BRMS FlashCopy support

ESS FlashCopy® creates a clone of the source system onto a second set of disk drives which are then attached and used by another system or LPAR partition. BRMS provides a mechanism to perform a backup on the second system such that it appears to have been done on the original system.

The following are the steps needed to succeed in this special backup:

1. On the primary system.
   1. Prepare BRMS for FlashCopy.
      1. First enable BRMS for FlashCopy by setting the Enable FlashCopy parameter on the System Policy to *YES. Type WRKPCYBRM *SYS, select option 1 and page to the bottom screen.

           V6R1M0                   Change System Policy                      RCHAS400
         
         Type choices, press Enter.
         
         End subsystems wait time . . . . . . . . 1200          1-99999 seconds,*IMMED
         End servers wait time  . . . . . . . . .    0          0-9999 seconds
         Controlling subsystem:
         Allow backups in batch . . . . . . . . *NO           *NO, *YES
         Restricted state time limit  . . . . . *NOMAX        5-9999 minutes, *NOMAX
         Trace  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . *YES          *NO, *YES
         Allow alternate input media. . . . . . . *YES          *NO, *YES
         Volume prefix  . . . . . . . . . . . . .              Prefix
         Enable FlashCopy . . . . . . . . . . . . *YES          *NO, *YES
         BRMS submitted jobs:
         Job description. . . . . . . . . . . . *NONE         Name, *USRPRF
         Library. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   *NONE       Name, *LIBL, *CURLIB
         Job queue. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . *NONE         Name, *JOBD
         Library. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   *NONE       Name, *LIBL, *CURLIB
         
         
         Bottom
         F3=Exit   F4=Prompt   F5=Refresh   F12=Cancel                                 

      2. Next you will need to notify BRMS, that this system's data is being copied via ESS FlashCopy and the backup could be performed on the clone system. This step is required prior to performing FlashCopy function. Run this command:

         INZBRM OPTION(*FLASHCOPY) STATE(*STRPRC)

         Note:

         When the system is in FlashCopy mode, a BRMS synchronization job will not run on the production system. BRMS activity should not be performed on the production system until all steps in post FlashCopy steps are completed. Any update to the BRMS database on the production system via any BRMS activity such as save, restore, BRMS maintenance will be lost. When the system is in FlashCopy state, all BRMS incoming communication from the BRMS networked system will be blocked. BRMS backup information about the current system might be outdated when backup is being performed on the clone system.
   2. Quiesce system (PWRDWNSYS) to ensure all main storage content is written to disk.
   3. Issue the FlashCopy.
   4. Restart the primary system.
2. On the secondary system.
   1. Change system attributes and network configuration during manual IPL.
   2. Set BRMS system state to FlashCopy mode.
      1. Use the following command to set the BRMS system state to the backup FlashCopy state: <INZBRM OPTION(*FLASHCOPY) STATE(*STRBKU)
   3. Secondary system is treated as the primary system in the BRMS network.
   4. Complete saves using BRMS.
   5. Set BRMS state to FlashCopy backup complete mode.
      1. Use the following command to set the BRMS state back to complete mode: <INZBRM OPTION(*FLASHCOPY) STATE(*ENDBKU)
   6. Save QUSRBRM and transfer it to the primary system. To save QUSRBRM issue the following command:

      SAVLIBBRM LIB(QUSRBRM) DEV(tape-media-library-device-name) MEDPCY(media-policy) OBJDTL(*OBJ) SAVTYPE(*FULL) SEQNBR(1) ENDOPT(*REWIND)

3. Back on the primary system.
   1. Restore the QUSRBRM that was saved and brought over from the secondary system. Run this command:

      QSYS/RSTLIB SAVLIB(QUSRBRM) DEV(tape-media-library-device-name) VOL(volume-identifier) SEQNBR(1) OMITOBJ((QUSRBRM/*ALL *JRN)) ALWOBJDIF(*FILELVL *AUTL *OWNER *AUTL) MBROPT(*ALL)

   2. Use the following command to set the BRMS FlashCopy state back to complete mode: <INZBRM OPTION(*FLASHCOPY) STATE(*ENDPRC)
      Note:
      This will start Q1ABRMNET subsystem if system is not in restricted state. This will start all BRMS synchronization jobs.
   3. Resume BRMS activities on the primary system.

For additional information on FlashCopy, please refer to the iSeries® and IBM® TotalStorage: A Guide to Implementing External Disk on eServer™ i5 Redbooks® publication.