Backup management is an essential part of a successful business. A backup application schedules manage and operated backup processes on the computer, server and backup devices. It is a coherent application that works on client/server architecture for extracting backup.
A backup manager is a typical backup software explicitly designed for enterprise data backup solutions.
You don’t know when a server recovery may arise, so backing up your data is crucial. The question arises whether you need to go for a paid or free backup options. Let’s get some insight on the backup version to choose.
When to use Free Backup Software?
You might need a server recovery on an urgent basis, backing up your current data is a must. Currently, 31 percent of IBM i shops rely on tape for recovery and 10 percent rely on vaulting service, 7 percent backing up to disk. 50 percent of backup relies on high availability solutions in addition to regular backups.
2 percent of IBM i shops have no strategy in place for recovery. This is remarkable, as there are many free backup capabilities integrated into IBM i operating system for saving and restoring data. As there are many free backup capabilities combined to IBM i operating system for protecting and restoring data.
The save menu has many saving options, but there are three primary options:
• Option 21- Entire system
• Option 22- System data only
• Option 23- All user data
The entire system (Option 21)
This option lets you perform a complete backup of all data on your system. This option will put the system into a restricted state, which means that user cannot access your system while running the backup. For small systems, you can run this option overnight. For a more massive system backup, you can run this system over the weekend.
System data only (Option 22)
Option 22 will save only system data. It will not collect any user data. You can run this option after applying PTFs or installing a new licensed product. Option 22 like 21 puts the system in a restricted state.
All user data (Option 23)
Option 23 saves all user data, even the files, user-written programs and other user data on the system. Option 23 also saves user profiles, security data and configuration data. All user data also places the system in a restricted state.
The SAVE menu option is simple and easy to use and in the hands of IBM i pro, they can allow for customized backup. They do not provide with all functionalities necessary for a recovery.
IBM i’s free SAVE menu option is great for sound, complete and full system backup. There is a more robust enterprise-class solution like BRMS and Robot Save. These systems are robust providing with full system backup, faster performance and recovery readiness.
When should you go for a paid backup software?
Enterprise-class software like Robot Save or Backup, Recovery and Media Services (BRMS). IBM’s strategic backup and tape management product provide for a dynamic backup and recovery needs.
Enterprise-class solutions will give you the ability to manage your media. They will also maintain a history of saved data, simplify the restore process and facilitate a detail recovery report. They also have a history of all your collected items. They also provide with archiving capabilities.
Backup, Recovery and Media Services for IBM i.
BRMS is induced of following services-
Tailored save operations
BRMS comes with many default policies to cover basic backup needs. You can easily create and customize systems to save data depending on your companies needs. The best feature of BRMS is that you can customize backup policies that perform and save operations data on daily critical operations. You can also choose to backup individual file and directories. With BRMS you can perform online backups of Lotus Notes servers while they are active. Additionally, you can also create archive policies, which will give you a systematic way of saving used objects and giving free space in the system.
Media and device management
BRMS keeps an inventory media and tracks all the data. BRMS lets you know which tape to use. Therefore you don’t have to worry about writing active data. It will also automate the use of physical and virtual tape libraries.
Enhanced save while active
BRMS can monitor for a save-while-active checkpoint to use save-while-active function easier for implementation. This will allow more use of the system during the save process.
BRMS FlashCopy Support
FlashCopy will create a clone of the source onto another disc. Which is attached to another system or LAPR partition. BRMS provides a backup mechanism on the second system in a way that it appears like the original system.
Parallel save and restore support
BRMS is capable of saving libraries and objects to multiple physical or virtual media devices. You can use 32 devices in a similar manner. This enhances the performance of virtual tape libraries (VTLs). VTLs are a great substitute to eliminate physical tape media offsite.
Network Feature
With BRMS networking you can share BRMS policies, media information and storage locations across multiple systems. This will allow you to manage, save and restore consistently across all systems.
Disaster recovery
Take a disaster recovery report or email it to an offsite location after every backup. This report will guide you through the improvement of your system. It tells you which media you need to restore for every portion of the system. BRMS will give you an online guide through the restoration of data and completely recover your IBM i.
Robot save for IBM i
Robot Save is another enterprise solution for IBM i backup. Robot Save provides the following functions.-
Tracking save operations-
Robot Save automatically tracks backups, so that you can monitor what information was protected. Track when and where it was kept.
Media Management
Robot Save manages your tape media. Media management lets you define the movement of your tape media and also tracks them in history for audit trails.
Centralized backup management
With the central control center, Robot Save manages backups scheduling and share tape media across multiple instances of IBM i.
Robot Save FlashCopy Support
The FlashCopy creates a clone of the source onto a second disk drive which is later on attached to another system or LPAR partition. The backup mechanism is such that it appears like the original source.
Concurrent Save and Restore Support
Robot Save provides the ability to back up your data to multiple physical or virtual media devices. Concurrent saves give us a simple way of completing backups faster than one physical or virtual tape device. Create multiple backups with simultaneous saves. Create numerous backup classes and sets, each with a different set of libraries, directories or special save.
Robot save guided system restoration
The Robot Save Restoration Procedures report lists the volume you need to recover your system. The guided system restoration procedures option in Robot Save tells you which volumes to mount and then restore libraries.
An efficient backup system is the right business choice. During any crises and in need of any file urgently, the backup management system is at your rescue.