Copy export overview
The copy export function allows a copy of selected virtual volumes that are written to the TS7700 to be removed and taken offsite for disaster recovery purposes.
- All exported physical volumes are placed into a library attached to an empty TS7700.
- A disaster recovery procedure is invoked through the TS7700 Management Interface.Note: You must also restore the host environment (tape catalog, tape management system, and so on.).
- The disaster recovery procedure reestablishes access to the virtual volumes contained on the exported physical volume.
The Export List Volume is a virtual volume that provides completion status and export operation information for the copy export function. The host that initiates copy export creates an Export List Volume on the TS7700 that performs the operation. The TS7700 performing the operation uses the Export List Volume for project status, export information, and execution instructions. The TS7700 then creates response records in the Export List Volume that list the virtual volumes exported and the physical volume that they reside on. You can use this information as a record for data that is offsite. Finally, the TS7700 writes records in the Export List Volume for any offsite physical volumes that have been reclaimed and no longer contain any active data. The Bulk Volume Information Retrieval (BVIR) function can provide a list of the offsite physical volumes that are empty in the Export List Volume and can be used to obtain a current list of exported physical volumes for a secondary pool. Information is provided for the amount of active data contained by each exported physical volume.
Host Console Request and Host Copy Enable. The Host Console Request (HCR) and Host Copy Enable functions expand the range of copy operations.
The copy export function is also supported by the HCR function. Through HCR, you can request that a physical volume exported with copy export be queued for reclamation, regardless of whether it has met any of the reclaim criteria you have established for the TS7700. You can use the HCR function from the zOS host console to remove a physical volume that is exported with copy export that no longer has any valid data on it. For detailed information about the copy export function, please refer to the IBM® White Paper, IBM Virtualization Engine TS7700 Series Copy Export User's Guide, WP101092, available at the IBM Support & Downloads web page linked in the Related information section.
Host Copy Enable permits the host to enable or disable copies to and from the specified distributed library. A request to disable copies permits any copies in progress to continue, but prevents initiation of additional copy operations to the specified distributed library. Copy operations continue to queue and operations between other distributed libraries in the TS7700 Grid remain unaffected. A request to enable copies allows the specified distributed library to again become a source for copies and initiate copy operations where it is the target.
Host Override for Cache Residency. You can also use the HCR function to modify how virtual volumes are managed in the tape volume cache. The Host Override for Cache Residency function allows the preference group for a virtual volume to be temporarily overridden while the volume is in cache. This function also permits you to keep a virtual volume in cache longer by making it appear as the most recently accessed volume.
Copy Export Recovery Code Level Limitations. A copy export recovery can occur only within a TS7700 that is operating a code level equal to or later than the microcode level of the TS7700 that exported the physical volumes.