Configuring MIMIX for the first clone - assure_mimix - 10.0

System definitions

If you used commands from the native user interface to install the MIMIX instance, you must create system definitions. Do the following from the flash source system:

1. Enter the following command to create a system definition for the system that is the source for the flash copy:

   installation-library-name/CRTSYSDFN SYSDFN(flash-source-node-name) TYPE(*MGT)

2. Enter the following command to create a system definition for the system that is the target for the flash copy:

   installation-library-name/CRTSYSDFN SYSDFN(flash-target-node-name) TYPE(*NET)

If you used the installation wizard with the caveats described in Installing MIMIX, do the following before the MIMIXSBS subsystem is started:

1. Verify that the system definitions created by the wizard are properly configured. From the flash source system, enter the command:

   installation-library-name/WRKSYSDFN

2. The Work with System Definitions display lists the definitions created by the wizard. Verify that the system that is the flash copy source is of type *MGT and that the flash copy target system is *NET.

   An example below showing system definitions that meet requirements for a FlashCopy environment where the flash source system is of type *MGT.

   
3. If the identified Type of each system definition is not correct, you must correct the configuration now. Do the following from the flash target node:
   1. Change the flash target system designated as *MGT first. From the command line, specify the appropriate system definition for the flash target node in the following command and press Enter:

      installation-library-name/CHGSYSDFN SYSDFN(flash-target-node-name) TYPE(*NET)

   2. Change the other system definition. From the command line, specify the system definition that identifies the flash source node in the following command and press Enter:

      installation-library-name/CHGSYSDFN SYSDFN(flash-source-node-name) TYPE(*MGT)

Transfer definitions

If you used the installation wizard to create a new two-node instance, the wizard created the transfer definition for you.

If you used commands from the native user interface to install the MIMIX instance, you must create a transfer definition. From the MIMIX management (*MGT) system (the flash source system). Use the Create Transfer Definition (CRTTFRDFN) command to create a transfer definition that identifies communications between the systems. For the Transfer definition (TFRDFN) parameter, it is recommended that you specify the name as Primary. Do not specify *ANY for the systems in the TFRDFN parameter.

Data group definitions

One or more non-switchable data groups must be configured to identify aspects of how MIMIX performs replication.

Specify the following values for these parameters in the data group definition:

• Data group definition (DGDFN) - A three-part name (name system1 system2) uniquely identifies a data group. Because the name you specify is also used as the name of associated journal definitions that are automatically created, we recommend that you limit the name to a maximum of 6 characters. This will allow the journal definition names to have space for a 4-character suffix that is automatically added to aid in identifying the journal definition associated with the remote journal.
• Data source (DTASRC) - Ensure that the value specified (*SYS1 or *SYS2) represents the source system’s position (system1 or system2) as it is specified in the three-part data group name.
• Allow to be switched (ALWSWT) - Specify *NO.

Journal definitions

A default MIMIX configuration is capable of performing replication from the system journal (QAUDJRN) as well as from a user journal. MIMIX also uses journal definitions internally for the remote journal pair used for communicating between systems.

System journal definitions: When system definitions are created, MIMIX automatically creates a journal definition named QAUDJRN for the security audit journal (QAUDJRN) for the same systems. The QAUDJRN journal, also called the system journal, is used by MIMIX system journal replication processes. If you do not already have a journaling environment for the security audit journal, it will be created when the first data group that replicates from the system journal is started.

If you already used the QAUDJRN journal before you installed MIMIX, you need to confirm that attributes of your existing journaling environment, such as the receiver location, are correctly identified to MIMIX in the resulting QAUDJRN journal definitions.

User journal definitions: When a data group is created, user journal definitions are automatically created for the local and remote journal pair used to transport data between the two systems for replication by user journal replication processes.

The names of the created journal definitions reflect the associated data group name and the journal’s role in the remote journal pair. For example, creating a data group named DG1 CLON1SRC CLON1TGT results in journal definition DG1 CLON1SRC for the local journal and journal definition DG101@R CLON1TGT for the remote journal.

For the created journal definitions, use the WRKJRNDFN command to access the Work with Journal Definitions display; then use option 5 (Display) to verify that the following parameter values are specified. Then use option 2 (Change) to update them if necessary:

• Receiver change management (CHGMGT) - This must specify a value other than *NONE.
• Keep journal receivers (days) (KEEPJRNRCV) - This must specify a number that keeps receivers for a day longer than any possible Flash-IPL-Startup process that crosses midnight. If the system is flashed every day, specify 2.
• Receiver size option (RCVSIZOPT) - This must specify the value *MAXOPT3.
• Minimize entry specific data (MINENTDTA) - must specify the value *NONE. Minimized journal entry data is not supported.

Audit policies

We recommend that you run audits according to MIMIX best practices, with any necessary adjustments in scheduling as to not interfere with flash operations.

If you create flash copies on a daily basis, run audits daily after completing the post-flash operations. (This is different than default scheduling.) You may need to adjust audit scheduling for all-objects audits and for prioritized-objects audits.

For more information about audit policies and best practices, see the Assure MIMIX Operations book.

Audit schedules

We recommend that you determine when the flash and catch up time is typically complete. Then, change audit schedules so that all-objects audits and prioritized-objects audits will not be submitted for at least one hour after the flash and post-flash operation catch up time completes.

Consider the following:

• Change the File Selection Rules (#DGFE) audit’s schedule to run on a daily basis instead of its default frequency of weekly. The flash operations may fully reset data and objects daily. Running this audit daily ensures that MIMIX is properly configured for replication of *FILE objects. This audit only supports running as an all-objects audit.
• Any all-objects audits that you choose to run should be scheduled to run daily instead of the default frequency of weekly and at a time about an hour after the flash catch up completes.
• Any prioritized-objects audits that you choose to run should be scheduled so that the beginning of their start time range is about an hour after the flash catch up completes.
• Depending on the size of the database, it may not be realistic to run the File Data (#FILTDA) audit every day. In MIMIX, the next best option is to enable scheduling for all-objects auditing runs of the File Member Record Counts (#MBRRCDCNT) audit. The ability of the #MBRRCDCNT audit to perform automatic recovery actions is dependent on scheduling details of the #FILDTA and #MBRRCDCNT audits. For more information about this dependency, see the #MBRRCDCNT audit information in topic “Considerations for specific audits” in the Assure MIMIX Operations book.
• Disable the audit schedule for any all-objects audits and any prioritized-objects audits that you do not want to run.

For more information about changing auditing schedules, see topic “Changing when automatic audits are allowed to run” in either the Assure MIMIX Operations book or the Using MIMIX from the Assure Unified Interface book. For a list of the default schedules for automatically submitted audits, see the Assure MIMIX Operations book.

Extended policies

It is possible that every system shutdown for a new flash will result in a daemon communication error in MIMIX. MIMIX supports an extended policy named COMM_DAEMON_ACK_NFY that prevents these not-acknowledged notifications from being reported as errors. If you want to implement this extended policy, contact your MIMIX Support representative.

Selection rules

Configure MIMIX selection rules (also known as data group entries) to identify critical data to be replicated.