AS400- Backups Using BRMS

Bikash Kumar Sahay

Prepared by : Bikashh

Date :

18-12-098

Page Number : 1

Purpose

Why Backups ?
How to plan your backup ?
BRMS Application
Functionality of Media Library

Prepared by : Bikash Date :

08/05/08

Page Number : 2

Objective

After the session you would be able to

Resolve problems with backups
Understand how BRMS functions and its parts.
Able to schedule backups on AS400 machine

Prepared by : Bikash Date :

08/05/08

Page Number : 3

Backup

Backup -> making copies of data so as to restore the original after a

data loss event.

Importance
Restore a computer to an operational state following a disaster
(called disaster recovery).
to restore small numbers of files after they have been
accidentally deleted or corrupted

Prepared by : Bikash

Date :

08/05/08

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Backup Types
Full
Incremental
Differential or Cumulative

Incremental Vs Cumulative
Sun

Mon

Tue

Wed

Thu

Object

A+a

A+a+b

A+a+b+c

A+a+b+c+d

Full

A+a

A+a+b

A+a+b+c

A+a+b+c+d

Incr

Cum

a+b

a+b+c

a+b+c+d

AS01

AS02

AS03

AS04

AS05

AS01

AS01,AS02

AS01,AS02,AS03

AS01, AS02 , AS03, AS04

AS01, AS02, AS03, AS04,

AS05

AS01

AS01,AS02

AS01,AS03

AS01,AS04

AS01,AS05

Tape

Incremental

Cumulative

Implementing Backups Strategies

Backup to Tapes Objects are saved on the tapes and
then tapes are moved to a different location for storage.
Backup on another Server Any change on the primary
server is copied on the backup / Mirror server with the
help of a Replicator e.g. Mimix.

BRMS
GO BRMS

BRMS

BRMS Standard Product

The standard product provides capability to implement
Fully automated backup,
Recovery
Media management strategy for your iSeries system

Backup
Assists in establishing a disciplined approach to design
and manage backup operations.
Helps to define, process, monitor and report backup
activities.
Used to back up all of the data on iSeries system
including objects in libraries, folders, directories, spooled
files, security information, system configurations, and the
operating system itself.
This can be achieved thorough various control groups

: 11

Recovery:
Provides for the orderly retrieval of lost or damaged data
Recovery reports helps to recover the system
sequentially .Reports contains restore instructions as
well as tapes details
With BRMS, you can restore your entire system, or
selected items such as control groups, libraries, objects,
folders, auxiliary storage pools (ASPs), spooled files, or
Integrated File System links.

Media Management
Tracks all the tapes and save files. Media is tracked
through all cycles from creation to expiration.
Tracking process includes active use, storage location,
and return to scratch pool availability.
Tracks media until you remove it from the media
inventory or until it is otherwise disabled due to usage
threshold or poor quality rating.
Records and updates changes to the media inventory.

BRMS Policies
Policies define how BRMS operations are generally to be
done
This is similar to the ways in which system values control
how your iSeries operates.
They establish actions and assumptions that are used
during processing.

BRMS Policies
They also provide a single point of control for
administering broad changes in operating principles.
Each policy provides a template for managing backup
and media management strategies at high levels.

Type of Policies
The standard BRMS package provides the following
policies
The System Policy : Similar to a set of system values.
In Absence of any policies system policy parameters determine the
policy defaults for BRMS operations

Types of Policies
The Backup Policy :

Specifies how to perform backups.

Define weekly backup activities
Types of incremental backup,
Level at which media information is saved.

One backup policy governs all backup operations. You

can define or change these operations at the control
group level.

Type of Policies
The Recovery Policy

Defines how recovery operations are generally to

be performed.
One recovery policy governs all recovery
operations.

Types of policies
The Media Policy
Govern the handling of media by media type.
Determine retention periods
Instruct BRMS where to find the appropriate tapes to perform
your backup.
Determine if backup operations will create and use save
files.
Unlike system, backup, and recovery policies, multiple media
policies can exist

Type of Policies
The Move Policy
determines the movement of media from creation through
expiration, and through various on and off site storage
locations.
Multiple move policies can also exist

BRMS Control Groups

Consist of groups of libraries, objects, folders, spooled files, and

other types of data that share common characteristics or that can be
grouped together for backup purposes.

