IBM GDPS Family: An introduction to Concepts and Capabilities

IBM GDPS Family: An introduction to Concepts and Capabilities

by David Clitherow, Sim Schindel, John Thompson, Marie-France Narbey
Released April 2017
Publisher(s): IBM Redbooks
ISBN: 9780738442532

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Book description

Abstract

This IBM® Redbooks® publication presents an overview of the IBM Geographically Dispersed Parallel Sysplex™ (IBM GDPS®) offerings and the roles they play in delivering a business IT resilience solution.

The book begins with general concepts of business IT resilience and disaster recovery, along with issues related to high application availability, data integrity, and performance. These topics are considered within the framework of government regulation, increasing application and infrastructure complexity, and the competitive and rapidly changing modern business environment.

Next, it describes the GDPS family of offerings with specific reference to how they can help you achieve your defined goals for disaster recovery and high availability. Also covered are the features that simplify and enhance data replication activities, the prerequisites for implementing each offering, and tips for planning for the future and immediate business requirements. Tables provide easy-to-use summaries and comparisons of the offerings, and the additional planning and implementation services available from IBM are explained.

Then, several practical client scenarios and requirements are described, along with the most suitable GDPS solution for each case.

The introductory chapters of this publication are intended for a broad technical audience, including IT System Architects, Availability Managers, Technical IT Managers, Operations Managers, System Programmers, and Disaster Recovery Planners. The subsequent chapters provide more technical details about the GDPS offerings, and each can be read independently for those readers who are interested in specific topics. Therefore, if you do read all the chapters, be aware that some information is intentionally repeated.

