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One of the really nice features of the operating system built into the AS/400, iSeries and IBM i power system platform are the backup and recovery tools that are built right in. If you are used to using the backup programs on a Windows type platform and find that it stinks for recovery purposes, using the backup tools on the IBM will be a very welcomed relief because they work flawlessly.

When it comes to saving your data you have multiple options, many of which can be confusing. In fact on the save menu it lists over twenty different save options. For the less adventurous among us there is no need to actually try out all of those save operations since they are redundant. You will only really need one for your main backup purposes.

For a complete system backup of everything you will use what’s commonly referred to as a “go save 21.” What this does is ends all of the subsystems, so you must be signed onto the console, and backs up the entire system including user objects and the operating system to your tape device or other device. Once finished it then starts up the controlling subsystem and you are up and running once again.

By using the options within this save program you can set it up to use features like the system reply list to answer any inquiry messages that may pop up, so you can virtually set the thing on auto pilot saving you from having to stand around for hours on end watching the screen go by.

Of course this is a point in time backup method, meaning it’s only good for restoring when you last ran it. Now unless you want to be running a full system save each and every day (which would be time consuming and unnecessary) then there are other options available so save specific sets of data objects and or libraries.

Typically your third party software package, ERP, EDI and so forth will come with some sort of utility or set of routines for getting custom data and program libraries and objects backed up onto a tape drive.

If they have no such program then check with the vendors support on what libraries and objects need to be backed up and then craft your very own backup program using CL and a combination of SAVLIB and SAVOBJ commands. You can kick off this program using the job scheduler.

One thing to note is that these save commands won’t save the data if users are actively using those objects. So at a minimum you need to boot the users off the system to remove any object and record locks preventing a backup from occurring.

Alternatively if getting folks to sign off is problematic then simply ending the QINTER and QSERVER subsystems is a good method of cutting off access entirely. But if you choose to do it this way then it may be a good idea to create your own administrative interactive subsystem to log in and start everything back up should your custom backup routine fail.

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