Policies determine how data is processed, control groups

determine, by their content, which data to process.

Specify kinds of backup to perform, such as full, incremental, or

cumulative-incremental.

BRMS Control Groups

Specify which days the data will be processed, and the order in
which the processing occurs.

Control groups usually refer to, and work with, related policies.

You can set control group attributes to override policy decisions.

Though you cannot create control groups specifically for a recovery

job, BRMS does efficiently recover data by control groups.

How Policies and Control Groups Work

Together
The media, move, backup, and recovery policies are
sometimes called function policies because they pertain
to specific, core BRMS functional activities.
The system policy is called a global policy because
BRMS applies many of its values to the core functional
activities.

Policies

The system policy is global and encompasses the function policies

and the control groups.

The information contained in system policy parameters overrides

information that is contained in function policy parameters.

By the same token, function policy information, unless otherwise

altered, overrides control group information.

Policies
Since save and restore needs vary depending on
customer needs, policies and control groups that share
the same parameters and values can override one
another.
In this way, a function policy value can override a shared
system policy value, and a control group value can
override a shared function or system policy value.

System Policy

Backup Policy

Backup Policy

Control Group

Control Group

Tip
If you have modified the default values, you can reset
these back to the default values by running the INZBRM
OPTION(*DATA) command.

Prepared by :Bikash

Date :

08/05/08

Page Number : 32

Storage locations

Storage locations define any place where media is

stored.
Two storage locations are provided as defaults with
BRMS/400:

*HOME: The default on-site storage location

VAULT: The default off-site storage location

Storage Location
Storage Location in the media policy instructs where to
look for a tape to perform backup.
Normally this is the scratch pool or the automated tape
library, but it can also be another location.
The default for the storage location parameter in the
media policy is *ANY.

Storage Location
One should review this parameter, especially if one
permit media to expire in a location other than the
home location so that BRMS/400 does not request the
mount of a tape that is not even on-site.
For media libraries, one must be careful in specifying the
storage location to ensure it only indicates tapes that are
inside of the library.

Storage Location

Work with Storage Locations (WRKLOCBRM) command display the

storage locations that are defined for BRMS/400.

The WRKLOCBRM command can also be used to add, change, or

remove storage locations.

We can work with media or containers that are in the storage

locations by selecting additional parameters when using the change
option for a specific storage location.

A Media Policy

Media Policy
There are two important field parameters which needs to
be set correctly:
Allow volumes to expire: Should be set to *NO for your
off-site location. One could select *YES for a storage
location that is physically located near the system such
as the computer room or a tape library.

Media Policy
Media slotting:
*YES if media is to be filed and tracked by individual
slot numbers at storage locations
Media slotting is optional and can be used for some
storage locations and not for others,
*HOME is set to a media slotting value of * NO.
VAULT is set to a media slotting value of *YES.

Media Policy
Media can be assigned a slot number when it is added
to the BRMS/400 media inventory using the Add Media
to BRM (ADDMEDB RM) command.
Slot numbers can be changed using the Change Media
in BRM (CHGMEDBRM) command.

Media devices
Work with Devices using BRM (WRKDEVBRM)
command shows all of the devices and their associated
type and model that are defined to BRMS/400.
This command allows to add, change, or remove a
device from a list of devices
For adding a device, it must already be defined to the
system through the device description (CRTDEV*)
function.

WRKDEVBRM

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Date :

08/05/08

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Option 2- Change

Media classes

Media classes define the types of physical media that are used for
backup, archive, or recovery operations

Within each type of physical media, there may be a further

distinction by format or capacity.

BRMS/400 creates classes for all media types supported by the

drive. The Work with Media Classes (WRKCLSBRM) command can
be used to add, change, or remove media classes

WRKCLSBRM

Media classes

An additional media class called SAVSYS is automatically created

by BRMS/400 for the alternate IPL tape device.

The media class for SAVSYS should not be shared .This is because

You would not like to share your media with another system.
During SAVSYS system is in restricted state so no
communication lines will be active. Hence no check can be
made if the shared volume is also in use on another system.

Move policy
BRMS volume movement is normally controlled using a
move policy WRKPCYBRM TYPE(*MOV).
A default move policy of OFFSITE is created when
BRMS/400 is installed.

