Innovation Data Processing | FDRAPPL – Managed, automated and flexible application backup for z/OS

FDRAPPL Introduction

FDRAPPL is a high-performance, automated and flexible application backup system, which is designed to backup a pre-defined group of data sets that belong to a single z/OS application, regardless of where those data sets reside.

The selected data sets are located through the MVS catalog, so the user does not need to know the location of each individual data set. A minimal number of SELECT statements are usually required to identify an entire application. See the technical detail section for examples of FDRAPPL selection criteria.

FDRAPPL provides a fast and effective means of securing an MVS application, and is ideal for complementing your existing volume-based backup system (see FDRINC), or to provide additional, specialized backup and retention for individual applications.

Key Features & Benefits

Reduce application downtime and improve availability by backing up only the required data sets.
Write your FDRAPPL backups to disk (e.g. for home site checkpoint restart/recovery) or to tape (for use in a disaster recovery).
All major data set types supported, including CICS, DB2 and VSAM.
Run your FDRAPPL backups before and/or after the application has run, or even include them within the application workflow.
Variable retention and expiration allows you to keep your application backups for shorter (or longer) than your regular volume-based backups.
Protect your FDRAPPL backups against unauthorized access by encrypting the backup data with FDRCRYPT.
Flexible application restore facilities let you recover the whole application, or individual data sets.
Prioritize the recovery of your applications in an emergency by restoring critical applications ahead of less critical ones.

Performance & Efficiency

The table below (extracted from an March 2011 Performance Test) demonstrates FDRAPPL's superior performance when compared to DFSMShsm ABARS. As you can see FDRAPPL offers a clear advantage in performance (i.e. reduced backup elapsed times) and resource utilization (i.e. less CPU consumption and disk/tape EXCPs):

Product	Elapsed Time (Minutes)	CPU Time (Seconds)	Tape EXCPs	Disk EXCPs	GB Dumped
ABR V5.4/75 with TYPE=APPL	6.53	24.62	29,771	29,983	21
z/OS V1R12 DFSMShsm ABARS	19.64	83.20	882,349	31,188	21
% Difference	67%	70%	97%	4%

Managed Backups

FDRAPPL is a “managed” backup system, which means that the details of all data sets that are backed up are recorded in a special, high-performance control file, which requires minimum DASD space – often only a few tracks. When a backup has completed, a copy of its control file can optionally be placed at the end of the backup type, to ensure that it is available in a Disaster Recovery situation.

Automated Restore

Recovery of your application with FDRAPPL couldn't be simpler. Because the backups are fully “managed” (see above), restores are very straight-forward.

No need to tell FDRAPPL which tape(s) or disk(s) were used to store the backup – it already knows.
Either the whole application or individual data sets can be restored, either from the most recent backup, or from an older one.
Datasets can optionally be renamed during the restore process, allowing you to create a copy of an application if required.

Solutions To Your Everyday Problems

When we talk to Storage Administrators about their existing application backup systems, the same problems and concerns are mentioned time and time again:

Poor performance and backup overruns are always of primary concern, as slow backup performance invariably causes disruption to the revenue-generating applications that are being backed up.
High resource utilization and long-running housekeeping tasks can consume valuable CPU cycles.
A lack of control is often also cited as an issue, especially when employing manual, un-managed backup processes.

If your current backup system is suffering from any of the above issues, FDRAPPL can provide you with a cost-effective solution. It is particularly suited to replacing backup utilities such as IEBGENER or IDCAMS REPRO. It can also be used to replace your DFSMShsm ABARS aggregate backups, or your DFSMSdss/DFDSS (ADRDSSU) dataset/application backups.

For more introductory information on FDRAPPL, see the Product Portfolio Sheet

For more comprehensive information on FDRAPPL, please request a Concept & Facilities Guide

For more information on FDRINC, see the FDRINC section.

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