What's new for IBM i 7.2

New BRMS Enterprise function

BRMS Enterprise allows administrators to monitor backup operations for their BRMS systems from a central site that is called an Enterprise Hub. The systems that are monitored by the Hub are called Enterprise Nodes. The Enterprise Network consists of Nodes that can be stand-alone BRMS systems, part of a BRMS Network or any combination of stand-alone and BRMS Networked systems. Configuration and management of the Nodes are handled through the Hub and does not affect the existing operations of traditional BRMS Networks.

Graphical interface enhancements

BRMS graphical interface refers to the BRMS plug-in for IBM Navigator for i.

• The graphical interface for policies is more consistent with the non-graphical interface for policies.
  • The global policy properties panel now has the following panels:
    • Archive policy (*ARCPCY)
    • Backup policy (*BKUPCY)
    • Recovery policy (*RCYPCY)
    • Retrieve policy (*RTVPCY)
    • System policy (*SYSPCY)
  • Property panels display values that are resolved from policies.
• Auxiliary storage pools (ASP) can be used for object selection in Control Group and Save Item wizards.
• Media pool (class) can be updated on the Volume Properties screen.
• All objects from a library can be omitted from a backup.
• Media can be moved manually or with a schedule.
• The Add Media Wizard has a new confirmation message.
• All save history can be marked for duplication.
• Reports now support right-to-left languages.

Backup enhancements

• Allow setting spool file expiration dates during backups.
• BRMS object lists indicate whether to include or exclude objects during backups.
• BRMS object lists can select objects by using the object attribute.
• Support the Asynchronous bring (ASYNCBRING) parameter on integrated file system backups to improve performance.
• Support the Abnormal end delay time (ABNENDDLY) parameter on End Subsystem (ENDSBS) to force restricted state.
• Support the Queue data (QDTA) parameter to back up the contents of queue objects.
• Support the Sort by (SORT) parameter to allow sorting backups by library size.
• Support the Update history (UPDHST) parameter to prevent object updates during backups.
• Use creation date for incremental backups of spooled files.
• Online Domino® backups with new Weekly Activity types.
• Control groups that are defined for parallel backup operations dynamically change to serial backups for control group entries that require serial backups.
• Support auxiliary storage pool (ASP) value * for backup operations. The * value includes the system ASP, user ASPs, and independent ASPs in the ASP group of the current job.
• Allow retry of backups to Tivoli® Storage Manager (TSM) when TSM failures occur.
• Automatically IPL the system if subsystems cannot be started after a restricted state backup.
• Allow auto-restart when Start Backup using BRM (STRBKUBRM) ends abnormally.
• Support media and save item expiration dates after the year 2038.
• Enhanced tape library selection that is based on resources and media.
• Support saving to save files that are on independent storage pools (IASP).
• Automatically omit system libraries QPTFOBJ1 and QPTFOBJ2 from backups.

Recovery enhancements

• Support the Restore list of libraries (RSTLST) parameter on the Restore Library using BRM (RSTLIBBRM) command. Use this parameter to restore objects by using a BRMS object list.
• Support the Show deleted libraries (SHWDTLLIB) parameter on the Start Recovery using BRM (STRRCYBRM) command. Use this parameter to omit deleted libraries from the recovery report.
• Support the List (LIST) parameter on the Restore Object using BRM (RSTBRM) command. Use this parameter to restore objects by using names that are contained in a stream file that is generated by a Domino Server for Domino Attached and Object Service (DAOS) objects.
• Support the Volume summary order (VOLSUMORD) parameter on the Start Recovery using BRM (STRRCYBRM) command. Use this parameter to sort volumes that are based on create date.
• Support up to 12 parallel media files for fast positioning during restores. Only 4 are supported in releases before IBM i 7.2.
• Information was added to the recovery report for the Update TCP/IP Information (UPDTCPINF) command.
• Information was added to the recovery report for the Configure Device ASP (CFGDEVASP) command.
• Information was added to the recovery report for turning off FlashCopy®.

Media services enhancements

• Volume selection reuses media more efficiently.
• Support the *RESET value as a Duration in a move sequence for a move policy. Use this value to reset the move pattern to the first move sequence when new data is written to the media.
• Support multiple values for the From location (LOC) parameter on the Move Media using BRM (MOVMEDBRM) command. Use multiple values to process movement for more than one location.
• Support the Submit batch options (SBMOPT) parameter on the Duplicate Media using BRM (DUPMEDBRM) command. Use this parameter to run media duplication in batch and indicate the number of media files to be produced.
• Support the Data compaction (COMPACT) parameter on the Duplicate Media using BRM (DUPMEDBRM) command. Use this parameter to indicate whether to use data compaction on target media.
• Support generic names for the File group (FILEGRP) parameter on the Duplicate Media using BRM (DUPMEDBRM) command.
• Increase the number of volumes to 1000 for message BRM1553 that is sent from the Duplicate Media using BRM (DUPMEDBRM) command.
• Support LTO5 and LTO6 tape devices.
• Support Virtual Optical Library.
• Support the Move marked for duplication field for move policies. Use this field to move media that is marked for duplication.
• Support the Initialize media on expiration field for media classes. Use this field to initialize media after it is expired. This operation is useful for virtual media technologies so that storage can be freed when media is not being used.
• After a response is provided for an inquiry message, tape media that was previously rejected by the job is available for selection.

Network enhancements

• Support the Relational database (*RDB) value for the Communication method field in the network policy network group. Use this value to allow Fully Qualified Domain Names (FQDN) to be used for BRMS communications through RDB entries.
• Improve the format of the report that is generated by the Audit system media (AUDSYSMED) parameter on the Start Maintenance for BRM (STRMNTBRM) command.

Install enhancements

• Performance improvements to the *RUNPRDINZ value for the Option (OPTION) parameter on the Initialize BRMS (INZBRM) command.

Maintenance enhancements

• Support more specific object level detail for the Remove media information (RMVMEDI) parameter on the Start Maintenance for BRM (STRMNTBRM) command.
• Support more specific object level detail for the Object level detail (OBJDTL) parameter on the Remove Media Info from BRM (RMVMEDIBRM) command.
• Change the media owner for expired media when the owning system is not in the BRMS network.
• Support the *BATCH value for the Reorganize BRMS database (RGZBRMDB) parameter on the Start Maintenance for BRM (STRMNTBRM) command. Use this value to improve STRMNTBRM performance.

Miscellaneous enhancements

• Support the BRMS flight recorder size field in the system policy to aid with BRMS problem determination.
• Support the *CTLGRPSTAT value for the Report type (TYPE) parameter on the Print Report using BRM (PRTRPTBRM) command. Use this value for more backup report information.
• Enhance the Display ASP Information (DSPASPBRM) and Work ASP Information (WRKASPBRM) commands. These commands now indicate that independent auxiliary storage pool (IASP) information is unknown, if an IASP is varied off.

Information enhancements

• The BRMS topic collection and the BRMS manual now contain the same information.
• Instructions for using the BRMS graphical user interface are now the instructions for the BRMS plug-in for IBM Navigator for i.

How to see what's new or changed

In PDF files, you might see revision bars (|) in the left margin of new and changed information.

To find other information about what's new or changed in this release, see the Memo to users.