Syntax and options of the BACKUP SYSTEM control statement

The BACKUP SYSTEM utility control statement, with its multiple options, defines the function that the utility job performs.

Use the ISPF/PDF edit function to create a control statement and to save it in a sequential or partitioned data set. When you create the JCL for running the job, use the SYSIN DD statement to specify the name of the data set that contains the utility control statement.

When you specify BACKUP SYSTEM, you can specify only the following statements in the same step:
  • DIAGNOSE
  • OPTIONS PREVIEW
  • OPTIONS OFF
  • OPTIONS KEY
  • OPTIONS EVENT WARNING
In addition, BACKUP SYSTEM must be the last statement in SYSIN.
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Syntax diagram

Read syntax diagramSkip visual syntax diagram BACKUP SYSTEM FULL DATA ONLYDEADLINEnALTERNATE_CP( copy-pool)DBBSG( stogroup)LGBSG( stogroup)ESTABLISH FCINCREMENTALEND FCINCREMENTALFORCEDUMPdumpclass-specFORCEDUMPONLYTOKEN( X'byte-string')dumpclass-spec
dumpclass-spec
Read syntax diagramSkip visual syntax diagram DUMPCLASS ( ,dc1dc2dc3dc4dc5 )
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Option descriptions

FULL
Indicates that you want to copy both the database copy pool and the log copy pool.

You must ensure that the database copy pool is set up to contain the volumes for the databases and the associated integrated catalog facility (ICF) catalogs. You must also ensure that the log copy pool is set up to contain the volumes for the BSDSs, the active logs, and the associated catalogs.

Use BACKUP SYSTEM FULL to allow for recovery of both data and logs. You can use the RESTORE SYSTEM utility to recover the data. However, RESTORE SYSTEM does not restore the logs; the utility only applies the logs. If you want to restore the logs, you must use another method to restore them.

DATA ONLY
Indicates that you want to copy only the database copy pool. You must ensure that the database copy pool is set up to contain the volumes for the databases and the associated ICF catalogs.
Start of changeALTERNATE_CPEnd of change
Start of changeStart of changeSpecifies an alternate copy pool that the BACKUP SYSTEM is to use for the system-level backup. The ALTERNATE_CP parameter is used for both the database and log copy pools.

Specify ALTERNATE_CP if you want to make extra system-level backups on different target volumes. You can then use the DBBSG and LGBSG options to specify alternate backup storage groups rather than using the backup storage group that is associated with the copy pool storage group.

If the ALTERNATE_CP option is omitted from the utility control statement, BACKUP SYSTEM uses the following copy pools:
  • If the value of the ALTERNATE_CP subsystem parameter is blank, BACKUP SYSTEM uses the standard copy pools (DSN$locname$DB for the database copy pool and DSN$locname$LG for the log copy pool).
  • If the ALTERNATE_CP subsystem parameter is not blank, BACKUP SYSTEM alternates between the standard copy pools and the alternate copy pools that are specified in the ALTERNATE_CP subsystem parameter.
(copy-pool)
A string value to be used for the copy pool name. This value can be up to 14 characters. DB2® builds the copy pool names as follows:
  • DSN$copy-pool$DB for the database copy pool
  • DSN$copy-pool$LG for the log copy pool

These copy pool names must be defined in the DFSMS configuration.

Related information:
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Start of changeDBBSGEnd of change
Start of changeSpecifies the backup storage group for the database copy pool. This option is valid only if ALTERNATE_CP is specified.
(storgroup)
The name of the storage group. This name can be up to 8 characters and must be defined to DFSMS with the COPY POOL BACKUP attribute.

Start of changeOnly one copy pool backup storage group can be specified for the DBBSG value.End of change

If DBBSG is not specified, BACKUP SYSTEM uses the value of the UTIL_DBBSG subsystem parameter. If UTIL_DBBSG is blank, BACKUP SYSTEM uses the copy pool backup storage group that is associated with each copy pool storage group, as defined in DFSMS.

Related information:
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Start of changeLGBSGEnd of change
Start of changeSpecifies the backup storage group for the log copy pool. This option is valid only if ALTERNATE_CP is specified.
(storgroup)
The name of the storage group. This name can be up to 8 characters and must be defined to DFSMS with the COPY POOL BACKUP attribute.

Start of changeOnly one copy pool backup storage group can be specified for the LGBSG value.End of change

If LGBSG is not specified, BACKUP SYSTEM uses the value of the UTIL_LGBSG subsystem parameter. If UTIL_LGBSG is blank, BACKUP SYSTEM uses the copy pool backup storage group that is associated with each copy pool storage group, as defined in DFSMS.

Related information:
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ESTABLISH FCINCREMENTAL
Specifies that a persistent incremental FlashCopy® relationship is to be established, if none exists, for source copy volumes in the database copy pool. Use this keyword once to establish the persistent incremental FlashCopy relationships. Subsequent invocations of BACKUP SYSTEM (without this keyword) automatically process the persistent incremental FlashCopy relationship.
END FCINCREMENTAL
Specifies that a last incremental FlashCopy is to be taken and that the persistent incremental FlashCopy relationship is to be withdrawn for all of the volumes in the database copy pool. Use this keyword only if you do not want further incremental FlashCopy backups of the database copy pool.
FORCE
Indicates that you want to overwrite the oldest DFSMShsm version of the fast replication copy of the database copy pool. You can overwrite these copy pools even if the dump to tape or the copy pool's DFSMShsm dump classes were initiated, but are only partially completed.

Use the FORCE option only if it is more important to take a new system-level backup than to save a previous system-level backup to tape.

DUMP
Indicates that you want to create a fast replication copy of the database copy pool and the log copy pool on disk and then initiate a dump to tape of the fast replication copy. The dump to tape begins after Db2 successfully establishes relationships for the fast replication copy.

The BACKUP SYSTEM utility does not wait for the dump processing to complete.

This option requires z/OS® Version 1.8.

DUMPCLASS
Indicates the DFSMShsm dump class that you want to use for the dump processing. You can specify up to five dump classes. If you do not specify a dump class, Db2 uses the default dump classes that are defined for the copy pools.
DUMPONLY
Indicates that you want to create a dump on tape of an existing fast replication copy (that resides on the disk) of the database copy pool and the log copy pool. You can also use this option to resume a dump process that failed.

The BACKUP SYSTEM utility does not wait for the dump processing to complete.

This option requires z/OS Version 1.8.

TOKEN (X'byte-string')
Specifies which fast replication copy of the database copy pool and the log copy pool to dump to tape.

The token is a 36 digit or 44-digit hexadecimal byte string that uniquely identifies each system-level backup and is reported in the DSNJU0004 job output. For a data sharing system, run DSNJU0004 with the MEMBER option so that the system-level backup information is displayed for all members. Backups that are taken before the BSDS is converted to 10-byte extended format are identified with 36-digit tokens. Backups that are taken after the BSDS is converted to 10-byte extended format are identified with 44-digit tokens. If specified, the token must be in the correct format for the system-level backup.

If you do not specify TOKEN, the most recent fast replication copy of the copy pools is dumped to tape.