Maintaining the RECON Data Sets

You can use several procedures and commands to maintain the RECON data sets.

Backing Up the RECON Data Sets

Set up operational procedures to ensure that regular backups of the RECON data sets are taken using the DBRC BACKUP.RECON command. The BACKUP.RECON command includes a reserve mechanism to ensure that no updating of the RECON data sets takes place during the backup. If possible, take the backup when no IMS systems are active.

The backup copy is created from the copy1 RECON data set. The command to create the backup copy invokes the AMS REPRO command, with its normal defaults and restrictions. For instance, the data set that is receiving the backup copy must be empty.

Deleting Inactive Log Records from the RECON Data Sets

When DBRC becomes aware that an image copy has been taken of a database data set (DBDS), DBRC automatically deletes, reuses, or updates the records in the RECON that are associated with that particular DBDS. After this automatic processing, certain log records are considered inactive, but are not deleted from the RECON.

A log is considered inactive when the following conditions are all true:

• The log volume does not contain any DBDS change records that are more recent than the oldest image copy data set known to DBRC. This check is performed on a DBDS basis.

• The log volume is not opened in 24 hours.

• The log has either been terminated (nonzero stop time) or has the ERROR flag in the PRILOG and SECLOG record set on.

The only recovery-related records in the RECON that are not automatically deleted are the log records (for example, the PRILOG and LOGALL records). You can delete these records using the DELETE.LOG INACTIVE command. You can also add the DELETE.LOG INACTIVE command to the job that takes a backup of the RECON data sets.

Monitoring the RECON Data Sets

In addition to the regular backups, you should monitor the status of the individual RECON data sets on a regular basis. There are two ways to do this: using the LIST.RECON STATUS command and using the DBRC API Query request.

Monitoring the RECON Data Sets Using the LIST.RECON STATUS Command

Use the LIST.RECON STATUS command regularly to monitor the status of the individual RECON data sets.

The LIST.RECON command produces a formatted display of the contents of RECON data sets. The copy1 RECON data set is used as a source. DBRC ensures that the second RECON data set contains the same information as the first RECON data set.

You can use the optional STATUS parameter to request the RECON header record information and the status of all RECON data sets. The use of this parameter suppresses the listing of the other records.

Issue a LIST.RECON STATUS command two or three times a day during the execution of an online system to ensure that problems have not been encountered with these data sets.

Monitoring the RECON Data Sets Using the DBRC API Query Request

Use the DBRC API Query request (DSPAPI FUNC=QUERY) along with the TYPE parameter to retrieve the following types of information from the RECON data sets:

• Backout (TYPE=BACKOUT): Retrieves backout information for a specific subsystem or all subsystems.

• Database (TYPE=DB): Returns database registration and status information for:

  - Full-function databases.

  - Fast Path databases.

  - HALDB databases.

  - DBDS or area information and supporting recovery-related information for each DBDS or area (allocation, image copy, recovery, and reorganization).

• Group and member information for the following group types:

  - Change accumulation (TYPE=CAGROUP). CA execution information can also be returned.

  - DBDS (TYPE=DBDSGROUP).

  - Database (TYPE=DBGROUP).

  - Recovery (TYPE=RECOVGROUP).

  - Global Service Group (TYPE=GSGROUP).

• Log, recovery, and system log data set (TYPE=LOG).

• Online log data set (TYPE=OLDS).

• RECON status (TYPE=RECON): Returns RECON header information, as well as the status of the RECON configuration.

• Subsystem (TYPE=SUBSYS).