Comments on: BRMS on iSeries Multiple LPARs

By: mcl

mcl — Fri, 02 Apr 2010 14:58:20 +0000

If the LPARs are on the same system, is the “System” value on all the volumes the same? If so, it should be possible to write to the same volume. I think that value is only used if you have the network feature.

You can specify an end of tape option of *LEAVE and Append to Media *YES in the control group and the backup policy. Seems like there should also be a way to specify to use the mounted volume.

The idea of using virtual tape sounds like something worth trying is you have the space for it.

Regards
Mike

By: pdraebel

pdraebel — Fri, 02 Apr 2010 07:21:33 +0000

I don’t think BRMS will allow a Backup from one System (=LPAR) to be written to a volume in use (owned) by another system. You could try to change the sysname of the volume, but than the volume would have to be expired. You could save on different LTO volumes and then use a DUPMEDBRM to append the Backups to one volume.
Another option would be to use virtual tape support (you need the space and lose Compression/Compaction capabilities) And copy the various Virtual Volumes to One LTO3 volume.

By: bernardp

bernardp — Wed, 31 Mar 2010 17:41:29 +0000

Mr Thomas,

I am working on the same issue that you tackled in 2005 on how to BRMS to perform backups from multiple LPARs to a single LTO3 tape, on the same day?.
I saw a lot of responses but no conclusion on your question.
Did you find a solution to your little problem ?
Register a tape to BRMS in one LPAR and then try to append the next backup in the same tape is exactly what i am looking for.

Thanks,
Bernard.
Montréal.

By: paulthomas

paulthomas — Fri, 08 Jul 2005 04:50:51 +0000

Thanks for the responses. I think more clarification is required….

This is not a question/issue regarding the scheduling of the various backups. It is a question centred around the storing of multiple LPAR data on a single tape.

Currently I am unable to get more than 1 LPAR to write to said tape (could be any 1 of the 5, this is not a connectivity issue). This is in line with the comments from Neilm1m and dkb073. What I am trying to ascertain is if anyone has found any way of overcoming/circumventing this apparent restriction. Thanks.

By: neilm1m

neilm1m — Fri, 08 Jul 2005 04:31:54 +0000

Probably the easiest way to do it would be to back up to a save file on each system, transmit them all to the first system and backup all save files in one go.

Cant really see a way of doing it the way you want to within BRMS on each individual system unless you backup to individual tapes.

By: dkb073

dkb073 — Fri, 08 Jul 2005 04:09:06 +0000

You could use the IBM Advanced Job Scheduler to use job dependencies across the network. However, I think there may be an issue with what you are trying to do. When the first system/LPAR writes to the tape (presuming expired) it will then ‘own’ that volume and send out the updated media information across the shared BRMS network. When the other systems/LPARs then try and write to the same volume, I think the saves will post error messages because the volume you are trying to use is now an active tape that is not expired and which is owned by system/LPAR 1.

By: mikael

mikael — Fri, 08 Jul 2005 03:17:36 +0000

Another idea could be to start the backup from the first partition, then run a FTP script including “quote rmtcmd” which submits the backup on the second lpar. When completed on 2nd lpar issue command to 3rd partition. Or update a dataarea from the partitions and handle them in your programs. There in no good way to handle this in Brms, you will have to create the logic your self.
Good luck!

By: mbelle

mbelle — Thu, 07 Jul 2005 10:20:13 +0000

If I understand you, you are just trying to do some savlibs from the different partitions all to the same tape. Is BRMS on all partitions? If so I think you can just build the control groups in the individual partitions, to be called from a Job Scheduled Entry to run to the drive at different times of the day.

By: paulthomas

paulthomas — Thu, 07 Jul 2005 04:42:48 +0000

Apologies for lack of detail. Let me clarify……

The LTO3 is connected via Fibre Channel and is therefore available to all the relevant LPARs without the need to move or share IOPs or busses.

My question is more concerned with the restrictions of OS/400 and BRMS specifically.

What I am interested in doing, is performing 5 sequential backups, at different times of the same day, from 5 separate LPARs to the same TAPE CARTRIDGE. We have BRMS installed so would obviously prefer to perform any such backups via this product. However, it is not mandatory that any solution uses BRMS. Thanks.