Aggregate backup and recovery is a process to back up and recover any user defined group of data sets that are vital to your business. Up to 64 ABARS commands can run concurrently.

You can use ISMF panels to identify these data sets as an aggregate group. DFSMShsm uses the data set lists, along with other control information stored in the associated aggregate group and management class, to manage the aggregate backup process. For more information about aggregate groups, see Aggregate Groups for Disaster Backup and Recovery.

DFSMShsm works with the other functional components of DFSMS to provide enhanced backup and recovery capabilities for aggregate groups. When you define the aggregate group, you specify characteristics of that group in its management class. You can specify, for example, how many copies of each backup version you want. The backup copies are managed according to the aggregate group attributes you define in the management class. You can use the same management class attributes for multiple aggregate groups whose backup copies have the same management needs. The attributes assigned to an aggregate group are tracked by the aggregate backup and recovery function and can be used to create the proper environment at the recovery site.

You can automate the aggregate backup process by using an DFSMShsm assembler macro to submit the ABACKUP command.

The DFSMS functional component DFSMSrmm can be used to track the movement of the aggregate backups, further automating your disaster backup process. See Managing Removable Media with DFSMSrmm.

Figure 1 shows the movement of data sets during aggregate backup.

Figure 1. Aggregate backup

See z/OS DFSMShsm Storage Administration for more information on the ABARS function.