Defining an aggregate group
The aggregate group identifies the selection data sets, instruction
data set, and additional control information required to perform aggregate
backup. The aggregate group is an SMS construct you must define through
a set of ISMF panels before you can perform aggregate backup. You must activate the newly defined SMS configuration
before issuing the ABACKUP command.
Note: If you modify
the aggregate group definition, the SMS configuration should be reactivated.
This is not required if you are only changing the contents of the
selection or instruction data sets.
You must specify the following information in the aggregate group:
- Aggregate group name
- The name can be up to 8 characters long.
- Selection data sets
- Insert the names of one-to-five selection data sets you created for this aggregate backup. See Creating selection data sets.
- Description
- This is an optional description of the aggregate group.
- Copies
- Insert the number of copies of the ABARS output files to be created. The maximum number of copies is 15, and the default is one copy.
- Output data set prefix
- The prefix identifies the output data sets created by aggregate
backup. These output data sets are created with the following naming
conventions:
- outputdatasetprefix.D.CnnVnnnn and outputdatasetprefix.O.CnnVnnnn for the data file
- outputdatasetprefix.C.CnnVnnnn for the control file
- outputdatasetprefix.I.CnnVnnnn for the instruction/activity log file
Because they all share a common output data set prefix and version number, it is easier to identify all the output data sets from one aggregate backup.
Example: If you specify the outputdatasetprefix as 'PAY1', the data, control, and instruction/activity log files would have the names PAY1.D.C01V0001, PAY1.O.C01V0001, PAY1.C.C01V0001, and PAY1.I.C01V0001, respectively.
Note: Cnn is the copy number
and Vnnnn is the version number generated
during the ABACKUP operation.
Since you can make up to 15 copies in a single ABACKUP, the copy number identifies to which copy the file belongs. The version number is the same for all copies made in a single ABACKUP operation.
Example: If an aggregate group definition
indicates that two copies are to be made, the first time that you
perform an ABACKUP function on that aggregate group, the following
files are created:
PAY1.D.C01V0001
PAY1.O.C01V0001
PAY1.C.C01V0001
PAY1.I.C01V0001
PAY1.D.C02V0001
PAY1.O.C02V0001
PAY1.C.C02V0001
PAY1.I.C02V0001
The next time that you perform an ABACKUP on that aggregate group,
you create the following files:
PAY1.D.C01V0002
PAY1.O.C01V0002
PAY1.C.C01V0002
PAY1.I.C01V0002
PAY1.D.C02V0002
PAY1.O.C02V0002
PAY1.C.C02V0002
PAY1.I.C02V0002
Related reading
For more information about how to define the aggregate group by using ISMF panels, see z/OS DFSMSdfp Storage Administration.