Creating a FlashCopy session and adding copy sets

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FlashCopy replication creates a point-in-time copy in which the target volume contains a copy of the data that was on the source volume when the FlashCopy session was established.

About this task

When you create a FlashCopy® session for Global Mirror or Metro Global Mirror space-efficient target volumes, you must select No Copy for the FlashCopy session. With space-efficient volumes, you can use your FlashCopy repository more efficiently. Instead of requiring an equal amount of space to write data to, you can set aside a smaller amount of space in which to write data, where only the tracks that are changed are recorded. When your pool of storage is full, you can no longer perform a FlashCopy operation, and your session goes into a Severe state.

To add a FlashCopy session, you create the session, add copy sets to the session, and then select the properties for the session.

Procedure

Follow these steps to create a FlashCopy session:
1. In the menu bar, click Sessions.
2. On the Sessions page, click Create Session.
3. In the Create Session window, select the following options:
  Hardware type
  Select the type of storage system for the session:
  
  DS8000®
  
  FlashSystem/IBM Spectrum® Virtualize
  
  SAN Volume Controller
  Session type
  
  Select FlashCopy.
  
  Session name
  
  Enter a name to identify the session.
  Note: For sessions that contain a SAN Volume Controller or FlashSystem/IBM Spectrum Virtualize storage system, it is recommended that you create a session name that contains 15 alphanumeric characters or less. By doing so, the consistency group name that is created on the hardware matches the session name. Session names with more than 15 characters cause a random consistency group name to be generated on the hardware.
  
  For sessions that contain other storage system types, the session name can be up to 250 alphanumeric characters. The default name for a new session is newsession.
  
  Site 1 Location
  
  For each site that is in the session, select the location for the site or None. The site location, if available, is set by storage system on the Storage Systems page.
  
  You can associate a location with each storage system and each site in a session. This site awareness ensures that you can select only storage systems that have either a matching site location for each role or have no defined location when you add copy sets to a session.
  
  Session image
  
  Shows an image that represents the session. The session image is displayed when you select a session type. The image is a visual aid to help you create your session. The lightning bolt in the image represents FlashCopy replication.
  
  If you selected a location for the site that is in the session, the site is labeled with the site location. If you did not select site locations, the sites are labeled with Site x, where x is the site number. You can hover the mouse pointer over the site location to view the text in a larger format.
4. Click OK.
5. If the session was successfully created, click Launch Add Copy Sets Wizard and continue to the next step.
  If the session was not created, refer to the displayed message text to fix the problem.
Follow these steps to add copy sets to the session:
1. On the Select Host1 page of the Add Copy Sets wizard, complete the following information. The field names that are displayed depend on the storage system type. When you complete the information, click Next.
  
  Storage system
  
  Select a storage system. If the volume role has a site location that is assigned to it, you can select a storage system that is assigned to the same location as the role or a storage system that is not assigned to a location. Storage systems that have a location are listed under the location. Storage systems that do not have a location are listed under None. If the role does not have a site location, you can select any storage system.
  
  Logical storage system or I/O Group
  
  Select a logical subsystem (LSS) or I/O group.
  
  Volume
  
  Select one volume or all volumes. The volumes are limited to the volumes within the LSS or I/O group that you selected.
  
  The use of extent space-efficient volumes in volume roles depends on the capabilities of the storage system.
  
  Session image
  
  Shows an image that represents the session in which the role for which you are selecting volumes is highlighted. This image shows how many roles are in the session and how the roles are distributed between the sites.
  
  Volume Details
  
  Shows information about the selected volume, including the volume name, full name, type, capacity, and whether the volume is protected and space-efficient.
  
  Use a CSV file to import copy sets
  
  Select this option to import copy sets from a comma-separated value (CSV) file. Click Browse to select the CSV file.
2. On the Choose Target1 page, select the target storage system, LSS or I/O group, and volume. Click Next.
3. On the Select Copy Sets page, select from the following options and click Next:
  
  Select All
  
  Click this button to select all of the copy sets in the table.
  
  Deselect All
  
  Click this button to clear all of the copy sets in the table.
  
  Add More
  
  Click this button to add another copy set to the list of copy sets to be created.
  When you click Add More, you are returned to the Choose Host1 page of the wizard. On this page, the Storage system and Logical storage system or I/O Group lists are populated with the values from the previously selected copy set. Repeat the previous steps to complete the Choose Host1 and Choose Target1 pages and add more copy sets.
  
  Selection check boxes
  
  Select one or more copy sets that you want to create.
  
  Host 1
  
  Lists the volume IDs that are associated with the Host1 role. You can click the link to display information about the volume, including the full name, type, capacity, and whether the volume is protected and space efficient.
  
  Copy Set
  
  Displays the copy set information for the specified copy sets and any warning or error messages that are associated with the copy set.
  A warning or icon next to the Show button indicates that you cannot create a copy set for the H1 volume. Click Show to view the message.
4. On the Confirm page, the number of copy sets to be added is displayed. Click Next.
5. A progress bar is displayed. When the copy sets are added, review the results and click Finish.
Follow these steps to add properties for the session:
1. On the Sessions page, select the session.
2. From the Session Actions list, select View/Modify > Properties.
3. In the View/Modify Properties notebook, select the options that you want. For a description of the options, see Viewing session properties.
4. Click OK.