Creating a data group using values other than defaults - assure_mimix - 10.0

These instructions will create a data group that uses values other than shipped defaults on the Create Data Group Definition (CRTDGDFN) command and will use single-threaded database apply processing within user journal replication processes.

Prerequisite: If you intend to use the best practice of having an application group with procedures to control starting, stopping, and switching operations, an application group must exist before you use these instructions

Use these instructions if any of the following are true:

• You require a data group that is not associated with an application group. Such a data group does not use procedures to perform start, stop, and switch operations.

• You need a data group that uses single-threaded database apply processing for any reason, such as:

• You need to configure for database replication techniques that require the use of keyed replication.

• You require that database apply processes use locking when processing file members.

• You require that database apply processes delay applying journal entries that are under commitment control until the commit cycle completes. This may be needed if you use the target system to run reports.

• You need to serialize database transactions with transactions for journaled IFS objects, data areas, or data queues.

• You require a data group that supports legacy cooperative processing via the system journal for only PF-DTA and PF38-DTA files. This is not a best practice.

Do not use these instructions to create a data group that uses multithreaded-database apply processing. Instead, use Creating a data group that uses best practices.

To create a data group, do the following:

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

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

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

   c.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. Associating a data group with an application group is best practice. However, you can choose to create a data group without this association. Do one of the following.

   • 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.

   • If you want a data group that is not associated with an application group, you must specify *NONE for the Data resource group entry prompt. The value of the Appl. group for resource group prompt is ignored.

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. If you specified *OBJ for the Data group type, skip to Step 14.

9. The Journal on target prompt appears on the display. The value *YES is required to allow MIMIX to perform target journal inspection and when the data group will be part of a cascading environment. If necessary, change the value.

10. Press Enter.

11. More prompts appear on the display that identify journaling information for the data group. Do the following:

    1. Ensure that the values of System 1 journal definition and System 2 journal definition identify the journal definitions you need.

       Notes: 

       •  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.

       • If you only see one of the journal definition prompts, you have specified *NO for both the Allow to be switched prompt and the Journal on target prompt. The journal definition prompt that appears is for the source system as specified in the Data source prompt.

    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. You can optionally configure the data group so that journaled IFS and library-based object types are identified for replication by the user journal associated with the data group.To use this capability, specify either *ALL or the object types (*DTAARA, *DTAQ, *FILE, *IFS, *LIB) for Use journal-centric config. Transactions for all objects of the specified types that are journaled to the user journal of the data group will be replicated.

    5. To allow MIMIX to automatically create and delete additional configuration to replicate objects journaled to journal objects (*JRN) created within library objects (*LIB) that are replicated by this data group, specify *YES for Auto-configure for journals. Any automatically created data group associated with the *JRN object is configured for journal-centric replication and is automatically started, or ended and deleted, according to the journal entries for the *JRN object detected by this data group.

    6. Verify the value for the Use remote journal link prompt. The value *YES is required for default cooperative processing of files and preferred for many other choices for user journal replication. When *YES is specified, MIMIX also creates a transfer definition and an RJ link, if needed. If you cannot use remote journaling, change the value to *NO.

    7. Press Enter.

    8. The Cooperative journal (COOPJRN) prompt requires the value *USRJRN to allow user journal replication of journaled IFS objects, data areas, and data queues and default cooperative processing of files. If you cannot use remote journaling in your user journal replication environment or if you need to use legacy cooperative processing for journaled PF-DTA and PF38-DTA files, specify *SYSJRN.

12. At the Number of DB apply sessions prompt, you must specify the number of single-threaded database apply sessions that can be used for processing files.

13. 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.

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

15.    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.

16. 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 

17. 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

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

    Notes: 

    • The value *DFT for the Lock member during apply prompt resolves to *EXCLRD (exclusive, allow read) when a number is specified for the Number of DB apply sessions prompt (Step 12).

    • The Apply session prompt only applies to files. When *ANY is specified, MIMIX will attempt to balance the load between configured apply sessions. Regardless of the value specified, journaled IFS objects, data areas, and data queues that are configured for user journal replication always use apply session A.

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

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

    • Database reader/send threshold 

    • Database apply processing 

      • If you need to prevent uncommitted data from being available on the target node, change the value of the Commit mode element to *DLY.

      • For the Target constraint management element of this parameter, the only valid values are *DFT and *NO.

    • Object processing 

    • Object send threshold 

    • Object retrieve processing 

    • Container send processing 

    • Object apply processing 

20. 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

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