Backing Up and Recovering Data Sets

This topic covers the following subtopics.

Topic
Using REPRO for Backup and Recovery
Using EXPORT and IMPORT for Backup and Recovery of VSAM Data Sets
Writing a Program for Backup and Recovery
Using Concurrent Copy for Backup and Recovery
Updating a Data Set After Recovery
Synchronizing Catalog and VSAM Data Set Information During Recovery

It is important to establish backup and recovery procedures for data sets so you can replace a destroyed or damaged data set with its backup copy. Generally data administrators set up automated procedures for backup so you do not have to be concerned with doing it yourself. SMS facilitates this automation by means of management class.

There are several methods of backing up and recovering VSAM and non-VSAM data sets:

Using Data Facility Storage Management Subsystem Hierarchical Storage Manager (DFSMShsm). You can use DFSMShsm only if DSS and DFSMShsm are installed on your system and your data sets are cataloged in a catalog. For information about using DFSMShsm backup and recovery, see z/OS DFSMShsm Managing Your Own Data.
Using the access method services REPRO command.
Using the Data Facility Storage Management Subsystem Data Set Services (DFSMSdss) DUMP and RESTORE commands. You can use DSS if it is installed on your system and your data sets are cataloged in a catalog. For uncataloged data sets, DSS provides full volume, and physical or logical data set dump functions. For compressed extended format data sets, DFSMShsm processes the compressed data sets using DFSMSdss as the data mover. When using DFSMSdss for logical dump/restore with VSAM compressed data sets, the target data set allocation must be consistent with the source data set allocation. For DFSMShsm, a VSAM extended format data set migrated and/or backed up will only be recalled and/or recovered as an extended format data set. For information about using DFSMSdss, see z/OS DFSMSdfp Storage Administration.
Writing your own program for backup and recovery.
For VSAM data sets, using the access method services EXPORT and IMPORT commands.
For PDSs using IEBCOPY utility.
Using concurrent copy to take an instantaneous copy. You can use concurrent copy if your data set resides on DASD attached to IBM storage controls that support the concurrent copy function.

Each of these methods of backup and recovery has its advantages. You need to decide the best method for the particular data you want to back up. For the requirements and processes of archiving, backing up, and recovering data sets using DFSMShsm, DSS, or ISMF, see z/OS DFSMShsm Managing Your Own Data, which also contains information on disaster recovery.