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The CA VM:Spool/CA VM:Tape interface enables CA VM:Tape to handle tape mounts and tape drive allocation, and optionally, tape pool management for the CA VM:Spool Backup and Restore Facility. You can use either general scratch tapes or define specific pools to be managed by CA VM:Tape. This interface also relieves operators from having to issue a CA VM:Tape ALLOCATE command or CP ATTACH command to attach tape drives to the CA VM:Spool worker machines.

The interface can be implemented in either of two ways:

  • CA VM:Tape utilized for tape mounts and tape drive allocation only:
    This function is enabled by the presence of a PRODUCT VMTAPE record in the VMSPOOL CONFIG file. With this function enabled, CA VM:Spool tells CA VM:Tape which tape to mount, and CA VM:Tape allocates a suitable tape drive and sends a message to the operator to mount the proper tape. CA VM:Spool handles tape pool management.
  • CA VM:Tape utilized for tape pool management as well as tape mounts and tape drive allocation:
    This function is enabled by the presence of the TAPEPOOL VMTAPE poolname parameter on the BACKUP DEFAULTS or BACKUP DEFINE record in the VMSPOOL CONFIG file. A PRODUCT VMTAPE record is also required. In this case, tape pool management, as well as tape mounts and tape drive allocation are handled by CA VM:Tape. With this function enabled, CA VM:Spool tells CA VM:Tape to mount a tape from the specified pool. CA VM:Tape is responsible for selecting a tape from the pool, allocating a suitable drive for the backup worker machine, and sending a message to the operator to mount the proper tape.

Restrictions and Requirements

If the tape management system you are using with CA VM:Spool requires that all tapes have IBM standard VOL1 and HDR1 labels, you must set the LABEL parameter on the BACKUP DEFAULTS and BACKUP DEFINE configuration file records to SL, or CA VM:Spool will destroy the labels on the tapes it uses.

Implementation

Tape Pool Managed by CA VM Spool

To enable the CA VM:Tape tape mount and tape drive allocation function but have CA VM:Spool manage its own tape pool:

  1. Log on to VMSPOOL.
  2. Enter the END command to shut down VMSPOOL.
  3. Make sure there is a PRODUCT VMTAPE vmtape record in the VMSPOOL CONFIG file. This record provides CA VM:Spool with the CA VM:Tape service virtual machine user ID. This record activates the interface.
  4. Make sure there is a vmlpool TAPEPOOL file on the CA VM:Spool 1C0 (BKUP) disk which contains the volsers available for CA VM:Spool backups. The volsers named in this file should be the same as those listed in the CA VM:Tape SERIES configuration record and the CA VM:Tape scratch pool definition file (see below).
  5. Make sure the BACKUP DEFAULTS and the BACKUP DEFINE records in the VMSPOOL CONFIG file contain a TAPEPOOL vmlpool parameter. This parameter tells CA VM:Spool the name of the file that contains a list of volsers available for CA VM:Spool backup jobs.
    Note: If the tape management system you are using with CA VM:Spool requires that all tapes have IBM standard VOL1 and HDR1 labels, you must set the LABEL parameter on the BACKUP DEFAULTS and BACKUP DEFINE configuration file records to SL, or CA VM:Spool will destroy the labels on the tapes it uses.
  6. Enter the PROFILE command to restart VMSPOOL.
  7. Enter the #CP DISCONN command to leave VMSPOOL running disconnected.
  8. Log on to VMTAPE.
  9. Enter the END command to bring VMTAPE down.
  10. (If you plan to use volsers already defined to CA VM:Tape, go directly to Step 11.) Make sure there is a SERIES record in the VMTAPE CONFIG file. This record identifies the CA VM:Spool tape volumes to be contained in the Tape Management Catalog (TMC). Use the VMTBUILD utility to add these new tapes to the TMC (CMS TMCs only).
    Note: For more information about VMTBUILD, see the CA VM:Tape Administration Guide.
  11. To protect your volumes from accidental reuse if an expiration date is incorrect or from a possible breach of security, reserve a scratch pool for the exclusive use of CA VM:Spool by following these steps:
    1. Make sure that CA VM:Spool has exclusive use of the volsers in vmlpool TAPEPOOL by creating a scratch pool definition file on the CA VM:Tape A-disk, if one does not already exist. The entry would be similar to:
      SCRPOOL=vmtpool,RANGE=lowvol-hivol,...,RANGE=lowvol-hivol
      
    2. A suggested name for vmtpool is VMSPOOL. Note that this pool name is not necessarily the name of the CA VM:Spool-managed tape pool file, vmlpool TAPEPOOL. However, pool names in the scratch pool definition file must match the corresponding pool names in the scratch pool assignment file described below.
    3. Make sure that there is a POOLNAME record in the VMTAPE CONFIG file. This configuration file record specifies the filename, filetype, and filemode of the file containing the scratch pool definitions.
    4. Create a scratch pool assignment file on the CA VM:Tape A-disk, if one does not already exist. The entry would be similar to:
      DSN = *, JOB = VML*, POOL = vmtpool
      