A simple move policy

Move policy

The move policy is associated with an expired volume when it is

saved

Once the volume has followed all the sequences in the move policy
and reached the home location, the move policy is removed from
the volume.

In addition, the volume will not have a move policy associated with
it. This normally occurs when the volume expires.

Move policy

When a volume is used and a move policy is associated with the

volume, the volume will be at the location of the standalone tape
drive or that of the Tape Media Library.

Once the move policy is associated with the volume and media
movement is run (via maintenance ( STRMNTBRM
MOVMED(*YES) ) or via media movement (MOVMEDBRM)
commands), the logical location of the volume will change.

Move policy

If move verification is *YES in the move policy, the change in

logical location occurs after VFYMOVBRM is run

The volume then follows the sequences in the move policy.

Once it reaches the last sequence and it is complete, it moves to

the home location specified in the move policy. (The default is
*SYSPCY which refers to the home location specified in the system
policy - WRKPCYBRM TYPE(*SYS) , Option 1 )

Example

Volumes are in a tape library, TAPMLB01, and will move to an on-site vault for 3 days and then
move off-site until they expire. Once they return, they will be placed back in the tape library.
Move policy . . . . . . . . . .
Home location . . . . . . . . .
Use container . . . . . . . . .
Verify moves . . . . . . . . .
Calendar for working days . . .
Calendar for move days . . . .
Text . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Seq
10
20

Location

Duration
VAULT
OFFSITE

:
:
:
:
:
:
:

MYMOVEPCY
TAPMLB01
*NO
*NO
*ALLDAYS
*ALLDAYS
Entry created by BRM configuration
3
*EXP

Once the volume is moved to TAPMLB01, the move policy for that volume is changed to *NONE

Tips
If you are planning to use APPEND(*YES) as part of your
backup policy, you must make sure that the move policy
keeps the tape on-site for enough days.

Media policy

Media policy
Media Policy = { Retention Period, Media Class, Move
Policy }
Media policies are designed / created keeping in mind
the retention period and the media class that has to be
used. So we can say Media Policy as a function
consisting both of them as an element

Default Media Policies

With the installation of BRMS/400, there are three
default media policies:
FULL (35 days retention) with a move policy of
OFFSITE
INCR (incremental, 14 days retention) with a move
policy of *NONE
ARCHIVAL (1725 days retention) with a move policy of
*NONE

Change Media Policy

Prepared by : Rhishabh

Date :

08/05/08

Page Number : 59

BRMS/400 policies
The seven types of policies are:
System policy
Media policy
Move policy
Backup policy
Archive policy
Retrieve policy
Recovery policy

System and backup policies

The system policy is the same as a set of system values
Unless other controls are in effect, the system policy
determines the default for all users

System Policy
Provides defaults for
Default media policy, tape device, location of media
Whether to sign off interactive users before a backup or
archive function is started, or specify a list of users and
devices that continue to remain active.
License information and default values for displaying
BRMS/400 log.

System Policy
List of subsystems to check before performing an IPL. If
any of the subsystems in the list are active when an IPL
is scheduled, BRMS/400 does not perform an IPL.
Presentation controls such as characters used for full
backup, incremental backups, and defining the first day
of the week

System Policy

Backup Policy

As with the system policy, you can also change the

backup policy to tailor some of the parameters based on
your backup strategy.

Backup Policy

Prepared by : Rhishabh

Date :

08/05/08

Page Number : 66

Backup Policy

Prepared by : Rhishabh

Date :

08/05/08

Page Number : 67

Backup Policy - Parameters

The Default weekly activity : Defines type of backup to
be run on days of week.
F Full Backup ( SAVLIB )
I Incremental Backup ( SAVCHGOBJ)
Blank No Backup for that day .

Backup Policy - Parameters

Incremental Type Specifies the type of backup
*CUML -- save all of the changes to the objects since
the last full backup (SAVCHGOBJ with default values)
*INCR-- save the changes to the objects since the last
incremental backup (SAVCHGOBJ command with the
reference date (REFDATE) and reference time
(REFTIME) values)

Backup Policy - Parameters

Save access paths : save access paths associated with
your physical and logical files
Recommended : *YES
Drawback : System save may take longer time there by
decreasing system availability .
But it will be very difficult to restore the system if you do
not save Access Paths.