Table of contents

  1. Front cover
  2. Notices
    1. Trademarks
  3. Preface
    1. Authors
    2. Now you can become a published author, too
    3. Comments welcome
    4. Stay connected to IBM Redbooks
  4. Summary of changes
    1. March 2017, Thirteenth Edition
    2. June 2016, Twelfth Edition
    3. June 2015, Eleventh Edition
    4. August 2014, Update to Tenth Edition
    5. October 2013, Update to Ninth Edition
    6. March 2013, Ninth Edition
    7. July 2012, Eighth Edition
    8. June 2011, Seventh Edition
    9. August 2010, Sixth Edition
    10. September 2009, Fifth Edition
    11. September 2008, Fourth Edition
    12. March 2007, Third Edition
    13. December 2005, Second Edition
  5. Chapter 1. Introduction to business resilience and the role of GDPS
    1. 1.1 Objective
    2. 1.2 Layout of this book
    3. 1.3 IT resilience
      1. 1.3.1 Disaster recovery
      2. 1.3.2 The next level
      3. 1.3.3 Other considerations
    4. 1.4 Characteristics of an IT resilience solution
    5. 1.5 GDPS offerings
    6. 1.6 Automation and disk replication compatibility
    7. 1.7 Summary
  6. Chapter 2. Infrastructure planning for availability and GDPS
    1. 2.1 Parallel Sysplex overview
      1. 2.1.1 Maximizing application availability
      2. 2.1.2 Multisite sysplex considerations
    2. 2.2 Data consistency
      1. 2.2.1 Dependent write logic
    3. 2.3 Synchronous versus asynchronous data transfer
    4. 2.4 Data replication technologies
      1. 2.4.1 PPRC (IBM Metro Mirror)
      2. 2.4.2 XRC (z/OS Global Mirror)
      3. 2.4.3 Global Mirror
      4. 2.4.4 Combining disk remote copy technologies for CA and DR
      5. 2.4.5 IBM software replication products
    5. 2.5 Tape resident data
    6. 2.6 FlashCopy
    7. 2.7 Automation
      1. 2.7.1 Recovery time objective
      2. 2.7.2 Operational consistency
      3. 2.7.3 Skills impact
      4. 2.7.4 Summary
    8. 2.8 Flexible server capacity
      1. 2.8.1 Capacity Backup upgrade
      2. 2.8.2 On/Off Capacity on Demand
      3. 2.8.3 GDPS CBU and On/Off CoD handling
    9. 2.9 Cross-site connectivity considerations
      1. 2.9.1 Server-to-disk links
      2. 2.9.2 Data replication links
      3. 2.9.3 Coupling links
      4. 2.9.4 Server Time Protocol
      5. 2.9.5 XCF signaling
      6. 2.9.6 HMC and consoles
      7. 2.9.7 Connectivity options
      8. 2.9.8 Single points of failure
    10. 2.10 Testing considerations
    11. 2.11 Summary
  7. Chapter 3. GDPS/PPRC
    1. 3.1 Introduction to GDPS/PPRC
      1. 3.1.1 Protecting data integrity and data availability with GDPS/PPRC
      2. 3.1.2 Protecting tape data
      3. 3.1.3 Protecting distributed (FB) data
      4. 3.1.4 Protecting other CKD data
    2. 3.2 GDPS/PPRC configurations
      1. 3.2.1 Controlling system
      2. 3.2.2 Single-site workload configuration
      3. 3.2.3 Multisite workload configuration
      4. 3.2.4 Business Recovery Services (BRS) configuration
      5. 3.2.5 GDPS/PPRC in a 3-site or 4-site configuration
      6. 3.2.6 GDPS/PPRC in a single site
      7. 3.2.7 Other considerations
    3. 3.3 GDPS/PPRC management of distributed systems and data
      1. 3.3.1 Multiplatform Resiliency for z Systems (also known as xDR)
      2. 3.3.2 Distributed Cluster Management
      3. 3.3.3 IBM zEnterprise BladeCenter Extension (zBX) hardware management
    4. 3.4 Management of z/OS systems outside of the GDPS sysplex
      1. 3.4.1 z/OS Proxy disk and disk subsystem sharing
    5. 3.5 Managing the GDPS/PPRC environment
      1. 3.5.1 NetView interface
      2. 3.5.2 GDPS scripts
      3. 3.5.3 System Management actions
    6. 3.6 GDPS/PPRC monitoring and alerting
      1. 3.6.1 GDPS/PPRC health checks
    7. 3.7 Other facilities related to GDPS
      1. 3.7.1 HyperSwap coexistence
      2. 3.7.2 Reduced impact initial copy and resynchronization
      3. 3.7.3 Reserve Storage Pool
      4. 3.7.4 Query Services
      5. 3.7.5 Concurrent Copy cleanup
    8. 3.8 GDPS/PPRC flexible testing and resync protection
      1. 3.8.1 Use of space-efficient FlashCopy volumes
