Complex save strategy

You have a short save window, which means that there is little or no time when your system is not being used for interactive or batch work. A very short save window requires a complex strategy for saving and for recovery.

You use the same tools and techniques that are described for a medium save strategy, but at a greater level of detail. For example, you might need to save specific critical files at specific times of the day or week. You might also want to consider using a tool, such as IBM® Backup Recovery and Media Services for iSeries™ (BRMS).

Saving your system while it is active is often necessary in a complex save strategy. The save active (SAVACT) parameter is supported on these commands:

If you use save-while-active support, you can significantly reduce the amount of time that files are made unavailable. When the system has established a checkpoint for all objects being saved, the objects can be made available for use. Save-while-active support can be used in combination with journaling and commitment control to simplify the recovery procedure. If you use the *LIB or *SYNCLIB values with the SAVACT parameter, you should use journaling to simplify recovery. If you use the *SYSDFN value with the SAVACT parameter, you must use commitment control if the library you are saving has related database objects. If you choose to use save-while-active support, make sure that you understand the process and monitor how well checkpoints are being established on your system.

You can also reduce the amount of time that files are unavailable by performing save operations on more than one device at a time, or by performing concurrent save operations. For example, you can save libraries to one device, folders to another device, and directories to third device. Or, you can save different sets of libraries or objects to different devices.

You can also use multiple devices simultaneously by performing a parallel save operation. To perform a parallel save operation, you need Backup Recovery and Media Services or an application that allows you to create media definition objects.

For more information about save-while-active support, concurrent save operations, and parallel save operations, see the Back up your server information.

Related concepts
IBM Backup Recovery and Media Services for iSeries
While it is active
More than one device
Back up your server
Commitment control
Journal management