The SAV command can be used to create a backup of an optical volume image. The volume image is restored using the RST command.
An optical volume image is a copy of the entire optical volume in *SAVRST format. Using SAV, the volume image can be saved to any supported save/restore device including tape, diskette, optical, or save file.
Subsequently, when the volume image is restored using the RST command, the entire image must be restored to an existing optical volume either in a stand-alone device or an optical media library.
An optical volume image has unique properties that require the entire volume image to be saved or restored in a single operation. Once saved you cannot restore individual files or directories.
Once an optical volume image is saved, it can be viewed with DSPTAP, DSPDKT, DSPOPT, or DSPSAVF, depending on the save/restore device used. When the volume save/restore entry is displayed, option 8 can be used to display the additional information panel, which includes media specific information such as media type, volume capacity, sector size, and security attribute information. You cannot see the individual files and directories that make up the volume image.
Use of the generic SAV command to save optical data can be easily incorporated into an existing system backup strategy without requiring a separate command such as DUPOPT to perform the save operation. SAV provides a good alternative to DUPOPT because it allows a volume to be saved from a one drive optical media library or from a standalone device without requiring the allocation of a second optical device. SAV provides a viable incremental backup solution by periodically backing up volumes not yet at capacity to a save/restore device such as tape. When the volume is full it can be duplicated for archival purposes by either restoring the full volume to create a copy or by issuing DUPOPT to duplicate the volume.
Saving and then restoring an optical volume image creates an exact copy of the saved volume including the volume name. DUPOPT creates a copy of the source volume but the volume name is changed.