the changed spaces on a more frequent basis. If you are willing to retain the backups for longer periods of time, you can lengthen the interval between full subsystem backups.

Full subsystem backup

When you make a backup of the entire subsystem, BMC AMI Recovery Manager uses the ARMBGPS program to split all table spaces in the subsystem into balanced object sets.

By default, ARMBGPS creates eleven separate object sets (ten static object sets and one dynamic delta object set that picks up newly-created objects), but you can decide how many object sets are necessary to back up your entire subsystem in a reasonable time frame. You can change the number of object sets at any time to respond to changing backup windows or expansion or reduction of available resources. BMC AMI Recovery Manager then uses the ARMBGEN program to generate the JCL to back up all objects in all object sets.

Important

You can perform the full subsystem backup using the BMC AMI Recovery Manager online interface or you can run the batch programs manually. For instructions on the procedure when using the online interface, see Build subsystem object sets and generate backup JCL.

XUNCHANGED backup

BMC AMI Recovery Manager uses the ARMBGEN program with the XUNCHANGED option to determine which table spaces have changed and then to generate JCL to back up only the changed or new spaces in the object sets that were created previously by ARMBGPS.

ARMBGEN does not generate a backup for spaces that are no longer defined to Db2.

Important

You can perform the XUNCHANGED backup using the BMC AMI Recovery Manager online interface or you can run the batch programs manually. For information about ARMBGPS, see ARMBGPS—Subsystem group split.

Implementing the subsystem backup strategy

Use the following procedures to implement the full subsystem backup strategy by using the BMC AMI Recovery Manager batch programs.

To perform full subsystem backups

Run ARMBGPS to create balanced object sets of all table spaces in the subsystem (sample syntax shown below). For instructions for using the online interface, see Build subsystem object sets and generate backup JCL. (This step also creates the delta object set, which excludes all other object sets.)
SET CURRENT SQLID=RDAXXX;
BUILD OBJECTSETS RDAXXX.ALLTS
MAXOBJECTSETS 10
EXCLUDE BMC*.*;
BMC AMI Recovery Manager generates an EXCLUDE list based on plan dependencies for the repository.
Run ARMBGEN to generate JCL for the balanced object sets and for any objects that are in the delta object set (sample syntax shown below).
SET CURRENT SQLID = RDAXXX;
GENJCL BACKUP
OBJECTSET RDAXXX.ALLTS?? ;
Submit the ARMBGEN-generated JCL (created in Step 2).
Submit JCL to copy the repository (including the R+/CHANGE ACCUM repository if installed).

To perform XUNCHANGED backups

Add the XUNCHANGED parameter to the ARMBGEN JCL and run ARMBGEN to generate the backup JCL (sample syntax shown below).
SET CURRENT SQLID = RDAXXX ;
GENJCL BACKUP XUNCHANGED
OBJECTSET RDAXXX.ALLTS?? ;
Submit the ARMBGEN-generated JCL (created in Step 1).
Tip
Remember to schedule backups of the repository at the same interval that you schedule ARMBGPS executions. The definitions of the current ARMBGPS object sets (which are stored in the repository) are vital to the recovery process because they are used to determine which new table spaces have been created since the last time the object sets were populated.
Remember to schedule backups of the Db2 catalog at least as often as you run full subsystem backups. ARMBGPS does not include the Db2 catalog and directory spaces in the BMC AMI Recovery Manager object sets. See Task-4-Creating-copies-of-the-Db2-catalog-and-directory for information on using BMC AMI Recovery Manager to generate catalog backup JCL.

Build subsystem object sets and generate backup JCL

This process automatically generates JCL to build object sets for all application data within a subsystem (via the ARMBGPS program), then generates one backup job per object set (via ARMBGEN).

These procedures show you how to build all JCL required for backup of the full subsystem using the BMC AMI Recovery Manager online interface.

Before you begin

Set or verify the subsystem options for the copy utility you are going to use. For more information, see BMC-AMI-Recovery-Manager-backup-and-recovery-options.
Set or verify the BMC AMI Recovery Manager option set.
Important
ARMBGEN uses the job card and other information in the option set for the generated backup jobs.
Run either the IBM utility, RUNSTATS, the BMC AMI Copy utility with the RUNSTATS option, or BMC AMI Copy with the NACTIVE option to obtain an accurate estimate of the number of pages that should be used for sizing purposes before you build the object sets. Alternatively, you can set the NACTIVE option in SYSIBM. SYSTABLESPACE for any large spaces until statistics have been collected. If these steps are not done, the optimal balance of objects may not be achieved.
Ensure you have the following authorizations:
- EXECUTE authority for the BMC AMI Recovery Manager plan
- UPDATE authority to replace existing object sets
- EXECUTE authority on R+/CHANGE ACCUM plan if you are building R+/CHANGE ACCUM object sets.

To build subsystem recovery object sets

Start this procedure at the BMC AMI Recovery for Db2 Main Menu to build all JCL for subsystem backups.

Access the Build Recovery Object Sets panel as follows:
1. Select 6. Subsystem recovery.
2. Select 1. Full Recovery.The Build Recovery Object Sets panel is displayed.
  ARMUFS1 ==================== Build Recovery Object Sets ============================
  Command ===> _________________________________________________________________
  
  You are about to generate JCL to build RMGR recovery object sets based on a sizing
  balance. Enter the fields and press Enter.
  
