Save files

Understand what save files are and how to use them in your save and restore operations.

Using a save file allows you to save and restore objects without first placing save media into your save media device. You can also use a save file to send objects from one System i® environment to another over communications lines. You can use the save file as an online container to save the contents of a single library to run overnight. The next day, save the contents of the save file to storage media with the Save Save File Data (SAVSAVFDTA) command. Objects saved to media using the SAVSAVFDTA command can be restored directly from save media, using the RSTLIB, RSTOBJ, or RST command.

A few things to consider when saving to save files are:

• Only one library can be saved to a save file.
• You cannot save or send a save file that is larger than the target release allows.
• Performance can vary, depending on other disk activity. Save files can be created on or moved to an ASP for improved performance and additional protection from system disk unit failures.
• The maximum capacity of a save file is approximately 2 TB (where TB equals 1 099 511 627 776 bytes). You can specify the maximum size of the save file on the Create Save File (CRTSAVF) command.

Remember to specify data compression on the save commands to reduce the space for the save file and the amount of media needed for the SAVSAVFDTA command. (Data compression is not an option on the SAVSAVFDTA command.)

If you are using virtual I/O storage, which supports virtual disk, optical, and tape devices, you can write a save file to a virtual disk.