Chapter 15. Backup and Recovery
This chapter discusses the following operations:
• Backup and recover HPSS metadata
• Backup HPSS environment
• Recover HPSS user data
• Handling DB2 space shortage
15.1. HPSS Metadata Backup and Recovery
Each HPSS site is responsible for implementing and executing the HPSS metadata backup and recovery
process. The HPSS administrator must ensure that HPSS metadata is backed up on a regular basis. In
addition, the HPSS administrator must verify that the backup files can be used to restore the HPSS
metadata up to the point of failure. Sites can choose to use a commercially available backup software
tool, such as the Tivoli Storage Manager (TSM), to backup the HPSS metadata. Optionally, a set of
simple and customizable backup scripts can be developed to backup the HPSS metadata. Contact your
HPSS Support Representative to obtain sample backup scripts and guidance for implementing the DB2
backup process for your site.
The following sections provide an overview of the metadata backup and recovery process.
The backup topics provided in the following sections are meant only as an overview. The DB2
Data Recovery and High Availability Guide and Reference should be consulted in order to
obtain a complete understanding and explanation of issues and procedures associated with
enabling full recoverability of DB2 data.
15.1.1. HPSS Administrator Responsibilities for DB2
While DB2 has sophisticated backup and recovery abilities, it is fundamentally the responsibility of the
HPSS administrator to ensure that these facilities are configured and working correctly. This section
outlines some of those responsibilities.
While storing the DB2 data tables on reliable disk storage systems can be very useful if it becomes
necessary to recover the database, it is essential that the database be backed up regularly, and that the
backup media be reliable. Many sites keep multiple copies of the backup media in separate locations. It
is also extremely important that site administrators verify that they can restore a failed database from the
backup media. Time should be scheduled on an occasional basis to perform practice recoveries from the
backup media. This could be done by creating a separate instance of the HPSS DB2 system on a separate
computer and restoring it from the primary instance backup media.
HPSS databases should be backed up regularly. Most sites back up the entire database once each night,
using the online backup procedure. Note that On-line backups are only available for database
configurations that enable log archiving. (see section 15.1.2.1 Configuring DB2 for Online Backup on
page 358). Online backups do not interfere with normal HPSS processing. It is equally important to
monitor the online backup process and verify it is completing normally.
As HPSS operations take place, DB2 writes transaction log entries describing the changes that have been
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