    Object set owner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . RDAXXX__
    Object set name prefix . . . . . . . . . . . TEST____________
    Object set description . . . . . . . . . . . _________________________
    Maximum number of object sets. . . . . . . . 10_ (2-99)
    Object Set by part . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2   (1=Yes/2=No)
    Build job for backup JCL generation. . . . . 1   (1=Yes/2=No)
      Output data set. . RDAXXX.ARM.JCL________________________________________
      Copy All Index Spaces . 2 (1=Yes/2=No/3=Auto)
         Index Size Threshold __________ _ max bytes(4294967295K,4194303M,4095G)
    Include Clones. . . . . . 2 (1=Yes/2=No)
      Output data set. . ______________________________________________________
Enter information as required and press Enter. For field descriptions, see the Subsystem recovery object set fields table.
On the JCL Specification panel, enter a fully qualified output data set name. Be aware of the following information:
- The output data set is used for saving the JCL and must be cataloged. If not enclosed in quotes, the output data set will be prefixed by your TSO prefix.
- The job statement must contain a symbolic variable (&#) for the job number. For more information, see Output-data-sets-job-cards-and-symbolic-variables.
(Optional) Edit the control cards to exclude additional table spaces from the object sets. The names may include wildcards. For syntax information, see ARMBGPS—Subsystem object set split.
Important
BMC AMI Recovery Manager automatically adds EXCLUDE statements for the BMC Common Db2, BMC AMI Recovery Manager, R+/CHANGE ACCUM, and BMC AMI Log Master repositories based on plan dependencies.
(Optional) If you generated backup JCL, you can edit the ARMBGEN job to include a //ARMJCIN DD statement that points to a data set containing a job card to be used in the generated JCL. (The job card must include the variable &## in the job name so that ARMBGEN can increment the job numbers.) If you do not include the DD card, BMC AMI Recovery Manager uses the job card that you specified in the option set.For more information about ARMBGEN and ARMJCIN, see ARMBGEN—Backup and recovery JCL.
Submit the JCL to create the subsystem object sets (and the backup jobs for those object sets). The subsystem object sets are created and saved in the repository with the description, GENERATED BY ARMBGPS. The backup jobs are saved in the data set you specified in the Output data set field.
Important
BMC AMI Recovery Manager generates one backup job per subsystem object set. These jobs use the copy utility and its options as specified in the subsystem backup options. (See Subsystem-recovery-process for more information.)

To create copies of application data, submit the backup jobs created in Step 6.

The following table describes the Build Recovery Object Sets fields:

Field	BMC AMI Recovery Managerdefault	Description
Object set owner	Last value used	Specifies the TSO user ID to be used by BMC AMI Recovery Manager as the creator_ID part of each object set name For more information about authorization for creating object sets, see Object set authorization.
Object set name prefix	Last value used	Specifies an alphanumeric prefix to be used as the object set part of each object set name BMC AMI Recovery Manager adds a 2-digit number suffix to provide a unique name for each object set. The prefix must not exceed 16 characters. The numerical suffixes provided by BMC AMI Recovery Manager start at 01 and continue up to the value you provide at the Maximum number of object sets prompt. Important Delimited entries are not allowed for the object set name prefix.
Object Set description	None	Describes the details of the contents of the object sets
Maximum number of object sets	10	Specifies the maximum number of object sets (2-99) to be created The number of object sets created will always be the maximum plus one because a delta object set (00 object set) is always created.
Object Set by part	Yes	Creates object sets by partition
Build job for backup JCL generation	Yes	Builds a job to create backup JCL for the full subsystem
Output data set	Last value used	Specifies the fully qualified name of a new or existing data set in which you want to place the backup JCL for the object sets being created New data sets are allocated on the work unit specified in the option set. If you are using a partitioned data set, be sure to include the member name. If you are using a generation data object set (GDO), be sure to include the incrementing term (+1).
Copy All Index Spaces	No	Specifies whether to set object set options that will cause index spaces to be included in the backup and recovery JCL when generated. This option is only available when BMC AMI Recover is selected as the recovery utility and BMC AMI Copy is selected as the copy utility. Yes—Back up all indexes No—(the default) Do not back up indexes Auto—Back up indexes as large or larger than the size specified in the Index Size Threshold field.
Index Size Threshold	Not applicable	Specifies the size threshold at which indexes are to be included in the backup and recovery JCL rather than rebuilt at recovery time. This option is used in conjunction with Copy Index Space Auto. Enter the size in the following format: nnnnnnn t where: nnnnnnnn is an integer from 0-4194303 (depending on the size type specified and version of BMC AMI Copy) t is the size type (M=Megabytes, K=Kilobytes, G=Gigabytes) M - Megabytes (the default). The valid range is 0-4194303. K - Kilobytes. The valid range is 0-4294967295. G - Gigabytes. The valid range is 0-4095.
Include Clones	No	Specifies whether to create JCL to back up the cloned objects in the object sets being created Cloned objects are backed up separately from base objects. This option is not valid with compatibility mode.
Output data set (for clone object sets)	Not applicable	Specifies the fully qualified name of a new or existing data set in which to place the backup JCL for the clones