COPYSTGpools - option

[kongfranon]

I was finishing up setting up my primary and copy storage pools and looking at IBM documentation saw this:

COPYSTGpools
Specifies the names of copy storage pools where copies of files being stored in the primary storage pool, during a client backup, archive or HSM stores, are also simultaneously written to all listed copy storage pools. This parameter is optional. The maximum length of the copy pool name is 30 characters. You can specify a maximum of 10 copy pool names separated by commas and no intervening spaces. This option is restricted to only primary storage pools using NATIVE or NONBLOCK data format. When specifying the COPYSTGPOOLS parameter, you may also specify the COPYCONTINUE parameter. For additional information, see the COPYCONTINUE parameter.
Note:
The function provided by the COPYSTGPOOLS parameter is not intended to replace the BACKUP STGPOOL command. If you use the COPYSTGPOOLS parameter, continue to use the BACKUP STGPOOL command to ensure that the copy storage pools are complete copies of the primary storage pool. There are cases when a copy may not be created. For more information, see the COPYCONTINUE parameter description.

Ok so is there a reason against using this option and defining the copy pool? Will it slow things down or speed it up? Since I still have to run this BACKUP STGPOOL command not sure if I understand the purpose?

I was not sure if I should enable it.

Thanks

[moon-buddy]

When you run backup stgpool from where to where are you doing backups? In other word, what is the source and what is the destination?

If the source is a primary pool and the destination is a storage pool that you send offsite for DR, then that pool is your copy pool in most regards. If you specify more than one copy pool, you are doing redundancy. You can use the copy as a second DR or as a way to update a "warmsite".

You can eliminate the need of doing 'backup stgpool' when you specify the value at the copystgpools parameter. TSM will write to primary and backup at the same time.

[kongfranon]

I was planning on running backup stgpool from my primary tape pool to my offsiteDR copy tape pool.

If i understand correctly then all I need to is use the copystgpool and will be faster right? or not really

[moon-buddy]

I was planning on running backup stgpool from my primary tape pool to my offsiteDR copy tape pool.

If i understand correctly then all I need to is use the copystgpool and will be faster right? or not really

Depends: if your primary is disk, the nodes will be waiting for the tape to finish before backing. In most cases, you save backup windows and admin time.

[kongfranon]

The way I have it setup is the following:

Storage Device Estimated Pct Pct High Low Next Stora-
Pool Name Class Name Capacity Util Migr Mig Mig ge Pool
Pct Pct
----------- ---------- ---------- ----- ----- ---- --- -----------
DISKPOOL1 DISK 5,464 G 0.0 0.0 90 70 TAPESPILL
OFFSITEDR LTO4 0.0 M 0.0
TAPESPILL LTO4 0.0 M 0.0 0.0 90 70


DISKPOOL1 is primary DISK - 5.5 TB of fast local disks.

next day after backups are done have it migrate all data from DISKPOOL1 to TAPESPILL which is a primary LTO4 pool. Once that is completed then copy from TAPESPILL to OFFSITEDR which is set as copy LTO4 pool

[moon-buddy]

Put the line copystgpool=OFFSITEDR - data will flow simultaneously to disk and offsite tape. You then migrate to primary tape from disk.