BACKVOL command: Backing up data sets from volumes or dumping volumes

You can use the BACKVOL command to request that DFSMShsm perform any of the following tasks:

Use the BACKUPDEVICECATEGORY parameter to specify whether to back up the data sets to tape or to DASD daily backup volumes.

Backup messages are always recorded in the backup activity log.

When you issue the BACKVOL command with the DUMP optional parameter, DFSMShsm requests that DFSMSdss does a full-volume dump of either (1) each DASD volume specified with the VOLUMES parameter or (2) each eligible DASD volume in each storage group specified with the STORAGEGROUP parameter. In the first case, the full-volume dumps are stacked on dump volumes in those dump classes if: In the second case, the full-volume dumps are stacked on dump volumes if:

For full-volume dumps, you can decide to print dump messages at the system console (TERMINAL). Dump messages are always recorded in the dump activity log.

You can specify the BACKVOL command with the CONTROLDATASETS parameter to back up the DFSMShsm control data sets and journal or you can specify CONTROLDATASETS(NULLJOURNALONLY) to null the journal without backing up the control data sets. Backup messages for the control data sets are written to the backup activity log.