Deleting unneeded DFSMShsm fast replication backup versions

Through normal processing, new backup versions replace older backup versions. There are two instances in which a process other than the normal roll-off case is required to delete an unneeded copy version. The first instance is when the number of versions specified for a copy pool is decreased. The second instance is when a copy pool is renamed or is no longer needed.

When the number of versions for a copy pool is decreased (by modifying the SMS copy pool definition), the next time that the FRBACKUP COPYPOOL command is issued for that copy pool, the unneeded versions are deleted. The target volumes that contained those versions are made available for other use.

When a copy pool is renamed or no longer needed, you must delete the backup versions that relate to that copy pool. You can use the following FRDELETE command to delete the backup and dump versions:

FRDELETE COPYPOOL(cpname) BOTH ALL

When you specify the VERSIONS keyword, the named backup versions are deleted. If you specify the TOKEN keyword, the version with the specified token is deleted. If you specify the ALL keyword, all backup versions are deleted. Before a version is deleted, any outstanding FlashCopy® relationships are withdrawn. When a Fast Replication version is deleted, the associated catalog information data set is also deleted.

To limit your deletions to tape backups only, while preserving any DASD backups, specify the DUMPONLY keyword. The named backup versions are deleted only from tape dumps, but not from DASD backups. For example:

FRDELETE CP(COPYPOOL1) TOKEN(FRBACKUP_JUNEDATA) DUMPONLY

Here, DFSMShsm deletes the dump copy of any fast replication backup for copy pool COPYPOOL1 associated with token FRBACKUP_JUNEDATA. Omitting DUMPONLY from this command causes both tape and DASD backups associated with this token to be deleted.

You can also specify the DASDONLY keyword of the FRDELETE command to limit your deletions to DASD backups only.

When FRBACKUP fails because of an invalid request for an incremental version, the incremental version might need to be deleted to continue processing:

Changing to a NOCOPY environment.
Reduction in the number of copy pool versions necessitates an incremental version deletion.
Current incremental version is not the oldest disk version and FCINCREMENTAL or FCINCREMENTALLAST is specified.

There are no additional keywords needed to delete an incremental version. Once an incremental version is deleted, the FCINCREMENTAL keyword must be used to re-establish the copy pool as having an incremental version.

When a Fast Replication version is deleted, the associated catalog information data set is also deleted. To limit your deletions to tape backups only, while preserving any DASD backups,

Deleting unneeded DFSMShsm fast replication backup versions

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