GDPS Installation & Customisation Workshop

This workshop introduces and explains the issues involved in implementing IBM's Geographically Dispersed Parallel Sysplex (GDPS) environment. It examines the main functions and capabilities of GDPS and provides detailed advice and guidance on the implementation parameters. Attendees will learn how to operate a GDPS environment, and how best to exploit it in their own particular installation.

In order to ensure that customers gain the maximum benefit from this workshop, it is only offered for exclusive one-company presentations. This enables the consultant/instructor facilitating the workshop to focus entirely on the customer organisation's specific implementation of GDPS and the attendees' particular requirements. To achieve this, the consultant will require access to the customer's GDPS system, in order to investigate the customer's particular environment and to perform exercises featuring their GDPS environment. Prior to the stsrt of the course, the consultant will communicate with the customer's technical representative to decide which topics the customer wants to concentrate on and discuss the exercises that we can do on their GDPS system prior to the course . As we do exercises, the course is four days in length.

Please note that, as this workshop uses the customer organisation's GDPS-related IBM Red Books as documentation, this workshop can only be presented to organisations that are licenced by IBM to use IBM GDPS.

What you will learn

On successful completion of this course you will be able to:

understand how a Parallel Sysplex works in a GDPS environment
explain the reasons behind GDPS
understand how the DS8000 and the TS770 Hardware are used in a GDPS environment
explain Metro Mirror and Global Mirror
identify the important aspects of managing a GDPS environment
understand Copy Services Manager when using Safeguarded Copy and Flashcopy
describe the Site terminology, 2, 3, 4 and 5 site scenarios
list what is required to install GDPS in a NetView environment
describe the parameters that need to defined to install GDPS PPRC definitions, Domains, Options, Sites and Security
understand the terminology for writing a Batch, Takeover and Control script
understand the GDPS Operations by looking at GDPS and AOC Panels
describe the actions that are taken when performing a Hyperswap, Site Switch and an IPL
describe the functions of GDPS monitoring
investigate the customers GDPS environment and give advice on possible changes
perform applicable exercises on the customers GDPS environment
list the special considerations that must be given to the use of the MVS System Logger in a GDPS environment
describe the messages, abend codes and reason codes associated with GDPS processing.

Who Should Attend

Systems Programmers and support staff involved in setting up and running a GDPS environment.

Prerequisites

Attendees are expected to have solid experience of working in a technical support role in a z/OS mainframe computing environment.

Duration

4 days

Fee (per attendee)

P.O.A.

This includes free online 24/7 access to course notes.

Hard copy course notes are available on request from rsmshop@rsm.co.uk

at £50.00 plus carriage per set.

Course Code

GDPS

The topics covered in this workshop will be selected according to the customer's requirements. They will be selected from the list of topics shown below.

Parallel Sysplex Overview

Introduction; What is a parallel sysplex?; XCF, the Cross-systems Coupling Facility; The SYSPLEX; Multisystem environments; It's not just signalling!; But what about data sharing?; The Coupling Facility; Coupling Facility data - Structures; Using the Coupling Facility; Data sharing services; OK, so WHY parallel sysplex?; A 'single image environment'; A sysplex is just a bigger multiprocessor!; Management of a single image environment; Dispatching work; Recovery and expendability; Continuous availability; The D XCF, D CF and SETXCF commands; DISPLAY XCF.

GDPS Overview

Business IT Resilience; Recovery time objective (RTO); Recovery point objective (RPO): Disaster Recovery: The type of LPARS of GDPS; GDPS offering; GDPS automation; Services; Disk and Tape Technology; Multi-Site Considerations; Active/Active; Active/Warm; Active/Query.

Introduction to System Automation

What is IBM Systems Automation for z/OS?; Components of IBM Systems Automation for z/OS; Configuration of IBM Systems Automation for z/OS; Major NetView Automation components; User Interfaces.

Netview Installation

The SMP/E process; FMIDs; Required USS changes; Update PARMLIB members; Allocate system-unique datasets for: System Automation NetView, I/O Operations, Automation Agent; Allocate sysplex-wide datasets for: Primary & Secondary Automation Managers, Automation Agent; Allocate system-unique datasets for Primary & Secondary Automation Managers; Allocate system-unique GDGs for Primary & secondary Automation Managers; Allocate sysplex-wide datasets for Customisation dialog: Update PROCLIB for the NetView startup procedures: NetView Subsystem Interface startup procedure, NetView System Automation Agent startup procedure, NetView System Automation Manager startup procedure, Other (optional) startup procedures; NetView customisation: Further DSIPARM members, CNMSTYLE customisation; REXX function package; Automation Manager customisatio; HSAPRMxx customisation; System Logger customisation; Security; Minimum requirements for RACF; Component Trace; Allocating the Dialog Libraries; Method 1 - using a TSO Logon procedure; Method 2 - dynamically using the REXX EXEC INGDLG; ISPF dialog setup; Invoking via ISPF panel or REXX EXEC; REXX environments; Confirm the number is at least 400; Defining Userids; VTAM setup; Create NetView and System Automation APPL definitions Create AMODETAB Logon Mode Table; Enabling SA to restart ARM enabled subsystems; Security; NetView based or SAF based; Dynamically starting Systems Automation without an IPL.

