IMS Recovery Solution Pack features and benefits

IMS Database Recovery Facility

IMS Database Recovery Facility provides a streamlined approach to database recovery by recovering multiple database data sets in a single job step.

It reduces the potential workload of having to run multiple jobs or job steps when recovering IMS databases by integrating with other products that can create new image copies, rebuild indexes, and validate the recovered databases.

IMS Database Recovery Facility Extended Functions

IMS Database Recovery Facility Extended Functions provides the capability to identify problems in your environment that affect database recoverability.

It can also create common recovery points for multiple databases and provides an interface to create recovery JCL through the use of the IMS Database Recovery Facility.

IMS High Performance Change Accumulation Utility

IMS High Performance Change Accumulation Utility reduces recovery time by pre-processing log records and creating a merged file with accumulated database updates.

The change accumulation file can be used by the recovery process and eliminates the need to process the log records at recovery time, which can save time and resources.

It also allows you to process multiple change accumulation groups in a single job step, with a single pass of the IMS log data sets.

IMS High Performance Image Copy

IMS High Performance Image Copy reduces the unavailability time of databases by providing rapid image copy features and parallel processing and minimizes manual interventions.

It also reduces operational and media costs by compressing and stacking the image copies.

IMS Index Builder

IMS Index Builder eliminates the need to create image copies and log updates to IMS index data sets by providing a quick and efficient method for rebuilding indexes.

It also provides the ability to add new indexes to existing IMS databases as needed.

IMS Recovery Expert

IMS Recovery Expert provides disaster recovery support by transforming traditional IMS disaster recovery procedures into a tape-based disaster restart methodology

Tape offload support automates copying a system backup or partial system backup from disk to tape. A system backup can be used at the local site to restore an entire IMS system. At the remote site, it can be used to restore the IMS system for disaster recovery purposes.

Generated system level backups can be used for multiple purposes saving storage and processing resources. An IMS system level backup can be used for IMS system recovery, application recovery, database recovery, and for disaster restart or recovery. With this ability, significant CPU, I/O, and storage resources that would otherwise be required to make multiple backups for different purposes are saved.

Using the Combined System Level Backup function, with a single process you can back up and recover multiple IMS subsystems, multiple Db2® subsystems, or a combination of both, to a single, consistent point in time.

IMS Recovery Expert reduces recovery time by running restore and recovery operations in parallel. Storage-based fast-replication facilities are used to restore backups quickly while invoking IMS recovery processes, to reduce overall recovery time and minimize IMS and application downtime. IMS systems are restored using volume-based fast-replication, and IMS applications and databases are restored using data set-based fast-replication facilities.

In addition, IMS Recovery Expert can restore individual IMS databases from a system backup.

Other IMS Recovery Expert features include the following:

• Provides IMS-application-level recoveries.
• Copy blades provide storage processor integration and extensibility to support heterogeneous storage platforms and fast-replication features.

  IMS Recovery Expert supports IBM®, EMC, and HDS storage systems and fast-replication facilities using integrated copy blades.

• Provides extensive backup validation to ensure that the system backup contains all IMS files and catalog structures required for a successful recovery.
• Includes a System Setup feature that can be used to discover an IMS system and recommend layout and configuration changes so that the IMS system can be set up appropriately to accommodate a system backup and recovery methodology.
• Provides a comprehensive metadata repository to record backup information such as backup time, backup type, log byte addresses, and volumes used for the backup.

  Reports can be generated to monitor information such as backup methods and operations, storage volume usage, system backup volume usage, and archived backups.

• Provides an ISPF interface to display all the system backups that have been performed. IMS systems can be restored by selecting a system backup and specifying restore and recovery options.

IMS Solution Packs: Database Sensor

Database and Recovery Sensors collect statistics from IMS databases and DBRC RECON data sets, and store the data in a central repository that is provided by IMS Tools Knowledge Base.

The stored data can be used by Autonomics Director, Policy Services, and IMS Administration Foundation for database analysis and tuning purposes.