Copying a JFS to another physical volume

You can copy a JFS file system to a different physical volume while retaining file system integrity.

The following scenario describes copying JFS file system to a different physical volume while retaining file system integrity.

The information in this how-to scenario was tested using specific versions of AIX®. The results you obtain might vary significantly depending on your version and level of AIX.

To copy a JFS to another physical volume while maintaining file system integrity, do the following:

Stop activity for the file system that you want to copy. Unless the application that is using the file system is quiescent or the file system is in a state that is known to you, you cannot know what is in the data of the backup.
Mirror the logical volume, by typing the following SMIT fast path on the command line:
```
smit mklvcopy 
```
Copy the file system, using the following command:
```
chfs -a splitcopy=/backup -a copy=2 /testfs
```
The splitcopy parameter for the -a flag causes the command to split off a mirrored copy of the file system and mount it read-only at the new mount point. This action provides a copy of the file system with consistent journaled meta data that can be used for backup purposes.
If you want to move the mirrored copy to a different mount point, use the following SMIT fast path:
```
smit cplv
```

At this point, the file system copy is usable.