Obtaining data set backups

You must obtain backups of all assets that are needed for DR and send the backups to the DR site.

Be sure to make shipments to the DR site frequently enough to meet your service level agreement for DR.

Obtaining RECON backups and executing the RECON Cleanup utility

You must obtain a backup of the IMS RECON data set. Perform the following steps:

1. Use the BACKUP.RECON DBRC command (rather than pack dumps or other software).BACKUP.RECON uses IDCAMS REPRO internally, but it also does an enqueue on the RECONs to guarantee that no updates occur during the backup. Do not back up the RECON data set while batch jobs are running, especially in a data sharing environment. Doing so creates a 'fuzzy' backup; logs from batch jobs that have not yet completed are not usable for DR. You can use the Log Sync function before this backup to switch all of the logs together.
   Write the backup to a VSAM KSDS (use BACKUP.RECON so that you still get the enqueue, but point the output to an empty VSAM KSDS). The KSDS must be empty.

2. Run the RMGR Disaster Recovery RECON Cleanup (DRRCN) utility Check or Update function on the KSDS that contains the backup of the RECON.

   Warning

   Notes

   • If you choose the Update function (instead of the Check function), keep a copy of the unchanged RECON as well.
   • Running this utility ensures that the RECON is valid for DR. For more information, see Overview-of-Disaster-Recovery-RECON-Cleanup-utility.
3. Copy the verified or cleaned VSAM KSDS that contains the backup to a tape.
4. If you want to test the DR plan at the home site, as discussed in Test-the-DR-plan-at-the-home-site, also copy the verified or cleaned VSAM KSDS to another VSAM KSDS. This additional backup copy is referred to as the DR test RECON copy.

Obtaining repository backups

You must obtain a backup of the RMGR repository. If possible, you should back up the RMGR repository every time you back up the IMS RECON. Perform the following steps:

1. Use the REPOSITORYBACKUP function of the Batch Interface utility, which prevents updates during the backup. For more information, seeDatabase Products for IMS Customization documentation.
2. If you want to stack the repository backup on the same tape as the RECON backup, REPRO the backup to the tape that contains the RECON.
3. If you want to test the backup at the home site, as discussed in Test-the-DR-plan-at-the-home-site, also copy the backup to a VSAM KSDS. This backup copy is referred to as the DR test repository.

Obtaining other data set backups

Obtain backups of other data sets as follows:

1. Obtain backups of IMS assets that are needed for environmental and database recovery. These resources include log, change accumulation, and image copy data sets and system libraries such as RESLIB, ACBLIB, and DBDLIB libraries.
2. Obtain backups of all RMGR data sets that are needed at the DR site, including the BMC product load library and sample library. Be sure to include the PDS that contains the recovery JCL if you are creating this JCL at the home site.