    9. 3.9 GDPS tools for GDPS/PPRC
    10. 3.10 GDPS/PPRC co-operation with GDPS/Active-Active
    11. 3.11 Services component
    12. 3.12 GDPS/PPRC prerequisites
    13. 3.13 Comparison of GDPS/PPRC versus other GDPS offerings
    14. 3.14 Summary
  8. Chapter 4. GDPS/PPRC HyperSwap Manager
    1. 4.1 Introduction to GDPS/PPRC HM
      1. 4.1.1 Protecting data integrity and data availability with GDPS/PPRC HM
      2. 4.1.2 Protecting distributed (FB) data
      3. 4.1.3 Protecting other CKD data
    2. 4.2 GDPS/PPRC HM configurations
      1. 4.2.1 Controlling system
      2. 4.2.2 GDPS/PPRC HM in a single site
      3. 4.2.3 GDPS/PPRC HM in a 2-site configuration
      4. 4.2.4 GDPS/PPRC HM in a 3-site configuration
      5. 4.2.5 Other important considerations
    3. 4.3 Managing the GDPS/PPRC HM environment
      1. 4.3.1 NetView interface
      2. 4.3.2 NetView commands
    4. 4.4 GDPS/PPRC HM monitoring and alerting
      1. 4.4.1 GDPS/PPRC HM health checks
    5. 4.5 Other facilities related to GDPS
      1. 4.5.1 HyperSwap coexistence
      2. 4.5.2 GDPS/PPRC HM reduced impact initial copy and resynchronization
      3. 4.5.3 Reserve Storage Pool
      4. 4.5.4 GDPS/PPRC HM Query Services
      5. 4.5.5 Concurrent Copy cleanup
    6. 4.6 GDPS/PPRC HM flexible testing and resync protection
      1. 4.6.1 Use of space-efficient FlashCopy volumes
    7. 4.7 GDPS tools for GDPS/PPRC HM
    8. 4.8 Services component
    9. 4.9 GDPS/PPRC HM prerequisites
    10. 4.10 Comparison of GDPS/PPRC HM to other GDPS offerings
    11. 4.11 Summary
  9. Chapter 5. GDPS/XRC
    1. 5.1 Introduction to GDPS/XRC
      1. 5.1.1 Protecting data integrity
    2. 5.2 GDPS/XRC configuration
      1. 5.2.1 GDPS/XRC in a 3-site configuration
    3. 5.3 GDPS/XRC management of distributed systems and data
    4. 5.4 Managing the GDPS environment
      1. 5.4.1 NetView interface
      2. 5.4.2 GDPS scripts
      3. 5.4.3 System management actions
    5. 5.5 GDPS/XRC monitoring and alerting
      1. 5.5.1 GDPS/XRC health checks
    6. 5.6 Other facilities related to GDPS
      1. 5.6.1 FlashCopy disk definition in the GDPS systems
      2. 5.6.2 GDPS/XRC FlashCopy locking
      3. 5.6.3 GDPS/XRC Configuration checking
      4. 5.6.4 Vary-After-Clip automation
      5. 5.6.5 GDPS use of the XRC offline volume support
      6. 5.6.6 Query Services
      7. 5.6.7 Easy Tier Heat Map Transfer
    7. 5.7 Flexible testing
    8. 5.8 GDPS tools for GDPS/XRC
    9. 5.9 Services component
    10. 5.10 GDPS/XRC prerequisites
    11. 5.11 Comparison of GDPS/XRC versus other GDPS offerings
    12. 5.12 Summary
  10. Chapter 6. GDPS/Global Mirror
    1. 6.1 Introduction to GDPS/Global Mirror
      1. 6.1.1 Protecting data integrity
    2. 6.2 GDPS/Global Mirror configuration
      1. 6.2.1 GDPS/GM in a 3-site or 4-site configuration
      2. 6.2.2 Other considerations
    3. 6.3 GDPS/GM management for distributed systems and data
    4. 6.4 Managing the GDPS environment
      1. 6.4.1 NetView panel interface
      2. 6.4.2 System Management actions
    5. 6.5 GDPS/GM monitoring and alerting
      1. 6.5.1 GDPS/GM health checks
    6. 6.6 Other facilities related to GDPS
      1. 6.6.1 GDPS/GM Copy Once facility
      2. 6.6.2 GDPS/GM Query Services
      3. 6.6.3 Global Mirror Monitor integration
      4. 6.6.4 Easy Tier Heat Map Transfer
    7. 6.7 Flexible testing
      1. 6.7.1 Use of space-efficient FlashCopy
      2. 6.7.2 Creating a test copy using GM CGPause and testing on isolated disks
    8. 6.8 GDPS tools for GDPS/GM
    9. 6.9 Services component
    10. 6.10 GDPS/GM prerequisites
    11. 6.11 Comparison of GDPS/GM versus other GDPS offerings
    12. 6.12 Summary
  11. Chapter 7. GDPS/MTMM
    1. 7.1 Introduction to GDPS/MTMM
      1. 7.1.1 Protecting data integrity and data availability with GDPS/MTMM
      2. 7.1.2 Protecting other CKD data
    2. 7.2 GDPS/MTMM configurations
      1. 7.2.1 Controlling system
      2. 7.2.2 Single-site workload configuration
      3. 7.2.3 Multisite workload configuration
      4. 7.2.4 Business Recovery Services (BRS) configuration
