Overview of the Archive Image Copy utility

The Archive Image Copy utility is vital when a database has been repartitioned, resulting in the loss of old key ranges and a need arises to recover an older version of a High Availability Large Database (HALDB). Each ARCHIVE may consist of a single database, or it may include a group of databases that reflects an entire application. The ARCHIVE represents the state of the databases at a particular time such as, the end of a month. Producing the ARCHIVE does not impact the ongoing operations nor does it cause an outage because no production database assets are used in this process. The BRIGNTST utility can be inserted in the schedule to capture the current time stamp. The ARCHIVE can then be produced, at a more convenient time, using the captured time stamp, to reflect the databases of the specified date or time.    

In the following diagram, in order to restore the database to time T1, T2 or T3 along with the Image copies, we require the exact database definitions, the appropriate IDCAMS definitions for the database allocation, and any exit routines such as, partition definition routine or randomizer. These definitions must remain the same as when each of the image copies IC1, IC2 and IC3 were captured. In such scenarios the Archive Image copy utility is of immense help.

You can also use this utility to create test data for deployment across multiple IMS systems. It automates the generation of Database Recovery Control (DBRC) definitions, MDA members for dynamic allocation of databases and handles the automatic generation of IDCAMS allocation members thereby streamlining these processes.

Key features