Data Sets

Robot Save handles ninety-nine percent of the items you want to save. However, if you have a special situation where you need to save something that can’t be defined using Robot Save panels, Robot Save supports the use of data sets. For example, you might use a data set tape operation if you regularly create duplicate volumes using the CPYTOTAP command.

Robot Save handles data set tape operations just like other save operations. You can code data set commands in a program and Robot Save automatically records volume usage, initializes tapes with the appropriate volume names, and enforces all rules for volume usage. In addition, Robot Save gives you the option of entering object archive entries for the objects that were saved.

You can use data sets in the following ways:

From inside Robot Save:

Use a user-written program to supply Robot Save with the unique save commands that Robot Save cannot generate to save the data. The backup set must be in a Data Set-type backup class. Enter the program name on the Extended Backup Set Information panel as the Data Set program. The backup set executes like any other Robot Save backup. When the backup runs, Robot Save acts as if a normal backup is running, except that it uses your program to execute the actual save commands instead of generating them.

Note: Commands supported during the processing of a Data Set-type backup are limited to commands that begin with "SAV" such as, SAVLIB, SAVOBJ, SAVDLO, SAV, and so on. A non-inclusive list of unsupported commands includes: RBSDUPROT, DUPTAP and INZTAP.

From outside Robot Save:

If you have a product that performs its own backups and therefore cannot be saved by a regular Robot Save backup set, you can use a data set to record its volume usage. Use the RBSRECORD command before running your product’s backups. All volume activity will be tracked as the product performs its backups. When the backup completes, use the RBSRECEND command to end the volume monitoring. If your product’s backup is scheduled using a job scheduler, place the RBSRECORD command in the scheduled job before the product runs and the RBSRECEND command after the product finishes its backup. If you run the product’s backups interactively, run the RBSRECORD command from a command line before starting the backup, and the RBSRECEND command after the backup completes.

Note: Before you set up a data set backup class and backup sets, we recommend that you contact Robot Technical Support. Robot Save offers several options for backing up and tracking your data, and we can help you determine which method is the best to use.

Robot Save Manages Your Data Set Programs

You can enter the data set program name in your backup set definition. Then, when the RBSSave command for that backup set is run, it executes your data set program. This gives you the following advantages:

  • You can schedule the data set program on Robot Schedule from the Backup Set Definition Maintenance panel.

  • You can run the data set program from the Backup Operations Menu.

Note: When you use data sets in this way, do not use the RBSRECORD and RBSRECEND commands in your program.

You also can create data set-type backup sets just to manage tapes manually and not to execute data set programs. Robot Save allows you to update the tape volume usage by changing the usage date of the backup set’s rotation.

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