Making database backup copies

This topic explains how to make backup copies of your databases. It describes the utilities and how they affect IMS operations.

Image copies and the IMS image copy utilities
Backup copies of databases are called image copies. You can create image copies by using one of the image copy utilities provided by IMS. Depending on which utility you use, you can create image copies while databases are online, offline, or quiesced.
HSSP image copies
If you use the image copy option of HSSP, IMS creates image copies of DEDB areas for you.
Creating image copy data sets for future use
You can allocate image copy data sets before you need them.
Recovery period of image copy data sets
The recovery period is the amount of time before the current date for which DBRC maintains recovery information in the RECON data set.
Reusing image copy data sets
DBRC allows you to reuse old image copy data sets.
HISAM copies (DFSURUL0 and DFSURRL0)
The HISAM Reorganization Unload utility (DFSURUL0) can make backup copies of an entire HISAM database while it reorganizes the database, all in one pass.
Nonstandard image copy data sets
Image copy data sets that are not created by using one of the IMS image copy utilities are referred to as nonstandard image copy data sets or user image copy data sets.
Frequency and retention for backup copies
When developing a backup strategy for your databases you need to consider how frequently to make new copies and how long to keep old, back-level copies.

Parent topic: Database backup and recovery

Related concepts

Message queue backup copies
System data set backup copies