Using IBM Media and Storage Extensions

Robot Save works with IBM Media and Storage Extensions (MSE) to allow you to free disk space on your IBM i system. You can use object list backups in conjunction with MSE to free the storage associated with the objects in the list.

Note: You should not use this function with your daily backups.

To take advantage of MSE, define your backup set with the Object Transfer option for the object list set to FREE. Save your object list using Robot Save. At the end of the save, only the object description remains on the IBM i; all data has been moved to tape.

You can free the following types of objects on your system: files (*FILE), ILE modules (*MODULE), programs, ILE service programs, Structured Query Language (SQL) packages, *DOC, *FLR, *LIB, *MENU, *QRYDFN, and IFS. However, only objects of the type *FILE with an attribute of PF can trigger the MSE restore process. For that reason, we recommend that you only free files. If you want to free any other type of object, be certain you understand what is in your libraries and the objects and processes necessary to restore the object list.

Then, using Robot Save, associate the object list with one or more freed files. When a user or application attempts to use a freed file, MSE requests Robot Save to restore the entire object list associated with it.

Free objects only during a save. This ensures that the objects are available for restoration. The tapes on which you have saved your freed objects should never be allowed to expire. If you reuse a backup set rotation that contains freed data, the data will be lost and cannot be restored.

Note: If your object list contains member names (that is, it was created in Robot Corral with the field List Members separately set to Yes) or is a folder list, the object list cannot be freed. This is an IBM limitation. See the Robot Corral User Guide for complete information on working with members in object lists or folder lists.

Object List Related to Freed Object Panel

The Object List Related to Freed Object Panel shows any object lists that have been associated with a freed object in Robot Save. You can use the panel to relate a freed object to an object list, change the object list related to an object, or delete the relationship between an object and object list. You can have the same object list related with any number of freed objects. Using any of the freed objects triggers the restoration of the related object list. Select option 6 from the Automated Backup Setup Menu to display the Object List Related to Freed Object panel.

Example

The following example describes a typical situation where you might use MSE to free file space.

Note: This is meant as an example only and may or may not be applicable in your organization.

Problem

Your company has a monthly process. You don’t know the order in which it does its processing. However, you do know that all the files and objects needed by the process are found in the same library, MONTHLIB. The library is used only once a month so, to conserve disk space, you want to free the library and restore it only when it is needed.

Solution

  • Using Robot Corral, build an object list of all the *FILE objects in the library that have an object attribute of PF.

  • On the Object List Saved Within a Backup Set panel, specify you want to save this object list with Rebuild Option 1 (REBUILD) and Object Transfer Option 3 (FREE). Robot Save will build the object list before saving it and free the storage of the objects as they are saved.

  • Save the backup set. This frees all the month-end database physical files.

  • Relate each *FILE object saved to the object list name. You can do this one object at a time using the Object List Related to Freed Object Entry panel. Or, use the RBSRELATE command to relate all *FILE objects in the object list to the object list

    Note: If any relationships already exist for objects in the object list you specify on the RBSRELATE command, no new relationships will be created and a message will be issued.

When you next run your monthly process, any use of any of the freed files will trigger the restoration of the entire object list.

This function is transparent to the user and no programming is required to use it. If you use an automated media library, all tape handling is done automatically.