Setting Up BRMS for Full System FlashCopy

The following are the steps needed to succeed in this special backup:

1. On the primary system, to prepare BRMS for FlashCopy, enable the BRMS for FlashCopy by setting the Enable FlashCopy parameter on the System Policy to *YES. Type WRKPCYBRM *SYS, select option 1 and page to the bottom screen. This only needs to be done once.

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2. Next you will need to notify BRMS, that this system's data is being copied via ESS FlashCopy and the backup could be performed on the clone system. This step is required prior to performing FlashCopy function. Run this command: INZBRM OPTION(*FLASHCOPY) STATE(*STRPRC)

   NOTE: When the system is in FlashCopy mode, a BRMS synchronization job will not run on the production system. BRMS activity should not be performed on the production system until all steps in post FlashCopy steps are completed. Any update to the BRMS database on the production system via any BRMS activity such as save, restore, BRMS maintenance will be lost. When the system is in FlashCopy state, all BRMS incoming communication from the BRMS networked system will be blocked. BRMS backup information about the current system might be outdated when backup is being performed on the clone system.

   a. Suspend storage activity.

   • The following command can be used to suspend storage activity:
           CHGASPACT ASPDEV(*SYSBAS) OPTION(*SUSPEND) SSPTIMOACN(*CONT)

   • Otherwise, the Power Down System (PWRDWNSYS) command must be used to power the system down and suspend storage activity.

   b. Issue the FlashCopy.

   c. Resume storage activity.

   • If storage activity was suspended before the FlashCopy was performed, use the following command to resume storage activity:
           CHGASPACT ASPDEV(*SYSBAS) OPTION(*RESUME)

   • If the system was powered down before the FlashCopy was performed, restart the system.

3. On the secondary system. a. Change system attributes and network configuration during manual IPL. Forexample:

   • At Dedicated Service Tools(DST), change the IP address of Service Tools Server (STS).

   • During the IPL, change the IPL attributes to start system to RESTRICTED STATE.

   • Change the IP information in CFGTCP.

   b. Set BRMS system state to FlashCopy mode. Use the following command to set the BRMS system state to the backup FlashCopy state:

   INZBRM OPTION(*FLASHCOPY) STATE(*STRBKU)

   c. Secondary system is treated as the primary system in the BRMS network.

   d. Complete saves using BRMS.

   e. Set BRMS state to FlashCopy backup complete mode. Use the following command to set the BRMS state back to complete mode:

   INZBRM OPTION(*FLASHCOPY) STATE(*ENDBKU)

   f. Save QUSRBRM and transfer it to the primary system. To save QUSRBRM issue the following command:

   SAVLIBBRM LIB(QUSRBRM) DEV(tape-media-library-device-name) MEDPCY(media-policy) OMITOBJ((*ALL *JRN) (*ALL *JRNRCV))OBJDTL(*OBJ) SAVTYPE(*FULL) SEQNBR(1) ENDOPT(*REWIND)

4. Back on the primary system.

• QSYS/RMVEXITPGM EXITPNT(QIBM_QTA_TAPE_TMS) FORMAT(TMS00200) PGMNBR(1)

• QSYS/RSTLIB SAVLIB(QUSRBRM) DEV(tape-media-library-device-name) VOL(volume-identifier) SEQNBR(1) ALWOBJDIF(*FILELVL *AUTL *OWNER *AUTL) MBROPT(*ALL)

• QSYS/INZBRM OPTION(*DATA)

NOTES :

1. A system that is in FlashCopy mode can be specified for the From system (FROMSYS) parameter on the WRKMEDIBRM command and BRMS restore commands (RSTxxxBRM). 

2. Power HA Tools for IBM i has a Full System FlashCopy (FSFC) offering which automates the FlashCopy process.

3. Setting a system in FlashCopy mode does not prevent the BRMS subsystems from starting if the system is IPL'd or all subsystems are started.

4. If using FSFC toolkit, before loading the March 2020 BRMS PTFs reference the changes made to the BRMS flight recording.

5. BRMS PTFs should not be loaded on a system when it is in FlashCopy mode. The FlashCopy status needs to be *END. To verify the Flash copy status, run the following command:
   
   CALL PGM(QBRM/Q1AOLD) PARM('FLSSYSSTS ' '*DISPLAY')

6. No remote DUPMEDBRM should be run for a system that is in FlashCopy mode. Results will be unpredictable.