Checklist: New application group environment - assure_mimix - 10.0

Use this checklist to configure a new installation of MIMIX. This checklist creates the preferred configuration that uses shipped default configuration values that are considered best practices. This includes the use of application groups, data groups that are configured to use IBM i remote journaling and MIMIX multithreaded database apply processing, default cooperative processing for logical and physical files, and data group that process data areas and data queues through user journal replication processes.

To configure your system manually, perform the following steps on the system that you want to designate as the management system of the MIMIX installation:

1. Communications between the systems must be configured and operational before you start configuring MIMIX.

   1. If communications is not configured, refer to System-level communications for more information.

   2. If you have TCP configured, verify that is it is operational using the PING command.

2. Create system definitions for the management system and each of the network systems for the MIMIX installation. Use topic Creating system definitions.

3. Create transfer definitions to define the communications protocol used between pairs of systems. A pair of systems consists of a management system and a network system. Use topic Creating a transfer definition.

4. Ensure that the Lakeview TCP server is running on each system defined in the transfer definition. You can use the Work with Active Jobs (WRKACTJOB) command to look for a job under the MIMIXSBS subsystem with a function of PGM-LVSERVER. If the Lakeview TCP server is not active on a system, use topic Starting the TCP/IP server.

   Note: Default values for transfer definitions enable MIMIX to create and manage autostart job entries for the server. If your transfer definitions prevent this, you can create and manage your own autostart job entries. For more information see Using autostart job entries to start the TCP server.

5. Start the MIMIX managers using topic Starting the system and journal managers. When the system manager is running, configuration information for data groups will be automatically replicated to the other system as you create it.

6. Verify that the communications link defined in each transfer definition is operational using topic Verifying a communications link for system definitions.

7. Ensure that the DDM TCP server is running using topic Starting the DDM TCP/IP server.

8. If you have implemented DDM password validation, verify that your environment will allow MIMIX RJ support to work properly. Use topic Checking the DDM password validation level.

9. Create the application groups to which you will associate the data groups using topic Creating an application group definition. Skip this step if the environment you are configuring will not use application groups.

10. If there are more than one application groups in the MIMIX installation that you are configuring, add a data resource group entry (resource group) to the application group being configured using topic Adding a resource group to an application group.

    Note: Skip Step 10 if either of these conditions apply:

    • There is only one application group in the installation you are configuring. The resource group will be automatically created when you perform Step 12.

    • The installation you are configuring will not use application groups.

11. Identify what node (system) will be the primary node for each application group, using Specifying the primary node for the application group. Skip this step if the environment you are configuring will not use application groups.

12. Create the data group definitions that you need using one of the following:

    • If you are using best practices, use topic Creating a data group that uses best practices.

    • If you need to use techniques not supported by multithreaded database apply processing or you are not using application groups, use topic Creating a data group using values other than defaults.

13. Confirm that the journal definitions which have been automatically created have the values you require. For information, see Configuration processes that create journal definitions, Tips for journal definition parameters, and Journal definition considerations.

14. Build the necessary journaling environments for the RJ links using Building the journaling environment. If the data group is switchable, be sure to build the journaling environments for both directions--source system A to target system B (target journal @R) and for source system B to target system A (target journal @R).

15. Use Table 33 to create data group entries for this configuration. This configuration requires object entries and file entries for LF and PF files. For other object types or classes, any replication options identified in planning topic Replication choices by object type are supported.

    Table 1. How to configure data group entries for the remote journal (preferred) configuration.

    Class	Do the following:	Planning and Requirements Information
    Library-based objects	Create object entries using. UseCreating data group object entries. After creating object entries, load file entries for LF and PF (source and data) *FILE objects using Loading file entries from a data group’s object entries. After creating object entries, load object tracking entries for any *DTAARA and *DTAQ objects to be replicated from a user journal. Use Loading object tracking entries.	Identifying library-based objects for replication Identifying logical and physical files for replication Identifying data areas and data queues for replication
    IFS objects	Create IFS entries using Creating data group IFS entries. After creating IFS entries, load IFS tracking entries for IFS objects to be replicated from a user journal. Use Loading IFS tracking entries.	Identifying IFS objects for replication
    DLOs	Create DLO entries using Creating data group DLO entries.	Identifying DLOs for replication

16. Do the following to confirm and automatically correct any problems found in file entries associated with data group object entries:

    1. From the management system, temporarily change the Action for running audits policy using the following command: SETMMXPCY DGDFN(name system1 system2) RULE(*NONE) RUNAUDIT(*CMPRPR) 

    2. From the source system, type WRKAUD RULE(#DGFE) and press Enter.

    3. Next to the data group you want to confirm, type 9 (Run rule) and press F4 (Prompt).

    4. On the Run Rule (RUNRULE) display, specify *NO for the Use run rule on system policy prompt. Then press Enter.

    5. Check the audit status for a value of *NODIFF or *AUTORCVD. If the audit results in any other status, resolve the problem. For additional information, see Resolving auditing problems and Interpreting results for configuration data - #DGFE audit .

    6. From the management system, set the Action for running audits policy to its previous value. (The default value is *INST.) Use the command: SETMMXPCY DGDFN(name system1 system2) RULE(*NONE) RUNAUDIT(*INST) 

17. Optionally, you can manually deploy data group configuration within MIMIX. Although MIMIX will automatically deploy configuration information when data groups are started, manually deploying is recommended for new data groups. Manual deploying allows you the opportunity to validate the list of objects to be replicated and the initial start of the data groups will be faster. Use the procedure Manually deploying configuration changes.

18.  Ensure that object auditing values are set for the objects identified by the configuration before synchronizing data between systems. Use the procedure Setting data group auditing values manually. Doing this now ensures that objects to be replicated have the object auditing values necessary for replication and that any transactions which occur between configuration and starting replication processes can be replicated.

19. Start journaling using the following procedures as needed for your configuration.

    Note: If the objects do not yet exist on the target system, be sure to specify *SRC for the Start journaling on system (JRNSYS) parameter in the commands to start journaling.

    • For user journal replication, use Journaling for physical files to start journaling on both source and target systems.

    • For IFS objects, configured for user journal replication, use Journaling for IFS objects.

    • For data areas or data queues configured for user journal replication, use Journaling for data areas and data queues.

20. Synchronize the database files and objects on the systems between which replication occurs. Topic Performing the initial synchronization identifies options available for synchronizing and identifies how to establish a synchronization point that identifies the journal location that will be used later to initially start replication.

21. Confirm that the systems are synchronized by checking the libraries, folders and directories contain expected objects on both systems.

22. Start the data group using Starting data groups for the first time.

23. After you have started data groups as described in Step 22, start the application groups using Starting an application group. Skip this step if the environment you are configuring will not use application groups.

24. Customize the step programs that end and start user applications before and following a switch using Customizing step programs within shipped procedures.

25. Verify the configuration. Topic Verifying the initial synchronization identifies the additional aspects of your configuration that are necessary for successful replication.