How aggregate backup works

In general, to use aggregate backup, you first specify the data sets to be backed up, and then use the ABACKUP command or ISMF panels to back up the data sets to tape files. These tape files can then be physically transported or transmitted, using a transmission program like the NetView® file transfer program (FTP), to a recovery site where the data sets can be recovered.

The following topics describe how data sets are specified for backup, how the ABACKUP command is used, which tape files are created by aggregate backup, and how to use the Aggregate Backup Assist (ABA) program to produce a selection data set.