The Automation Policy - an Introduction

The Automation Policy; Entry Types and Policy Objects; Types of Entry Types; Entry Type abbreviations.

GDPS Installation Considerations

GDPS started tasks; GEOXHSWP started task setup; GEOXCFST started task setup; Sysplex considerations; CDS considerations; GDPS and NetView start-up; MPFLST customisation and message automation for GDPS; Updating NetView for GDPS; Adding the GDPS datasets; GEODEF; GEOGROUP; GEOSEC; GEOGROUP; GEODEF; GEOPARM; Updating NetView parameters; Message table considerations; Using the System Automation dialogs to create the GDPS policy; SA definitions in detail; Group (2); Applications (6); Processor (10); Auto operators (37); User E-T Pairs (99); Dynamic Site Table refresh.

DS8000/TS7700 Hardware Overview

Introduction to the IBM DS8880; Hardware features; Hardware features for GDPS; Data Protection for GDPS; Remote Mirror and Copy connectivity; TS7700 Virtualization Engine; Terminology; Tape Volume Cache; Virtual Tape Drive; Virtual Volume; Logical Volume; Stacked Volume; Hardware for TS7700; Disk controllers; Large disk drives; Virtual Tape grid network; Disaster Recovery Solutions; Selective write-protect for disaster recovery (DR) testing; Fail-over principles; TS7700 Virtualization Engine Cluster failure; TS7700 cloud tiering; TS7700 interfaces with DS8000 TCT.

Copy Services Manager

What is Copy Services Manager?; Flashcopy; Flashcopy relationship; Steps for a Flashcopy; Flashcopy options; Full volume Flashcopy; FlashCopy for z/OS datasets; Copy option; NoCopy option; Cascaded Flashcopy; Persistent FlashCopy; Incremental FlashCopy; Reversing FlashCopy; Fast reverse restore; Remote (in-band) FlashCopy; Remote Pair Flashcopy; Consistent FlashCopy (FlashCopy consistency group); Logical Corruption Program (Safeguarded Copy); How LCP works; Setting up IBM Copy Services Manager; Scheduled tasks; Session; Copy sets; Restore Production data.

Metro Mirror, Hyperswap and Global Mirror

Metro Mirror; Dependent write logic and Data Consistency; Disk Subsystem Pairs; Metro Mirror data consistency; Device Limits; Multi-Target Metro Mirror (MTMM); Performance of Metro Mirror; Recovery point with Metro Mirror; Protecting data integrity and data availability; GDPS Freeze function for mirroring failures; Freeze process of Mirrored Disks; PPRC Failure Policy; Actions on the PPRC Failure Policy; PPRCFAILURE policy selection considerations; Freeze and Go; Freeze and Stop; Freeze and Stop last; Freeze and Stop conditional; Freeze and Stop conditional last; K-Sys with Metro Mirror; Hyperswap function; Hyperswap actions; Incremental Resynchronization; Concurrent Copy cleanup; Global Mirror; Global Mirror Configuration; K-Systems and R-systems for Global Mirror; Global Mirror in Action; Responsibilities of the K-sys and R-sys; GDPS GM in a 3-site or 4-site configuration; Dynamic Site Table and PPRC refresh.

GDPS Definitions

GEOPARM; Example of GEOPARM; Dynamic PPRC Link Configuration Management; GEODEF; Example OF GEODEF; GEOGROUP; Example of GEOGROUP; GEOSEC; Making GDPS Policy statement changes.

GDPS Scripts - Batch, Takeover and Control

Actions; Scripts; GDPS Script XML file syntax; Example of Takeover, Control and Batch Script; Step Keywords for Takeover, Control and Batch scripts; Takeover Scripts; Control and Batch Scripts; GDPS Exits; Examples of a Script from GDPS PANELS.

GDPS and AOC Operations

GDPS and AOC panels; Logging onto NetView; Main Menu for AOC; Panels in AOC; GDPS Main Menus; DASD Remote Copy panel; Copy Options panel; Policy Management panel; Configuration and Freeze Time panel; FlashCopy Management panel; FlashCopy Set Device list panel; Disk Subsystem List panel; View SSID Pairs panel; Query Paths panel; View Device pairs panel; Device Pairs Exceptions panel; View Secondary Devices panel; Display Volume Serials; Standard Actions; Stop Standard Action; Re-IPL Standard Action; Modify Standard Action; Load Standard Action; Activate Standard Action; Steps for an Activate; GDPS Environment Information panel; Planned Actions; Example of a Planned Script; Site Switch Planned Action; Sysplex Resource Management; Working with Coupling Facilities; View GDPS Definitions; Config Management; GEOGROUP Management; Status Display Facility (SDF).

GDPS Monitoring

SDF Monitoring; Monitoring functions; Hyperswap Monitoring; GDPS Health Checker; GDPS parameter settings; GDPS load modules; GDPS Health Checker panels; Examples of GDPS Health Checker panels; Forwarding to SDF.