    5. Remember that pool names in the scratch pool assignment file must match the corresponding pool names in the scratch pool definition file.
    6. Make sure there is a POOLASGN record in the VMTAPE CONFIG file. This configuration file record specifies the filename, filetype, and filemode of the file containing the scratch pool assignment rules.
  12. Verify the existence of AUTHORIZ records in the VMTAPE CONFIG file.
    1. Make sure there is an AUTHORIZ ANYTAPE VML* record. This configuration file record allows backup and restore workers to mount each other's tapes. As an alternative, if you are running the CA VM:Secure Rules Facility, you can set up rules to allow the restore workers to mount tapes created by the backup workers.
    2. Make sure there is an AUTHORIZ OPERATOR VML* record. This configuration file record gives CA VM:Tape operator authority to CA VM:Spool backup and restore worker user IDs.
  13. Enter the PROFILE command to restart VMTAPE.
  14. Enter the #CP DISCONN command to leave VMTAPE running disconnected.

Tape Pool Managed by CA VM Tape

To have CA VM:Tape manage tape pools as well as tape mounts and tape drive allocation:

  1. Log on to VMSPOOL.
  2. Enter the END command to shut down VMSPOOL.
  3. Make sure there is a PRODUCT VMTAPE vmtape record in the VMSPOOL CONFIG file. This configuration file record provides CA VM:Spool with the CA VM:Tape service virtual machine user ID. This record activates the interface.
  4. If you want to:
    • Use the same tape pool for all backup jobs defined to CA VM:Spool, make sure that the BACKUP DEFAULTS record in the VMSPOOL CONFIG file contains a TAPEPOOL VMTAPE vmtpool statement.
    • Use a different pool name for each backup job, make sure that the BACKUP DEFINE record in the VMSPOOL CONFIG file contains a TAPEPOOL VMTAPE vmtpool statement.
    • The TAPEPOOL VMTAPE vmtpool statement specifies the pool of tapes that CA VM:Spool can use for backups. The tape pool is managed by CA VM:Tape.
    • Use tapes from the general scratch pool, make sure the BACKUP DEFAULTS record in the VMSPOOL CONFIG file contains a TAPEPOOL VMTAPE SCRATCH statement.

Note : If the tape management system you are using with CA VM:Spool requires that all tapes have IBM standard VOL1 and HDR1 labels, you must set the LABEL parameter on the BACKUP DEFAULTS and BACKUP DEFINE configuration file records to SL, or CA VM:Spool will destroy the labels on the tapes it uses.

  1. Enter the PROFILE command to restart VMSPOOL.
  2. Enter the #CP DISCONN command to leave VMSPOOL running disconnected.
  3. Log on to VMTAPE.
  4. Enter the END command to bring VMTAPE down.
  5. (If you plan to use volsers already defined to CA VM:Tape, go directly to Step 10.) Make sure that there is a SERIES record in the VMTAPE CONFIG file. The SERIES record identifies the CA VM:Spool tape volumes to be contained in the Tape Management Catalog (TMC).

Use the VMTBUILD utility to add these new tapes to the TMC (CMS TMCs only).

Note: For more information about VMTBUILD, see the CA VM:Tape Administration Guide.

  1. For added protection from accidental loss of data or potential breach of security, reserve a scratch pool for exclusive use of CA VM:Spool. To reserve such a scratch pool, follow these steps:
    1. Create a scratch pool definition file on the CA VM:Tape A-disk, if one does not already exist. Indicate the pool name as defined on the TAPEPOOL VMTAPE vmtpool statement in the BACKUP DEFAULTS or BACKUP DEFINE record in the VMSPOOL CONFIG file. Specify the range of volsers desired. The entry would be similar to:
      SCRPOOL=vmtpool,RANGE=lowvol-hivol,...,RANGE=lowvol-hivol
      
      A suggested name for vmtpool is VMSPOOL. Pool names in the scratch pool definition file must match the corresponding pool names in the scratch pool assignment file described below.
    2. Make sure that there is a POOLNAME record in the VMTAPE CONFIG file. This configuration file record specifies the filename, filetype, and filemode of the file containing the scratch pool definitions.
    3. Create a scratch pool assignment file on the CA VM:Tape A-disk, if one does not already exist. The entry would be similar to:
      DSN=*, JOB=VML*, POOL=vmtpool
      
      Remember that pool names in the scratch pool assignment file must match the corresponding pool names in the scratch pool definition file.
    4. Make sure that there is a POOLASGN record in the VMTAPE CONFIG file. This configuration file record specifies the filename, filetype, and filemode of the file containing the scratch pool assignment rules.
  2. Make sure that there is an AUTHORIZ ANYTAPE VML* record in the VMTAPE CONFIG file. This configuration file record allows backup and restore workers to mount each other's tapes. As an alternative, if you are running the CA VM:Secure Rules Facility, you can set up rules to allow the restore workers to mount tapes created by the backup workers.
  3. Enter the PROFILE command to restart VMTAPE.
  4. Enter the #CP DISCONN command to leave VMTAPE running disconnected.