Backup Policy - Parameters

Append to media- specifies whether to add data files on
existing media with active files or to begin a new volume
*YES - files are written to the volume immediately
following the last active file

Backup Policy
Libraries to omit from backups

Backup control groups

Default backup control groups

1. *BKUGRP - control group controls backing up user
data
2. *SYSGRP - control group controls backing up IBM
data

*BKUGRP

*SYSGRP

Backup Items

Special operations
*EXIT
- perform user command processing
*LOAD
- begin new tape
Special values
*ALLDLO - save the document library, all ASPs

*ALLUSR - save all user libraries

*ALLPROD - save all *PROD type libraries
*ALLTEST - save all *TEST type libraries

Backup Items
*IBM
- save all IBM libraries
*LINK
- save all objects not in
and /QDLS directories
*QHST
- save history information
*SAVCFG
- save configurations
*SAVSECDTA - save security data
*SAVSYS - save the operating system

/QSYS.LIB

List Type
List is nothing but group of similar objects .
It can be of following types.
Folder - *FLR
Object - *OBJ
Spooled file - *SPL
File system - *LNK
To create a list we use command WRKLBRM

WRKLBRM

Adding Media into BRMS

ADDMEDBRM ( Tape Drive )
ADDMLMBRM ( Media Library )
Media can be enrolled into the BRMS/400 media
inventory at any time. The only requirement is that the
media must be known to BRMS/400 prior to any save or
restore operation

ADDMEDBRM

ADDMEDBRM

ADDMLMBRM

Prepared by : Rhishabh

Date :

08/05/08

Page Number : 84

Appending to media rule

Field Append(*YES)
Ensure volume availability onsite.
Selection for media is done for all devices
Media Library automatic
Stand Alone BRM1472 messages is issued specifying the suitable
volume
Selects an active volume that matches the requesting media policies, and
the volume must pass the following checks:
Same expiration date
Owned by the requesting system
Same move policy
Same secure attributes

Appending to media rule

Fails to find media of same EXP date then finds an
earlier expired volume starting with the earliest .All other
test must match
Else selects any expired volume from the same system
If fails at previous point then contacts another server
( only if media library is present ) through DDM

Media security

BRMS /400 enrolled media can not be initialized by INZTAP

command ( native OS/400 )

Special Authority required : *SECOFR,*SAVSYS,*SERVICE ,

*ALLOBJ

No Authority .Error message thrown asking user to use

INZMEDBRM command which checks the data on the tape

GO SAVE and BRMS

Select one of the following:
Save Data
1. Files
2. Libraries
3. Documents and folders
4. Programs
5. Other objects
6. Changed objects only
7. Licensed programs
8. Security data
9. Storage
10. Configuration
11. Objects in directories

Command

Command

SAVOBJ
SAVLIB
SAVDLO
SAVOBJ *PGM
SAVOBJ *ALL
SAVCHGOBJ
SAVLICPGM
SAVSECDTA
SAVSTG
SAVCFG
SAV

SAVOBJBRM
SAVLIBBRM
SAVDLOBRM
SAVOBJBRM *PGM
SAVOBJBRM *ALL
SAVACT parameter *YES
*SAVSYS
*SAVSECDTA
*SAVCFG
SAVBRM

GO SAVE and BRMS

Save System and User Data
20. Define save system and user
data defaults

Command

BRMS Command

Policies.
SAVSYS,SAVLIB, SAVDLO,SAV

*SYSGRP,*BKUGRP

SAVSYS,SAVLIB *IBM,SAV

*SYSGRP

SAVSECDTA,SAVCFG, SAVLIB
*ALLUSR,SAVDLO,SAV

*BKUGRP

22. System data only

23. All user data

SAVDLO *ALL
SAVDLO *CHG

Save Document Library Objects

SAVDLO

30. All documents, folders, and mail

SAVDLO *MAIL
SAVCAL

*ALLDLO
SAVDLOBRM with SAVACT
*YES
SAVFLRLBRM, SAVDLOBRM
SAVDLOBRM
SAVBRM

21. Entire system

31. New and changed documents,

new folders, all mail
32. Documents and folders
33. Mail only
34. Calendars

GO SAVE and BRMS

Save Libraries
40. All libraries other
than
system library
41. All IBM libraries
other
than system library
42. All user libraries
43. All changed objects
in user libraries

