Move data between iSeries servers using copy file commands

Another way to move data from one iSeries™ server to another is to copy the data using the copy file commands with DDM.

You can use the Copy File (CPYF), Copy Source File (CPYSRCF), and Copy From Query File (CPYFRMQRYF) commands to copy data between files on source and application servers (ASs). You can copy local relational database or device files from (or to) remote database files, and remote files can also be copied to remote files.

For example, if a dealership closes, the distributed relational database administrator can copy the client and inventory tables from the remote server to the local regional server. The administrator needs a properly authorized user profile on the application server (AS) to access and copy the tables and must create a DDM file on the application requester (AR) for each table or file that is copied. The following example shows the command the database administrator would use to copy a table called INVENT in a collection called SPIFFY from a server with a remote location name of KC105 to a regional center server called KC000. A DDM file called INCOPY in a library called TEST on the application requester (AR) KC000 is used for the file access. These commands are run on the KC000 server:

CRTDDMF   FILE(TEST/INCOPY) RMTFILE(SPIFFY/INVENT)
   RMTLOCNAME(KC105)
CPYF      FROMFILE(TEST/INCOPY)  TOFILE(TEST/INVENTDDM)
   MBROPT(*ADD)

In this example, the administrator runs the commands on the KC000 server. If the administrator is not on the KC000 server, then pass-through must be used to run these commands on the KC000 server. The Submit Remote Command (SBMRMTCMD) command cannot be used to run the above commands because the iSeries server cannot be an application requester (AR) and an application server (AS) for the same job.

Consider the following items when using this command with DDM:

A DDM file can be specified on the FROMFILE and the TOFILE parameters for the Copy File (CPYF) command and Copy Source File (CPYSRCF) commands.
Note: For the Copy From Query File (CPYFRMQRYF) and Copy from Tape (CPYFRMTAP) commands, a DDM file name can be specified only on the TOFILE parameter; for the Copy to Tape (CPYTOTAP) command, a DDM file name can be specified only on the FROMFILE parameter.
When a delete-capable file is copied to a non-delete capable file, you must specify COMPRESS(*YES), or an error message is sent and the job ends.
If the remote file name on a DDM file specifies a member name, the member name specified for that file on the Copy File (CPYF) command must be the same as the member name on the remote file name on the DDM file. In addition, the Override with Database File (OVRDBF) command cannot specify a member name that is different from the member name on the remote file name on the DDM file.
If a DDM file does not specify a member name and if the Override with Database File (OVRDBF) command specifies a member name for the file, the Copy File (CPYF) command uses the member name specified on the OVRDBF command.
If the TOFILE parameter is a DDM file that refers to a file that does not exist, CPYF creates the file. Keep the following special considerations for remote files created with the Copy File (CPYF) command in mind:
- The user profile for the target DDM job must be authorized to the Create Physical File (CRTPF) command on the application server (AS).
- For an iSeries target, the TOFILE parameter has all the attributes of the FROMFILE parameter except those described in the File management topic.
When using TCP/IP, the second element of the RMTLOCNAME parameter of the Create Distributed Data Management File (CRTDDMF) command must be *IP.