BCV4 duplicates DB2 and IMS subsystems running under the z/OS operating system. It sets the standard for creating DB2 subsystem clones. Making, setting up and executing pre-production environments, SAP Homogeneous System Copies, PeopleSoft test environments, QA system refreshes and general DB2 applications testing are simple job streams. BCV4 is the preferred solution for creating such environments. BCV4 is also an essential tool for IT staff implementing DB2 version upgrades.
BCV4 supports ‘single’ and ‘shared’ environments and is compatible with copy services such as native ADRDSSU, Flashcopy, Snapshot, ShadowImage, etc. BCV4 also clones complex systems including combined IMS/DB2 environments. It automates the complete process: Renames datasets, changes VTOCs and VVDSes, creates new catalogs, re-catalogs all files and makes the necessary updates within DB2 Directory and Catalog and prepares Bootstrap Datasets and Active Logs. In other words, BCV4 makes the new DB2 subsystem clone immediately usable.
Substantial Benefits
Easy to install and execute: the user selects from a list of cloning configurations and navigates through a short series of intuitive definition steps. Only required information that BCV4 cannot find by itself is solicited from the user. For each cloning project, BCV4 creates a job stream that goes from start to finish. It is executed either using the company scheduler under the manual control of the operational staff or in its own automatic submit mode. That means, after running the first task, all other jobs automatically execute following the successful completion of their predecessors.
Each and every step necessary to clone a DB2 subsystem is included in the job chain. The pitfalls of labor intensive and error prone tasks are eliminated. The time lost to reruns are a thing of the past. Once set up, a clone definition may be re-used as often as desired. Subsequent executions eliminate the need for tedious setup tasks and expert DB2/IMS staff coordination. DB2 cloning is accomplished with the “push of a button.”
more»How BCV4 Clones
Cloning is about copying and renaming many items and the faster the better. BCV4 uses installed hardware fast copying tools, standard ADRDSSU, or existing backups to create copies of volumes and datasets from the source DB2 or IMS subsystems. It executes specialized programs to rename and re-catalog all datasets on the target volumes. It completes this task in a fraction of the time needed by the standard utilities.
After all source data is copied and available, BCV4 runs specialized programs to make the necessary name changes required by the DB2 Catalog. It uses neither SQL nor any DB2 utility to perform these changes. This is the source of its speed. Time savings of 90% and higher are commonly reported by users. When the target DB2 subsystem is brought up at the end of this process, it has re-newed data and is ready to use. It is not magic, but solid craftsmanship with careful attention to detail that yields these performance boosts.
In Summary
Subsystem cloning no longer requires tying up valuable DB2 experts with a time consuming, tedious job that takes many hours or even days to complete. Get a zero RC every time and enjoy the luxury of having an automated and scheduler driven process. BCV4 makes “push button cloning” a reality. And best of all, go from start to finish in minutes not days.
• Avoid labor intensive and error prone manual work.
• Reduce DB2 clone creation from days to minutes.
• Clone DB2 subsystems in a 24×7 environment.
• Eliminate the need for system downtime.
Select from seven pre-defined clone types and let the application provide step by step guidance with easy to use definition screens. This process yields a flawless clone definition. No more guesswork. All the required parameters are provided in ready to execute streams.
During the clone definition process, BCV4 lists all DB2 subsystems and retrieves all information required to complete the cloning definition. There is no need to remember or look up library names, BSDS names, active Log names, ICF Catalog names, Aliases, volume names, etc. BCV4’s expert engine finds them all.
The BCV4 clone definition facility finds all source information. Since the better part of cloning involves renaming, BCV4 provides an easy means to build the target names. It applies simple rules to the source values.
