SAVLIBBRM and SAVSAVFDTA

[swaps400]

Hi,
Can anyone please elaborate how these two commands differ. Or they perform same tasks and performance is only distinguishing factor among them. I checked on the ibm sites for command details , but seems similar functioning.

Commands are - SAVSAVFDTA and SAVLIBBRM

I want to replace SAVLIBBRM command which directly takes back up of the libraries to tape. So I
want to back up libraries to save files and then move those libraries to tape. I think we can accomodate libraries on save file as there is enough of space on DASD.

Once libraries are backed up to tape , I am planning to clear these save files.

Also if you have any other options, please let me know.

[tomholden]

Re: SAVLIBBRM and SAVSAVFDTA

directly from the commands help text (F1):

                     Save Save File Data - Help                        
                                                                       
  The Save Save File Data (SAVSAVFDTA) command saves the contents of a 
  save file to tape or optical media.  This command saves the save     
  data in the save file to the device in a way that allows you to      
  restore objects directly from the device.                            
                                                                       
  A save file containing data created by the Save Licensed Program     
  (SAVLICPGM) command cannot be saved by this command.                 
                                                                       
  The information written on media by this command is similar to the   
  data that was previously written to the save file by the save        
  command that originally created the save file data.  This includes   
  the object descriptions, and object contents that existed when the   
  original save operation was done.                                    
                                                                       
  This command uses only the save file and device description objects;
                                                                        
    it does not refer to or modify the description or contents of the   
    objects included in the file save data.  Thus, objects included in  
    the save file are not locked during the running of this command, and
    the save history information (date, place, and time when each object
    was last saved) is not updated by this command for each object in   
    the save file.                                                      
                                                                        
    The description of the save file is not included in the save        
    operation (unless it was included with the objects that were saved  
    to create the save data in the file).  In addition, this command    
    does not update the save history information for the save file      
    object, so the last save operation date, time, and place always     
    identify the last save operation of the save file object            
    description, not its contents.

                                                                        
    The Save Library using BRM (SAVLIBBRM) command saves a copy of one  
    or more libraries.                                                  
                                                                        
    This command saves the entire library, including the library        
    description, the object descriptions, and the contents of the       
    objects in the library.                                             
                                                                        
    For job queues, message queues and logical files, only the object   
    definitions are saved, not the contents.  The contents of output    
    queues can be saved using SPLFDTA(*ALL), otherwise, only the output 
    queue object definition is saved.  The contents of save files can be
    saved using SAVFDTA(*YES), otherwise, only the save file object     
    definition is saved.                                                
                                                                        
    Virtual media and devices can be used with this command. The        
                                                                       
    following restrictions apply to the use of virtual media and virtua
    devices.                                                           
                                                                       
     o  The Device (DEV) parameter is limited on only one device or    
        *MEDCLS special value for serial operations.                   
                                                                       
     o  Execute authority is required to the Load or Unload Image      
        Catalog (LODIMGCLG) command.                                   
                                                                       
     o  *CHANGE authority is required to the image catalogs.           
                                                                       
     o  Execute (*X) authority is required to each directory in the    
        image catalog path name.                                       
                                                                       
     o  Read, write, execute (*RWX) authority is required to each image
                                                                       
        file in the parent directory that will be loaded or mounted.   
                                                                       
     o  *USE authority is required to the virtual devices using the    
        image catalogs.

play "Find Waldo" and spot the differences...

[swaps400]

Re: SAVLIBBRM and SAVSAVFDTA

I have already seen details of these commands in F1. I was just wondering why we are not using SAVSAVFDTA command.. may be I am missing something or what. So posted thread to check if there is any limitation or remedy in the command.

Anyways , you have always been of gr8 help to me. Thanks a lot

[tomholden]

Re: SAVLIBBRM and SAVSAVFDTA

seems that the biggest consideration is performing 2 saves vs. one. DASD aside...what happens if something starts eating disk space? your SAVSAVFDTA will fail and you won't have complete backups, etc. what performance hit will you have after the save to save file completes and the save to tape starts. the performance "hit" for save to tape is most likely lower than that of saving to a save file (save to savf will use more resources due to disk i/o). the slowest part of save to tape is the writing to tape which the hit/slow down is due to the drive speed. if your backup window needs to be shortened then maybe your proposed solution would be worth the risk but other than that i'd stick with the SAVLIBBRM. i would be more concerned that something (rogue program, query etc) would eat up DASD (even building files, etc. in jobs QTEMP will affect available DASD) than I would with simply saving to tape. but i could be wrong...it wouldn't be the first time. perhaps one of the sys admin types will chime in.

ETA: not sure since i haven't used it but i suspect that the SAVSAVFDTA will restore to QTEMP then write to tape but I don't know what exactly BRMS does under the covers for that process.

[swaps400]

Re: SAVLIBBRM and SAVSAVFDTA

if your backup window needs to be shortened then maybe your proposed solution would be worth the risk but other than that i'd stick with the SAVLIBBRM. i would be more concerned that something (rogue program, query etc) would eat up DASD (even building files, etc. in jobs QTEMP will affect available DASD) than I would with simply saving to tape. but i could be wrong...it wouldn't be the first time. perhaps one of the sys admin types will chime in.

Yes... i think it makes sense. I have seen one test run for save files backing up library. Now I am thinking of checking time frame and other jobs running in the same time frame. As it should not eat up much of CPU utilization.

This is really helpful in designing and considering approach. May be I can put some stuff directly on tape and some stuff (which will be lesser in size , secondary libraries, general purpose libraries). I think this way I can compensate for the space, resource utilization and time.

Thank you very much for your guidance. This is really helpful