IBM Utility to copy/compress multi-volume tape files

dick scherrer · Posted: Tue Apr 06, 2010 10:25 pm

Hello,

One of my current projects is to reduce the number of 3480/3490 carts used to store lots of historical data by copying multiple sets of files to eCarts (3590) media. Each file is several volumes of the older carts.

For speed's sake, we have been writing multiple copies using Syncsort.

One of the managers has heard of an "IBM Utility" that will not only copy these carts very fast, but does compression. This manager is not technical and did not mention just where he heard this.

Any idea of which utility he was told about?

If you needed to copy/consolidate a few thousand carts which utility would you choose?

expat · Posted: Wed Apr 07, 2010 11:46 am

In the dark and distant past I can recall using a product called CA-COPYCAT which basically copied several tape files onto one volume, maintained all of the catalog infp so that to reference the dataset was no different from as if it were on its own volume. However contention issues did arise if the volume was in use for another job.

Another method, although a little more messy, was to copy the files to DASD and then migrate to HSM which uses tapes pretty efficiently. Worked good until some darned user recalled a few biggies at the same time

dick scherrer · Posted: Wed Apr 07, 2010 7:15 pm

Hi Expat,

Thank you, kind sir.

Robert Sample · Posted: Wed Apr 07, 2010 7:30 pm

Dick, are you trying to say that ... that ... DASD isn't free???

dick scherrer · Posted: Wed Apr 07, 2010 9:23 pm

Hi Robert,

Not only not free, but the service center (one of my clients does not have a datacenter of their own. . .) is unwilling to even talk about as much dasd as would be needed even for fee. There just isn't space/power (they say).

Of course this exercise is several hundred of these multi-gig, multi-volume datasets. . . Gee only a few terabytes is needed at a time. . .

Bill Dennis · Posted: Thu Apr 08, 2010 1:28 am

If you have either TLMS or TMS from CA you can get CopyCat for free. It can stack multiple files on one output file from a VOLSER/DSN list. Very good for migrations such as yours.

dick scherrer · Posted: Thu Apr 08, 2010 1:44 am

Hi Bill,

Not only does this system not have CA-1 or anytning similar - there is no automated tape management. . . Kinda hard to believe. . . Each client manages their own inventory locally - offline.

Yup, CopyCat would surely be welcome - used it in the past with great results.

Anyone have an rule-of-thumb as to the hardware compression rate on a 3590?

Robert Sample · Posted: Thu Apr 08, 2010 1:50 am

Some of IBM's web pages for the 3590 are talking about a 3:1 compression ratio, but that would depend upon the data being put on the tape -- backups of load modules maybe less, pure data files probably more.

Great. Now I'm curious so I'll have to look at our 3590's to see what ratio we're getting. Like I don't have enough going on already! Thanks, Dick.

dick scherrer · Posted: Thu Apr 08, 2010 3:25 am

Hi Robert,

Well, i do what i can - and i believe in sharing the wealth