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Automate your Backups with iSeries Operator

Automate your Backups with iSeries Operator. Belinda Daub CISTECH Senior Technical Consultant Belinda.daub@cistech.net. Agenda. Overview. Automated Backup and Operations. What’s new with iSO?. Configuration and Verification. Disaster Recovery Planning. Q&A. Overview.

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Automate your Backups with iSeries Operator

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  1. Automate your Backups with iSeries Operator Belinda Daub CISTECH Senior Technical Consultant Belinda.daub@cistech.net

  2. Agenda Overview Automated Backup and Operations What’s new with iSO? Configuration and Verification Disaster Recovery Planning Q&A

  3. Overview • Backup and Recovery Requirements • Save XA and user data on a daily basis • Save application libraries regularly • Save system configuration, system objects and security settings regularly • Full System save – minimum quarterly and before/after system updates or upgrades • Manage media rotation according to defined retention schedule • Documented and tested recovery plan

  4. Overview • Why automation is not simple: • Someone has to prepare the environment for the nightly backup to be successful • End jobs for users who did not log off • End the U-Jobs that are running • Finish batches • Start the java environments for XA Rel 7 clients • Auxiliary machines need to be reset when backup is active • Nightly jobs must be run while the environment is not in use • Saving the system has to be done outside the MAPICS backup • Backup verification is tedious • No tools for logging or tracking media contents and expiration

  5. Overview • CISTECH’s iSeries Operator (iSO) can help: • Automate operator functions typically required to insure successful backups. • Automate certain MAPICS jobs that cannot run during the day due to conflicts. • Restarts XA Release 7 java servers and services • Supports a comprehensive Disaster Recovery Strategy encompassing iSeries operating environment, custom systems, and MAPICS data. • Provides tools for tracking media and reporting backup information to auditors.

  6. iSeries Operator Benefits • Reduce risk of data loss • Maximize productivity of operations personnel • Reduce labor costs • Tune application for optimal efficiency and performance Common response from users responsible for backups: “Thanks for giving me back my evenings and weekends!”

  7. Automated Backup and Operations Respects MAPICS save requirements: • Ends and starts Journaling • Finishes IM, AR & REP closed and suspended batches • Cleans up used batches • Ends jobs that would prevent saves • Ends active U-jobs • Run cleanup of transaction and log files

  8. Automated Backup and Operations Additional Features: • Configure daily and weekly jobs • Save with active batches • End/restart jobs that will prevent success • Restart only U-jobs that were ended when save is complete • Run MAPICS file reorganization • Run MAPICS Reports including MRP • Run custom day-end programs • Output queue cleanup • Configure backup alerts via email • Simplified verification of backup status • Media tracking tools • Tape volume ID using physical media label

  9. What’s New with iSO? • Media labels and tracking features • Process Repetitive batches • Improved control for multiple jobs • XA Rel 7.8 compatibility • Restart the Global Environment • Reset the auxiliary servers • Annual software maintenance available • Fix support • Upgrades • Enhancements and OS/XA Release compatibility

  10. Configuration and Verification Configuration options: • Daily and weekly jobs • System Components • User Libraries and Folders • MAPICS processing • Before/After commands • Break message and delay • E-mail Notifications • Media labeling and tracking (Integrator required)

  11. Configuration and Verification Daily Backup Jobs: • MAPICS environments • How to handle batches • Libraries and folders • contain user data or change significantly • Select some or all user libraries, with option to omit • Save to disk or tape • Before/After commands • Keep users off the system • End/start application jobs • Submit MAPICS reports and cleanup • Call custom programs • String multiple backup jobs in sequence

  12. Configuration and Verification

  13. Configuration and Verification Weekly Backup Job: • System save • System Configuration • Security Data • All User Libraries • Documents and Folders • IBM and User Directories • IPL (required for system components) • Before/After commands • Purge output queues automatically • Reorganize XA Files • Restart U-Jobs in all environments

  14. Configuration and Verification

  15. Configuration and Verification Media Handling features: • Volume ID *SAME • Initialize your tapes to match the physical label • Configure expiration interval (number of days) • Backup will keep the volume id the same on initialization • Configure e-mail notifications • Send message with backup information • “Backup for 06/09/2009 on Volume 0006L4 initialized with expiration 06/23/2009” • Log this information in the media catalog • Always know what’s on a tape

