SET DBRECOVERY (Set the device class for automatic backups)

Use this command to specify the device class and number of data streams to be used for automatic database backups. You can also use this command to configure the BACKUP DB command to automatically back up the master encryption key for the server.

The master encryption key is used to encrypt data in directory-container and cloud-container storage pools, and to encrypt sensitive information in the server database. If you do not back up the master encryption key, you might not be able to access any of these encrypted items if a disaster occurs.

If you run the BACKUP DB command, and the device class is not the one that is specified in the SET DBRECOVERY command, a warning message is returned. However, the backup operation continues and is not affected.

Privilege class

To issue this command, you must have system or unrestricted storage privilege.

Syntax

Read syntax diagramSkip visual syntax diagram SET DBRECOVery device_class_name NUMStreams=1NUMStreams=numberCOMPress=NoCOMPress=NoYesPROTECTKeys=YesPROTECTKeys=NoYesPASSword=password_nameENCRypt=YesENCRypt=YesNo1
Notes:
  • 1 This parameter applies only to device classes of type CLOUD.

Parameters

device_class_name (Required)
Specifies the device class to use for database backups.
NUMStreams
Specifies the number of parallel data movement streams to use when you back up the database. The default value is 1. You can specify a value in the range 1 - 99. Increasing this value causes a corresponding increase in the number of database backup sessions to be used and in the number of drives to be used for the device class. A NUMSTREAMS value that is specified in the BACKUP DB command overrides any value set in the SET DBRECOVERY command. The NUMSTREAMS value is used for all types of database backups.
If a value is specified that is greater than the number of drives available for the device class, the number of available drives are used. The available drives are defined to the device class by the MOUNTLIMIT parameter or by the number of online drives for the specified device class. The session is displayed in the QUERY SESSION output.
If you increase the number of streams, more volumes are used from the corresponding device class for this operation. Using more volumes might improve the speed of the database backups, but at the cost of more volumes that are not fully used.
COMPress
Specifies whether volumes are compressed during database backup processing. This parameter is optional. The default value is No. You can specify one of the following values:
No
Specifies that the volumes that are created by the BACKUP DB command are not compressed.
Yes

Specifies that the volumes that are created by the BACKUP DB command are compressed.

If you specify the COMPRESS parameter on the BACKUP DB command, it overrides any value that is set in the SET DBRECOVERY command. Otherwise, the value that is set in the SET DBRECOVERY command is used.
Restrictions:
  • Use caution when you specify the COMPRESS parameter. Using compression during database backups can reduce the size of the backup files. However, compression can increase the time to complete database backup processing.
  • Do not back up compressed data to tape. If your system environment stores database backups on tape, set the COMPRESS parameter to NO in the SET DBRECOVERY and BACKUP DB commands.
  • For CLOUD device classes, ensure that only encryption or compression is enabled.
PROTECTKeys
Specifies that database backups include a copy of the master encryption key for the server that is used to encrypt node passwords, administrator passwords, and storage pool data. The master encryption key is stored in the dsmkeydb files. If you lose the dsmkeydb files, nodes and administrators are unable to authenticate with the server because the server is unable to read the passwords that are encrypted by using the master encryption key. In addition, any data that is stored in an encrypted storage pool cannot be retrieved without the master encryption key. This parameter is optional. The default value is Yes. You can specify one of the following values:
No
Specifies that database backups do not include a copy of the master encryption key for the server.
Restriction: The PROTECTKEYS=NO parameter does not apply to a device class with a type of CLOUD.
Attention: If you specify PROTECTKEYS=NO, you must manually back up the master encryption key for the server and make the key available when you implement disaster recovery. You cannot recover from a disaster without the master encryption key.
Yes
Specifies that database backups include a copy of the master encryption key for the server.

If you specify PROTECTKEYS=YES, you must also specify the PASSWORD parameter.

Important: Cloud device classes require the PROTECTKEYS=YES parameter.
PASSword
Specifies the password that is used to protect the database backups. By default, database backup operations are protected by using a password. The minimum length of the password is 8 characters unless a different value is specified by using the SET MINPWLENGTH command. The maximum length of the password is 64 characters.
Attention: Ensure that you remember the password and keep a copy stored in a secure location. Without the password, data cannot be recovered. If you specify a password for database backup, you must specify the same password on the RESTORE DB command to restore the database.
ENCRypt
Specifies whether the server encrypts the database backup. This parameter is optional and applies only to CLOUD device classes. The default value is YES. You can specify one of the following values:
Yes
Specifies that the database backup is encrypted by the server by using 256-bit Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) data encryption.
No
Specifies that the database backup is not encrypted by the server.
Restriction: Restrictions on database backup operations to cloud object storage prevent the encryption and compression options from being concurrently set to YES. Ensure that only encryption or compression is enabled.
  • To turn off encryption, specify ENCRYPT=NO.
  • To turn off compression, specify COMPRESS=NO.

Example: Specify a device class for database backups

Specify the DBBACK device class for database backups. Run the following command:
set dbrecovery dbback

Example: Specify a device class and number of streams for database backups

Specify the DBBACK device class for database backups, and specify that the backup is to use two data movement streams. Run the following command:
set dbrecovery dbback numstreams=2

Example: Protect storage pool encryption keys in database backups

Encrypt storage pool data by specifying that database backups include a copy of the master encryption key for the server. Run the following command:
set dbrecovery dbback protectkeys=yes password=password_name

Example: Turn off encryption for the database backup operations to the cloud

To turn off encryption for database backup operations that use the CLOUD device class CLEVERDEV, run the following command:
set dbrecovery cleverdev password=password encrypt=no

Related commands

Table 1. Commands related to SET DBRECOVERY
Command Description
BACKUP DB Backs up the IBM Spectrum Protect database to sequential access volumes.
QUERY DB Displays allocation information about the database.
QUERY DBSPACE Displays information about the storage space defined for the database.