Creating a data group that uses best practices - assure_mimix - 10.0

These instructions will create a data group that uses best practices for replication. Best practices include controlling replication and switching through an associated application group and allowing user journal replication processes to use multithreaded database apply processing for file record-level transactions. Shipped default values for the Create Data Group Definition (CRTDGDFN) command are set to meet the requirements for multithreading and association with an application group.

Prerequisite: At least one application group must exist before you use these instructions.

To create a data group, do the following:

1. To access the appropriate command, do the following:

   1. From the From the MIMIX Basic Main Menu, type 11 (Configuration menu) and press Enter

   2. From the MIMIX Configuration Menu, select option 4 (Work with data group definitions) and press Enter.

   3. From the Work with Data Group Definitions display, type a 1 (Create) next to the blank line at the top of the list area and press Enter.

      The Create Data Group Definition (CRTDGDFN) display appears.

2. Specify a valid three-part name at the Data group definition prompts.

3. MIMIX will generate a prefix to use for jobs associated with the data group. If you want a specific prefix to be used, specify a value at the Short data group name prompt.

4. Do one of the following to identify the resource group and application group with which the data group will be associated:

   • If only one application group exists, specify either *DGDFN or the name of a resource group in the Data resource group entry prompt and specify *DFT for the Appl.group for resource group prompt. If the specified resource group does not exist it will be created as well as the data group.

   • If more than one application group exists, you must either:

     • Specify the name of an existing resource group for the Data resource group entry prompt. The resource group is already associated with an application group, so leave the value *DFT specified for the Appl.group for resource group prompt.

     • Specify either *DGDFN or a name for the Data resource group entry prompt. If the resource group exists, leave the value *DFT specified for the Appl.group for resource group prompt. If the resource group name (or the name to which *DGDFN resolves) does not exist, you must specify the name of an existing application group for the Appl.group for resource group prompt to allow the resource group and data group to be created.

5. Ensure that the value of the Data source prompt represents the system that you want to use as the source of data to be replicated.

6. If necessary, change the values for the following prompts:

   1. Verify that the value of the Allow to be switched prompt is what you want.

   2. Verify that the value of the Data group type prompt is what you need. Default cooperative processing for files requires either *ALL or *DB. User journal replication of journaled IFS objects, data areas, and data queues and legacy cooperative processing for physical files require *ALL.

   3. Verify that the value of the Primary transfer definition prompt is what you want.

   4. If you want MIMIX to have access to an alternative communications path, specify a value for the Secondary transfer definition prompt.

   5. Verify that the value of the Reader wait time (seconds) prompt is what you want.

7. Press Enter.

8. The Journal on target prompt appears on the display. The value *YES is required. To continue, press Enter.

9. More prompts appear on the display that identify journaling information for the data group. Do the following, as needed:

   1. Ensure that the values of System 1 journal definition and System 2 journal definition identify the journal definitions you need. If you have not journaled before, the value *DGDFN is appropriate. If you have an existing journaling environment that you have identified to MIMIX in a journal definition, specify the name of the journal definition.

   2. Press the Page Down key to see more prompts.

   3. If any objects to replicate are located in an auxiliary storage pool (ASP) group on either system, specify values for System1 ASP group and System 2 ASP group as needed. The ASP group name is the name of the primary ASP device within the ASP group.

   4. The value of the Use remote journal link prompt must be *YES.

   5. Press Enter to display more prompts.

10. The value of the Cooperative journal prompt must be *USRJRN.

11. The Number of DB apply sessions prompt must specify a value that results in multithreaded database apply processing. The value *THREADED resolves to the default value that the installed product allows for multithreaded database apply processing. Press F1 (Help) to see other allowed values for multithreading.

12. Verify that the values shown for the DB journal entry processing prompts are what you want.

    Note: *SEND is required for the IBM RMVJRNCHG (Remove Journal Change) command. See Additional considerations for data groups for more information.

13. At the Description prompt, type a text description of the data group definition, enclosed in apostrophes.

14.    Do one of the following:

    •    To accept the basic data group configuration, Press Enter. Most users can accept the default values for the remaining parameters. The data group is created when you press Enter.

    •    To access prompts for advanced configuration, press F10 (Additional Parameters) and continue with the next step.

    Advanced Data Group Options:  The remaining steps of this procedure are only necessary if you need to access options for advanced configuration topics. The prompts are listed in the order they appear on the display. Because IBM i does not allow additional parameters to be prompt-controlled, you will see all parameters regardless of the value specified for the Data group type prompt.

15. Specify the values you need for the following prompts associated with user journal replication:

    • Remote journaling threshold 

    •    Synchronization check interval 

    •    Time stamp interval

    •    Verify interval

    • Journal at creation 

16. Specify the values you need for the following prompts associated with system journal replication:

    • Number of times to retry

    • First retry delay interval

    • Second retry delay interval

17. Specify the values you need for each of the prompts on the File and tracking ent. opts (FEOPT) parameter.

    Notes: 

    The following value for these options are required for the best practice of multithreaded database apply processing:

    • Lock member during apply must be *NONE.

    • Apply sessions must be *ALL.

    • Disable triggers must be *YES.

    • Process triggers during apply must be *YES.

    The journal image value *BOTH is required for the IBM RMVJRNCHG (Remove Journal Change) command. See Additional considerations for data groups for more information.

18. Specify the values you need for each element of the following parameters:

    • Database reader/send threshold 

    • Database apply processing 

    Note: Multithreaded database apply processing requires the following values for these database apply processing elements: Commit mode must be *IMMED and Target constraint management must be *DFT or *YES.

    • Object processing 

    • Object send threshold 

    • Object retrieve processing 

    • Container send processing 

    • Object apply processing 

19. If necessary, change the values for the following prompts:

    •    User profile for submit job

    •    Send job description and its Library

    •    Apply job description and its Library

    •    Reorganize job description and its Library

    •    Synchronize job description and its Library

20. When you are sure that you have defined all of the values that you need, press Enter to create the data group definition.