  16. Configuration and Verification Media Catalog: • Manage rotation and retention • Indicate location of media • Log details of what was not saved for each backup

  17. Configuration and Verification iSeries Job Scheduler: • View and hold backups • Omit dates when tapes will not be loaded • Replaced when changes are made to the configuration of the jobs

  18. Configuration and Verification Configuration and Verification

  19. Configuration and Verification Libraries/Folders to Save: • All • Selected (enter each library/folder to save) • Omit – save all user libraries except those listed (not valid for folders) • None

  20. Configuration and Verification Commands to Execute: • Configure for each job • Before commands • End non-MAPICS jobs that may prevent successful saves • End TCP interfaces to keep users off • After commands • Run preconfigured MAPICS commands to generate reports and perform cleanup • Restart non-MAPICS jobs • Restart interfaces to let users on • Purge selected output queues • Save disk images to tape

  21. Configuration and Verification

  22. Configuration and Verification Verifying your backup: • Review messages • Review reports • Jobs that were ended • Display of tape contents • Review joblog • If messages indicate errors • Scan for and log objects not saved • Fix errors for next backup • Review history • Shows all libraries/folders ever saved • Identify when a library was removed • Identify volume id of last save

  23. Configuration and Verification Configuration and Verification

  24. Configuration and Verification

  25. Disaster Recovery 30 Thousand Feet view of Recovery: • Obtain temporary or replacement system • Restore the LIC and Base OS using last full system save • Restore the OS and application libraries, along with configuration and user security from your last ABWEEKLY • Recover the latest data from your last ABDAILYxy save for each environment • Verify your system and environments • Turn over to users

  26. Disaster Recovery Planning Recovery Considerations: • How long will it take to get a replacement system? • Consider a business continuity solution that provides temporary use of compatible hardware • It can take 5 to 10 days to get a replacement system from IBM • How will your users conduct business while the system is unavailable? • Make sure you have access to critical data and forms • Define the process users will employ while the system is down and when it is available again • How can you insure your ability to recover? • Provide for temporary system • Access to selected users for testing of critical applications and system resources (printers, etc.) • Routine tests of backup media – selected restores

  27. Disaster Recovery Planning Begin by developing a Disaster Recovery Strategy CISTECH iSeries Operator includes 2 days for implementation of a single environment and disaster recovery planning assistance to get you started

  28. Disaster Recovery Planning Implement a backup strategy that supports your recovery objectives • What is your backup downtime window? • What data should be saved and how often? • Who will perform and verify the backups? • What are the retention requirements? • What are the media rotation requirements? • Where will the tapes be stored off site? • Is recovery testing a requirement?

  29. Business Continuity CISTECH can help you implement a Business Continuity Plan that protects your investors and your customers by allowing you to continue operations if a disaster occurs!

  30. Business Continuity CISTECH offers solutions that provide for all components of a Business Continuity Plan: • Fail-safe Daily Backups using iSeries Operator • Warm site system in Matthews loaded with your environment in 24 hours or less • Documented Disaster Recovery procedures • Quarterly testing of connection to temporary system • Annual disaster simulations with detailed evaluation and score card • Regular review and improvement • Storing and Retrieval of data and forms needed for users to operate during downtime

  31. Business Continuity

  32. Business Continuity In a disaster, CISTECH would be available to: • Provide systems and operations support in the event your IT Department is unavailable as a result of the disaster • Backups • IT Help Desk (user support) • System Operations • Assist with recovery to permanent replacement system

  33. Success Story! VT Miltope CISTECH helped us: • Reduce effort to achieve Daily MAPICS backup • Reduce downtime for a disaster to less than 24 hours • a reduction of over 60% • Achieve 45% monthly cost savings • Achieve ROI in less than 1 year • Including cost of equipment for Baremetal NT backup system. Darrel Cook VT Miltope

  34. THANK YOU! Ben McCormick 704-814-0016 Ben.mccormick@cistech.net

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