Howdy,

(Sorry in advance for the lengthy response....)

  The server export/import process does provide a means of moving data and db
definitions from one server to another.  It does not move just db entries for
the data and allow a user to move the source tapes between systems.  The only
way the export/import moves data between 2 servers is to read it off the source
media and write it to the export media.  Than the import processing reads the
definitions and data from the export tape(s) and writes the definitions into
the database and writes the file data into the appropriate storage pool.

     The key to what export processing moves is in what is specified on the
FILEDATA parameter -

--> If NONE is specified, server definitions such as administrators, nodes,
des,
policy information, and schedules are exported.  These are read from the server
database and written to the export media.  The database definitions exported in
this case depend upon the specific export command being issued - EXPORT NODE
vs. EXPORT SERVER vs. EXPORT POLICY vs. EXPORT ADMIN.

--> If something OTHER than NONE is specified for the FILEDATA parameter on the
r on the
export command, than the data is read from storage on the server performing the
export and it is written to the export media.  Than when the import is
performed, the data is read from the export tape(s) and written onto the server
doing the import.  The information written on the server doing the import is
the database definitions for the file data and the file data itself.

The export/import processing does not allow for the export/import of database
definitions that describe files without actually exporting the file data
itself.

      A scheme for migrating a server from one platform to a different platform
that has been used by other customers is the following:

1) Export the server definitions from the VM server and import them on the MVS
server.  For example, 'EXPORT SERVER FILEDATA=NONE...'.  This allows you to
establish the a similar configuration on the MVS server as was used on the VM
server.

2) Export any archive and space managed files from the VM server and import
this onto the MVS server.  The rationale here is that this is data that is not
re-creatable and thereby must be explicitly moved onto the new MVS server.

3)  Allow the clients to begin backing up to the new MVS server.  Please note
that on their first backup to the MVS server, it will be a FULL backup  since
the client does not have any existing backup data on the MVS server.  This step
may want to be managed so as to not overwhelm the network or server - by this I
mean you may want to move over sets of clients and not all the clients at one
time.

This method allows export/import to handle the data that can not be re-created
while allowing the re-creatable data (such as backup data) to be re-created on
the new server.    This method has been used by some customers to accomplish
that you are proposing.

Hopefully, this helps to clarify how export/import could be used to accomplish
the migration from one server platform to a different platform.

Colin Dawson
ADSM Development