While CA's VM:Backup or Syback (and maybe CA's VM:Tape tape management system) and IBM's IBM Backup and Restore Manager (and maybe IBM Tape Manager) are IMHO the de facto backup solutions for z/VM (like FDR and IBM's DFwhatever solution for z/OS), there are other less palatable options for backing up CMS files from z/VM.
Those less palatable solutions would include home-grown tools using the TAPE DUMP and TAPE LOAD commands. But as someone wrote on this very list recently: there be dragons there. Consider that you are backing up the VM volumes (both the CMS file systems files, as well as CP-owned areas) in a manner required to provide a reliable, stable backup. I.e. something that is working WITH the CMS file systems, not something running from another system while VM is running and potentially changing those files while the system backing them up is unaware of VM's in-flight file changes. You run backups to be 100% certain that your system can be recovered if something goes wrong (be it hardware failure, software failure, or human error -- oops didn't mean to erase/replace/change *THAT* file!!). Relying on home-grown, unsupported tools is probably not something anyone wants to do when considering a long-term career. :-) Mike Walter Hewitt Associates Any opinions expressed herein are mine alone and do not necessarily represent the opinions or policies of Hewitt Associates. Brent Litster <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent by: "The IBM z/VM Operating System" <[email protected]> 02/13/2008 11:42 AM Please respond to "The IBM z/VM Operating System" <[email protected]> To [email protected] cc Subject Backup CMS files Hello all. We are a new z/VM 5.2 shop. We are in the process of "hardenin g" our z/VM environment prior to installing our first production system. We want to have a good backup/restore process in place where we can backup minidisks/CMS files with the ability to restore any 1 or more individual files if we need to. What is everyone out there using? We have heard of "Amanda" and Bacula". Is there a product used by a large number of sho ps like FDR for z/OS? We are a z/OS 1.7 shop with 1 lpar running z/VM 5.2 an d it is this z/VM environment we are concerned about. Thanks, Brent Litster Zions Management Services Company Salt Lake City The information contained in this e-mail and any accompanying documents may contain information that is confidential or otherwise protected from disclosure. If you are not the intended recipient of this message, or if this message has been addressed to you in error, please immediately alert the sender by reply e-mail and then delete this message, including any attachments. Any dissemination, distribution or other use of the contents of this message by anyone other than the intended recipient is strictly prohibited. All messages sent to and from this e-mail address may be monitored as permitted by applicable law and regulations to ensure compliance with our internal policies and to protect our business. Emails are not secure and cannot be guaranteed to be error free as they can be intercepted, amended, lost or destroyed, or contain viruses. You are deemed to have accepted these risks if you communicate with us by email.
