Making a copy of your system software (cloning)

This topic describes how to make a copy of the system software in the z/OS® product set, also known as a "clone"), on different DASD volumes with different volume serials.
After you finish installing z/OS, you need to make a copy of it ("clone" it). Some reasons:
  • Backup: A backup copy is a copy of the z/OS product set (z/OS and other products you are installed on the same set of volumes using the same SMP/E zones) that meet the following criteria:
    • Resides on different volumes with different volume labels
    • Includes copies of the associated SMP/E zones with different names that point to the data sets on the new volumes
    • Includes copies of the associated catalogs with different names
    • After making the copy, and doing the necessary setup, you can IPL it in place of the original copy.
  • Move: To move the software to another system.
  • Copy: To create another SMP/E serviceable copy for installing service or other products.
To make a copy, you must do a number of tasks depending on how your system has been configured. In addition, many of the tasks can be done using different techniques, and differing local standards and practices add more variations to the process. Some of the factors that can affect the way that you copy your system are:
  • Catalog sharing boundaries (such as whether shared master catalogs are in use)
  • Use of direct, indirect, or extended indirect catalog referencing
  • Local versus central maintenance
  • System software volume sharing boundaries and their relationship to catalog and sysplex boundaries
  • Naming conventions
  • Whether new data sets affect the existing environment
  • Testing and migration procedures
  • Whether the copy is used in an existing environment or a new one.

The information in this topic is based on the system layout that is described in Recommended data set placement. However, you might find this information useful even if your system is configured differently. The techniques that are shown here are designed to minimize the amount of work that is required to migrate software into existing environments that use the recommended system layout. They make a complete copy of the software that can be serviced using SMP/E.

The following SYS1.SAMPLIB jobs are referred to in this topic:
  • IEACLNIN, which initializes volumes
  • IEACLNSM, which converts an HFS or zFS volume to SMS management
  • IEACLNCS, which defines catalogs and creates CSI data sets
  • IEACLNCV, which copies volumes
  • IEACLNMT, which creates a mount point directory and mounts the HFS or zFS at it
  • IEACLNCZ, which copies zones

If you are migrating your software to another system and you use the same volume, catalog, and data set names, you need only one of the procedures in this topic. Use the full-volume physical dumps and restores to make the copy, and then follow the steps in Migrating to another system.

Note: Before cloning z/OS, you must have a license for each z/OS operating system that you run. For details, see Installing z/OS without using an installation package.