Listing logical backups

How to display all known logical backups.

Place the cursor on the Backup time input field and press the Prompt key, F4, to retrieve a list of all logical backups known to CICS® VR for the VSAM sphere. All known backups are then displayed in the CICS VR backup prompt list secondary window.

The backups made of VSAM spheres in 'Recovery-Required' state are not listed.

Figure 1. Backup prompt list secondary window
                         CICSVR backup prompt list           Row 1 to 4 of 4 
                                                                            
 Select one backup time, then press Enter.                                   
                                                                            
 VSAM sphere  . . . : PAYROLL.BASE                                           
                                                                            
 --------------------- Data set backup information ----------------------    
 S   Date    Time     Gen  Ver  Online  Rp Date Rp Time   Type   Product    
 _   08.178  12:01:01      01   001  NO                        LOCAL  HSMLB      
 _   08176   11:04:44                NO                        LOCAL  DSSLC      
 _   08175   18:01:17                NO                        LOCAL  DSSLD      
 _   08174   09:32:12                FUZZY   08174  09:29:10  LOCAL  OTHER
 ***************************** Bottom of data ****************************** 
                                                                            
                                                                            
                                                                            
                                                                            
 Command ===> ____________________________________________________________ 
 F1=Help     F7=Bkwd     F8=Fwd     F12=Cancel

All logical backups retrieved from the DFSMShsm inventory, with all the other logical backups registered in the CICS VR RCDS for the VSAM sphere, are displayed on the CICS VR backup prompt list. CICS VR tries to display the backup and recovery point dates and times in the format, local or GMT, that was specified on the previous VSAM sphere parameters secondary window. Place an S in the input field next to the backup that you would like to restore and then press Enter.

GMT format of the backup and recovery point dates and times might not be available in these cases:
  • CICS VR was not notified by DFSMShsm when the DFSMShsm logical backup was created.
  • The backup was made using backup-while-open (BWO) for a non-RLS VSAM data set.

Press F1 for further details about each of the listed parameters on the CICS VR backup prompt list.

CICS VR can restore a VSAM data set from one of the following backups:

Recovering DFSMShsm logical backups
DFSMShsm logical backups are identified by the product identifier HSMLB on the CICS VR backup prompt list. You can register DFSMShsm logical backups in the CICS VR RCDS, or CICS VR can dynamically retrieve information about DFSMShsm logical backups from DFSMShsm's inventory. When you select a DFSMShsm logical backup for restore, the appropriate keywords are added to the produced RECOVER command. CICS VR calls DFSMShsm to perform a restore of the selected DFSMShsm logical backup while running the recovery job.
Recovering DFSMSdss logical copies
DFSMSdss logical copies are identified by the product identifier DSSLC. You can register DFSMSdss logical copies in the CICS VR RCDS by specifying the CICSVRBACKUP and RENAMEU(**,CICSVR.**) keywords in the copy job. When you select a DFSMSdss logical copy, the DWWDSSLC restore skeleton, which is supplied with CICS VR, is added to the produced recovery job. CICS VR calls DFSMSdss to perform a copy of the selected DFSMSdss logical copy while the recovery job is running.
Recovering DFSMSdss logical dumps
DFSMSdss logical dumps are identified by the product identifier DSSLD in the CICS VR backup prompt list. You can register DFSMSdss logical dumps in the CICS VR RCDS by specifying the CICSVRBACKUP keyword in the dump job or by activating the DFSMSdss logical dump registration control default. When you select a DFSMSdss logical dump, the DWWDSSLD restore skeleton, which is supplied with CICS VR, is added to the produced recovery job. CICS VR calls DFSMSdss to perform a restore of the selected DFSMSdss logical dump while the recovery job is running.
Recovering other registered logical backups
You can register other logical backups in the CICS VR RCDS through the CICS VR file copy notification service. The product identifier associated with the backup that is in the CICS VR backup prompt list, is originally specified during notification. You must define a restore skeleton for each product identifier to CICS VR. The restore skeleton must contain a call to the appropriate program, the commands required to restore the backup, and variables to retrieve various pieces of information about the backup from the RCDS. When the backup is selected for restore, the restore skeleton associated with the backup is added to the produced recovery job and the values for all specified variables are substituted. The specified program is then called to restore the backup while the recovery job is running.
Recovering DFSMShsm full volume dumps
DFSMShsm full volume dumps are not in the CICS VR backup prompt list. To make CICS VR recover a VSAM sphere from a DFSMShsm full volume dump:
  1. Select Full Volume Dump as the backup type.
  2. In the Backup time input field, enter the date when the full volume dump was created.
The appropriate keywords are then added to the RECOVER command. CICS VR calls DFSMShsm to restore the data set from the entered DFSMShsm full volume dump while the recovery job is running.

See the CICS VR Implementation Guide and Reference for further information about backup notification, backup registration, and restore skeletons.

See General backup notification,Understanding CICS VR backup support and Restore skeletons for further information.