You can handle large dumps, up to the combined
size of 32 DASD partitions, by creating dumps across multiple volumes.
Before you begin
You need to prepare a set of ECKD DASD devices for a
multi-volume dump, install the stand-alone dump tool on
each DASD device involved, perform the dump process, and copy the dump to a file in a Linux® file system.
About this task
You can specify up to 32 partitions on ECKD DASD volumes
for a multi-volume dump. The dump tool is installed on each volume involved.
The volumes must be formatted with the compatible disk layout (cdl, the default option when using
the dasdfmt command.)
You must specify block size 4096 for dasdfmt.
For example, Figure 1 shows three DASD volumes,
dasdb, dasdc, and dasdd, with four
partitions selected to contain the dump. To earmark the partition for dump, a dump signature is
written to each partition. Figure 1. Three DASD volumes with four partitions for a multi-volume
dump
The partitions need to be listed in a configuration file, for example:
/dev/dasdb2
/dev/dasdc1
/dev/dasdd1
/dev/dasdd3
You can define a maximum of three partitions on one DASD. All three volumes are
prepared for IPL; regardless of which you use the result is the same.
The following sections will take you through the entire process of creating a multi-volume dump.