SAVLIB LIB(*NONSYS)

*IBM, *ALLUSR

SAVLIB *IBM

*IBM

SAVLIB *ALLUSR
SAVCHGOBJ *ALLUSR

*ALLUSR
*ALLUSR SAVACT *YES

BRMS Log - DSPLOGBRM

Prepared by : Rhishabh

Date :

08/05/08

Page Number : 91

BRMS/400 reports and maintenance

Maintenance should be run regularly after daily save
It produces reports for recovery analysis ,backup activity
and expired media
The Start Maintenance for BRM (STRMNTBRM)
command performs various BRMS maintenance and
clean-up functions.

STRMNTBRM
The STRMNTBRM command processes several other commands that can be run separately. These
include:
o RMVMEDIBRM - Remove media information from BRM
o MOVMEDBRM - Move media using BRM
o STREXPBRM - Expire media from BRM
o RMVLOGEBRM - Remove BRM log entries
o WRKMEDIBRM - Work with media information
o STRRCYBRM - Recovery analysis

STRMNTBRM
Note: The STRMNTBRM command should be run as an
independent job. No other BRMS functions should be
active when the STRMNTBRM command is processing.

Reports produced by STRMAINTBRM

o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o

QP1AVER - Version Control

QP1AEP - Media Expiration
QP1AMM - Media Report by Expiration Date
QP1AHS - Media Information
QP1ALE - Save Strategy Exceptions
QP1ARCY - Recovering Your Entire System
QP1AASP - Display ASP Information
QP1ARW - Recovery Activities
QP1A2SL - Location Analysis
QP1ASYN - Centralized Media Audit
QP1A2RCY - Recovery Volume Summary

STRMNTBRM

Prepared by : Rhishabh

Date :

08/05/08

Page Number : 96

STRMNTBRM

VFYMOVBRM
Used to verify the media movement .
Tapes should be verified after they have been actually
moved to the other location .
Verification can be done by system with no intervention
required by operator Change Move Policy parameter
Verify Move to *NO reflect this.

MOVMEDBRM
BRMS determines the location of media according to the
move policy and checks the location where it actually is.
If the two are different, it issues a move request to move
the media to the correct location.

MOVMEDBRM
MOVMEDBRM invokes the RMVTAPCTG command to
eject the cartridges from Media Library
If we want VFYMOVBRM to issue the RMVTAPCTG
command we have to change the Q1APRM Data-area

BRMS/400 console monitor

Allows full save to run unattended
Allows to run the backup in batch mode as well.
For backup to run through console .We must ensure that
it is active on Console System.

BRMS Console Monitor

To start it login on Console using an id which is
exempted from signoff during SYSSAV.
GO BRMS
Option 2 Backup
Option 4 Start Console Monitor
This will put system in BRMS Console Mode.

STRBKUBRM

Prepared by : Rhishabh

Date :

08/05/08

Page Number : 103

Syntax for STRBKUBRM

STRBKUBRM CTLGRP(SYSSAV50) SBMJOB(*CONSOLE)
STRBKUBRM CTLGRP (SYSSAV56) SBMJOB (*CONSOLE) STRSEQ
(100 NAVDFSUP)

Online domino Backup

BRMS will automatically generate the control groups and
media policies you need to perform Lotus Server online
backups
BRMS also dynamically creates backup link lists so that
those same Lotus Server databases can be excluded
from other backups.

Default Policy and Group

QLTSSVR - Control group - Backs up all Lotus Servers
on the system
QLTSDOMnn - Control group - Backs up all databases
for Lotus Domino Server nn, where nn is 01-99
QLTSSVR - Media policy - Media policy specifying the
media class and expiration to be used for Lotus Server
backups

FEW important Commands

CHKEXPBRM
WRKCFGSTS *DEV DSP*
WRKPCYBRM *MED *BKU *SYS
WRKMLBBRM
WRKMLMBRM
WRKMLBSTS
DSPTAPSTS

Thanks for your Attention

Questions ?

Prepare by : Bikash

Date :

08/05/08

Page Number : 108

Thank You
Bikash Kumar Sahay
Seat No- L4W141
Contact : 701523

Prepared by : Bikash

Date :

08/05/08

Page Number : 109