ABR Backup of VM and Linux Volumes

This section contains supplemental information specific to z/VM and Linux DASD volumes. Review the following for complete information on ABR processing noting any exceptions detailed in this section.

Overview

ABR now supports full-volume backup and restore for z/VM volumes in CPVOL format, and for Linux full-volume DASD in CDL (Compatible Disk Layout) format. Previously, these volumes could be backed up only by FDR (see VM Volumes and Linux Volumes in FDR-functions-and-features). The advantages of using ABR include:

• simpler JCL
  • no need for a separate DISKx and TAPEx DD statement for each volume
  • backups can be automatically stacked on multi-file tapes without special JCL
• uniformity of backups; if MVS volumes are backed up by ABR, VM and Linux volumes can be brought into the same system
• VM and Linux volumes can be included in ABR backup reports
• VM and Linux volumes can be included in FDRDRP restores, for faster and easier disaster recovery

FDRINSTANT backups can be used for VM and Linux volumes under either FDR or ABR.

Generations

In order to name the backup data sets created by ABR Volume Backups and to record those backups, ABR uses generation numbers. The Generation Number associated with a given DASD volume is incremented every time an ABR full-volume backup of that volume is taken. All backups of z/VM and Linux CDL volumes are full-volume backups. Thus, the ABR generated name for the backup file will always have ‘00’ as the final 2 digits (e.g. FDRABR.Vvolser.Cngggg00). The most recently used generation number for a given DASD volume is stored in the ABR Model DSCB on that volume, so ABR always knows the next generation number to be used when you run a Volume Backup.

Volume initialization

Before a z/VM or Linux CDL format volume can be processed by ABR Volume Backup, it must be initialized for ABR processing as is required for any DASD volume to be processed by ABR (see Volume Initialization in Working-with-FDRABR-Volume-Backups).

When creating the ABR model DSCB for z/VM and Linux CDL volumes, the VMVALID operand must be specified on the DEFAULT statement. The ABR Model DSCB can be created with the ABRINIT statement of the utility FDRABRM, described in VTOC Maintenance Utility (FDRABRM). It can also be created with the ABR ISPF dialog (option A.I.8) as described in FDRCOPY-ISPF-Interface. Member ABRMDEF in the FDR Installation FDRSAMP has additional notes on FDRABRM DEFAULT statement.

Backup example

Take full-volume backups of all VM00 volumes, dumping two volumes concurrently, and making two copies of each backup. The TAPE11 and TAPE22 DD statements contain COPY2 backups identical to the COPY1 backups on TAPE1 and TAPE2.

The listing shows an FDR023 message for every z/VM or Linux CDL volume that is dumped. For example:

FlashCopy dump example

Take full-volume FlashCopy’s of LINUX volumes VM047D and VM047F to offline units 047C and 047E. Set a 35 day retention period for these full-volume backups.

Dump offline FlashCopy to tape example

Dump the FlashCopy backup on offline units 047C and 047E to tape and release the FlashCopy sessions after dumping the volumes.

The FCOPY= option of USE informs ABR to dump the offline copies of the volumes specified on the MOUNT= commands and the REL option informs ABR to perform a FLASHCOPY WITHDRAWL function after the offline volumes are processed.

Restore example

A number of z/VM DASD volumes are restored from their most recent full-volume backups. On each SELECT statement, GEN=CURRENT and CYCLE=00 selects the last full-volume backup. FDRABR locates the most recently created COPY1 (the default) backup for each DASD volume in the ABR catalog.

Each target volume is already initialized with the serial of the restored DASD volume. All required DASD and tapes are dynamically allocated since ONLINE and DYNTAPE are coded. Additionally, MAXDD=1000 is since more than the default of 256 volumes are being restored.