Managing Your Backups

Introduction

Previous chapters of this guide have shown several ways that you can manage your UPSTREAM backups:

• You can create duplicate copies of your backups with USTVAULT. See Copying Backups with USTVAULT.
  
• You can move your disk-based backups to tape with USTMIGRT. See Migrating Backups from Disk to Tape.
  
• You can complete pending deferred merge backups with USTMERGE. See Completing Deferred Merge Backups.
  
• You can place information about backups into the repository with USTREGEN. See Updating the Repository.
  

UPSTREAM includes numerous other functions that provide further possibilities for managing your backups, as discussed below. It should be noted, however, that the functions described here are provided only for specialized cases and are not intended for every day usage.

For example, the DELETE command is not usually required to delete and uncatalog your UPSTREAM backups. Instead, the retention settings and optional GDG utilization, as defined in the backup profile (UPSTREAM Profiles.), ordinarily is used to control the eventual and automatic expiration, deletion and uncataloging of your backups. The following functions are only required outside the normal day-to-day management of your backups.

13.2 Available Functions

The following backup management functions are available under UPSTREAM.

REMOVEDSN (REM)

This function allows you to delete backup information from the UPSTREAM repository.

It works at a UPSTREAM backup data set level; i.e., not at an individual Client file level. When the information for a backup data set is removed from the repository with REMOVEDSN, all information regarding the individual Client files within that backup is also removed, but the backup data set itself is not uncataloged from z/OS. If the backup is on disk, it will not be deleted. (See DELETE.)

REMOVEBKP (RBK)

Similar to REMOVEDSN, but for backups that are part of a multi-backup data set. REMOVEBKP allows the removal of a single backup from the UPSTREAM repository.

DELETE

This function is similar to REMOVEDSN in that it will delete backup information from the UPSTREAM repository. However, in addition, it will also uncatalog the backup data set from z/OS, potentially releasing the tape back to the tape management system's scratch pool if it is the only (or last) cataloged backup on the tape. If the backup is on disk, it will also be scratched to free up z/OS DASD resources.

DELETE NO REMOVE (DNR)

This function is a modified/reduced version of DELETE in that it will uncatalog the backup data set from z/OS and (if the backup is on disk) scratch it to free up z/OS DASD resources.

However, it will not delete backup information from the repository. Instead, it will leave that information in tact.

BROWSE

The function is used for diagnostic purposes. It invokes the standard TSO/ISPF browse function on any disk-based UPSTREAM backup data set. All standard TSO/ISPF browse functions work normally.

REGEN

This function is the same as USTREGEN (Updating the Repository) and can be used to update (or create) backup information in the UPSTREAM repository. There are several reasons why you may wish to do this.

Firstly, it can be used to update the repository information to point to a vaulted copy of a backup that has previously been created with USTVAULT (Copying Backups with USTVAULT). The REGEN function uses information taken from the vault control data set created by USTVAULT and written at the end of a vaulted backup.

The REGEN function can also be used to recreate information about any backup (a primary copy or a vaulted copy) that may have been previously removed from the repository. This may occurred ether by natural expiration, as the result of a previous REGEN, or perhaps as a result of a previous REMOVEDSN or DELETE command.

Finally, the REGEN function can also be used to create repository records from scratch for a new backup. This “new” backup may be one created by another UPSTREAM system, or perhaps a backup taken with the Reservoir. When used in this way, the REGEN function effectively allows you to “import” a backup taken by another UPSTREAM or UPSTREAM Reservoir system.

See Updating the Repository for full details on running USTREGEN.

Initiating the Backup Management Functions

The backup management functions described previously can be initiated in several ways, as outlined in the following sections:

Initiation via “Backup Management” in the TSO/ISPF Interface

Initiation via “Operator Commands” in the TSO/ISPF Dialogs¹

Initiation via USTBATCH

Initiation via a z/OS Operator Command²

Initiation via “Backup Management” in the TSO/ISPF Interface

First, select the “Management” option “11” in the TSO/ISPF Interface main menu and press ENTER.

Next, you specify the repository record type, which may be either those describing your main backups, or it may be the control records describing vault operations carried out by USTVAULT.

Finally you are also required to enter the name of the UPSTREAM catalog and fileinfo repository data sets, which are specified in the UPSTREAM started task JCL by the DDnames USTCATLG and USTFILEI (The UPSTREAM Repository.). Once entered, these values are retained each time you return to this screen.

In our example below, by entering a “*” on the profile name field and “backup” in the record type field, we have requested a display of all records relating to all backup profiles. We have also provided the names of our CATALOG and FILEINFO data sets. Note the use of the quotes to avoid name resolution interference with your TSO/E profile prefix setting.

Once you have completed the preceding menu, press ENTER to continue.

The next menu to appear is the actual “Backup Management” panel. The available functions (as described earlier), together with their abbreviations, are shown on the “Available row commands” line. These functions or abbreviations can be entered in the SEL column, against the backup(s) you wish to process.

In the example below, we have selected to delete the backup data set, UPSTREAM.TEST.COPY1.G0004V00, that was created under the backup profile TEST on 01/05/2020 at 13:02. As described earlier, the DELETE function will remove all repository entries relating to this backup data set, and all information regarding the actual files contained in that backup. It will also uncatalog the backup data set from z/OS.

If the backup data set was on tape, the action of uncataloging it may also lead to the tape management system later scratching that tape and making it available for reuse.

