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How do i use flashcopy after i've installed it?
I have created a flashcopy logical drive from a logical drive from the same SAN raid, i have defined and mapped it to the same server as the logical drive. How does it work from there? IBM instructions confuse me. They are too general.
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FlashCopy and VolumeCopy, are special add-on on a DS4000 storage.
The VolumeCopy is ehough clear, copies (duplicates) logical volumes.
You can use it by scripts or in interactive way.
Suppose you have to copy a big LV: you have to stop users, say them "don't save any files", copy, and announce "done" you can write! Your copy will be consistent.
I was joking: probably it is impossible to do this, you can have hundreds of users,
world wide, and every day this will be fastidious! FlashCopy helps you on this.
(sounds well, I can propose this at IBM as slogan).
At the moment you start FlashCopy, this "flashes", takes a picture of the LV:
users can continue to save their Word files, or better DB can continue to save records: what done after FlashCopy will not be saved.
On the flashED copy, you can backup data (by another host) and when finished,
release it. While FlashCopy is active, the storage continues to save the data on the original LV, but before to overwrite areas, copies original in flashed volume.
If you need just for backup, FlashCopy is enough.
If you want that the copy remains on the storage, you need just VolumeCopy.
To avoid to stop i/o while VolumeCopy goes, you need both:
FlashCopy a LV, and VolumeCopy the flashed one.
You can install basic part of storage manager on the Backup server, and make tasks that, using backup commands and DS4000 scripts do:
enable Flashcopy
make Backup
remove FlashCopy
I hope have been clear, also if just theoretical.
I avoided to pass you links, becouse i think you have your pc full of them.
However for any, I am here.
bye
vic