If the backup data set was on disk you will see the following menu, asking you to confirm the deletion (scratch) of the z/OS data set. Press ENTER to accept the deletion, or PF3 to cancel the request.

Initiation via “Operator Commands” in the TSO/ISPF Dialogs#

The REMOVEDSN and REGEN functions (but not the REMOVEBKUP, DELETE, or DELETE NO REMOVE functions) can also be initiated through option 6 (“Operator Commands”) in the UPSTREAM TSO/ISPF dialog main menu.

Initiation via USTBATCH

All of backup management functions described earlier can be initiated via the USTBATCH utility. (see z/OS Initiation with USTBATCH.)

The sample USTBATCH JCL below shows the initiation of the REMOVEDSN function against the backup file called UPSTREAM.TEST.COPY1.G0004V00.

This JCL requires some customizing for your own site's requirements, such as the JOB card and STEPLIB specifications. Please also review the parameter descriptions that follow.

• UPSTREAM 3.9.1 and later using USTBATCH to Started Task TCP/IP Parameters
  

  //jobname  JOB (accounting,information),'job id data',
  //         NOTIFY=userid,MSGLEVEL=(1,1),CLASS=A,MSGCLASS=X
  //*
  //*
  //MAINT    EXEC PGM=USTBATCH
  //STEPLIB  DD DISP=SHR,DSN=your.upstream.loadlib
  //SYSUDUMP DD SYSOUT=*
  //USTLOG   DD SYSOUT=*
  //USTPARM  DD *
  HOSTDNS=YOUR.LPAR.DNS.NAME
  HOSTPORT=1972 *default
  *
  CONV=WAIT * WAIT for Backup to complete before ending
  COMMAND=REMOVEDSN=backup.dataset.name
  *
  ENDPARM
  /*

• UPSTREAM 3.9.0 and prior using USTBATCH to Started Task APPC Parameters:
  

  //jobname  JOB (accounting,information),'UPSTREAM REMOVEDSN',
  //        MSGLEVEL=(1,1),CLASS=A,MSGCLASS=X
  //*
  //*  **********************************************************
  //*  ***         REMOVEDSN A BACKUP                         ***
  //*  **********************************************************
  //*
  //VAULT    EXEC PGM=USTBATCH
  //STEPLIB  DD DISP=SHR,DSN=your.upstream.loadlib
  //SYSUDUMP DD SYSOUT=*
  //USTLOG   DD SYSOUT=*
  //USTPARM  DD *
  APPLPREF=UPSTR
  USAPPL=UPSTREAM
  LOGMODE=#INTER
  CONV=WAIT
  COMMAND=REMOVEDSN=UPSTREAM.TEST.COPY1.G0004V00
  ENDPARM
  /*

The key parameters used in the preceding USTBATCH example are described here. See z/OS Initiation with USTBATCH for a full description of USTBATCH.

Beginning with UPSTREAM z/OS 3.9.1, the UPSTREAM started task and USTBATCH may now use TCP/IP to initiate requests. The SNA parameters described further below are no longer required but may still be used. They are required for users of UPSTREAM z/OS 3.9.0 and earlier and are listed here for their reference.

USTBATCH to Started Task TCP/IP Parameters (Preferred):

HOSTDNS

The DNS name of the LPAR hosting your UPSTREAM started task. Mutually exclusive with the HOSTIP parameter.

HOSTIP

The IP address of the TCP/IP stack on the LPAR hosting your UPSTREAM started task. Mutually exclusive with the HOSTDNS parameter.

HOSTPORT

The IP port number of the UPSTREAM started task. If omitted, the default is 1972. This parameter may be used with either the HOSTDNS or HOSTIP parameters.

USTBATCH to Started Task VTAM SNA Parameters (UPSTREAM version 3.9.0 and prior):

APPLPREF=

ccccc

The 5-character prefix of the VTAM APPLID to be used by USTBATCH for its communications with the UPSTREAM started task.

USAPPL=

cccccccc

The VTAM APPLID of the UPSTREAM started task.

LOGMODE=

cccccccc

The VTAM LOGMODE to be used for communicating with the UPSTREAM started task.

Additional Parameters. (These parameters are used with any version of UPSTREAM and may be used with either TCP/IP or SNA USTBATCH to Started Task communication.):

CONV=

This controls whether or not the USTBATCH job should wait for the completion of the request submitted to the started task, or end immediately after the request is accepted.

COMMAND=

This controls the UPSTREAM started task command that is to be issued, in this case a REMOVEDSN function. The DSN operand specifies the target of the specified command, in this case the backup file called UPSTREAM.TEST.COPY1.G0004V00

ENDPARM

Indicates the end of the USTBATCH input parameters.

Initiation via a z/OS Operator Command

You can initiate some of the UPSTREAM backup management functions using a z/OS operator command.

• First, enter the z/OS console interface that you would normally utilize to access the z/OS system console. In the example below we are using the IOF product.
  

• Then, on the command line, enter your backup management command in the format shown below and press ENTER to execute the command. Only the REGEN, REMOVEDSN, and REMOVEBKUP functions are supported here (not DELETE or DELETE NO REMOVE).

  F [stc name],REMOVEDSN=xxxxxx
  F [stc name],REMOVEBKP [VERSIONDATE=xxxxxxxxxxxx][,PROFILE=xxxxxxxx]
  F [stc name],REGEN [PROFILE=xxxxxxxx][,DSN=xxxxxx]
• In our example below, we are issuing a REMOVEDSN to remove from the repository the details of the backup file called UPSTREAM.TEST.COPY1.G0004V00.