      5. 7.2.5 Combining GDPS/MTMM with GDPS/XRC
      6. 7.2.6 Combining GDPS/MTMM with GDPS/GM in a 4-site configuration
      7. 7.2.7 Other considerations
    3. 7.3 Multiplatform Resiliency for System z (also known as xDR)
    4. 7.4 Managing the GDPS environment
      1. 7.4.1 NetView interface
      2. 7.4.2 GDPS scripts
      3. 7.4.3 System Management actions
    5. 7.5 GDPS/MTMM monitoring and alerting
      1. 7.5.1 GDPS/MTMM health checks
    6. 7.6 Other facilities related to GDPS
      1. 7.6.1 HyperSwap and TDMF coexistence
      2. 7.6.2 Reduced impact initial copy and resynchronization
      3. 7.6.3 Concurrent Copy cleanup
      4. 7.6.4 Easy Tier Heat Map Transfer
    7. 7.7 GDPS/MTMM flexible testing and resync protection
      1. 7.7.1 Use of space-efficient FlashCopy volumes
    8. 7.8 GDPS tools for GDPS/MTMM
    9. 7.9 Services component
    10. 7.10 GDPS/MTMM prerequisites
    11. 7.11 Comparison of GDPS/MTMM versus other GDPS offerings
    12. 7.12 Summary
  12. Chapter 8. GDPS/Active-Active solution
    1. 8.1 Overview of GDPS/Active-Active
      1. 8.1.1 Positioning GDPS/Active-Active
      2. 8.1.2 GDPS/Active-Active sites concept
    2. 8.2 GDPS/Active-Active solution products
      1. 8.2.1 The GDPS/Active-Active product
      2. 8.2.2 Tivoli NetView for z/OS
      3. 8.2.3 IBM Tivoli Monitoring
      4. 8.2.4 System Automation for z/OS
      5. 8.2.5 IBM Multi-site Workload Lifeline for z/OS
      6. 8.2.6 Middleware
      7. 8.2.7 Replication software
      8. 8.2.8 Other optional components
    3. 8.3 GDPS/Active-Active environment
      1. 8.3.1 GDPS/Active-Active: A closer look
      2. 8.3.2 Considerations for other non-Active-Active workloads
    4. 8.4 GDPS/Active-Active functions and features
      1. 8.4.1 GDPS/Active-Active web interface
      2. 8.4.2 GDPS/Active-Active monitoring and alerting
      3. 8.4.3 GDPS/Active-Active scripts
      4. 8.4.4 GDPS/Active-Active Query Services
    5. 8.5 GDPS/Active-Active co-operation with GDPS/PPRC or GDPS/MTMM
    6. 8.6 GDPS/Active-Active disk replication integration
    7. 8.7 Zero Data Loss Configuration
    8. 8.8 Flexible testing with GDPS/Active-Active
    9. 8.9 GDPS/Active-Active services
    10. 8.10 GDPS/Active-Active prerequisites
    11. 8.11 GDPS/Active-Active comparison to other GDPS offerings
    12. 8.12 Summary
  13. Chapter 9. GDPS Virtual Appliance
    1. 9.1 Introduction to the GDPS Virtual Appliance
    2. 9.2 GDPS Virtual Appliance configuration components
      1. 9.2.1 GDPS Virtual Appliance
      2. 9.2.2 Multiplatform Resiliency for z Systems
    3. 9.3 Protecting data integrity and data availability with the GDPS Virtual Appliance
      1. 9.3.1 GDPS Freeze function for mirroring failures
      2. 9.3.2 GDPS HyperSwap function
      3. 9.3.3 GDPS use of DS8000 functions
      4. 9.3.4 Protecting secondary disks from accidental update
    4. 9.4 Managing the GDPS environment
      1. 9.4.1 GDPS graphic user interface
      2. 9.4.2 GDPS scripts
      3. 9.4.3 System Management actions
    5. 9.5 GDPS monitoring and alerting
    6. 9.6 Services component
    7. 9.7 GDPS Virtual Appliance prerequisites
    8. 9.8 GDPS Virtual Appliance compared to other GDPS offerings
    9. 9.9 Summary
  14. Chapter 10. GDPS extensions for heterogeneous systems and data
    1. 10.1 Open LUN Management function
    2. 10.2 GDPS/PPRC Multiplatform Resiliency for z Systems
      1. 10.2.1 Guest Linux under z/VM
      2. 10.2.2 Native Linux on z Systems
      3. 10.2.3 Support for two GDPS Controlling systems
      4. 10.2.4 Customization Verification Program
      5. 10.2.5 xDR Extended Monitoring
    3. 10.3 Distributed Cluster Management
      1. 10.3.1 Distributed Cluster Management terminology
      2. 10.3.2 DCM support for VCS
      3. 10.3.3 DCM support for SA AppMan
      4. 10.3.4 GDPS/PPRC Support for IBM zEnterprise BladeCenter Extension (zBX)
      5. 10.3.5 Summary
  15. Chapter 11. Combining local and metro continuous availability with out-of-region disaster recovery
    1. 11.1 Introduction
    2. 11.2 Design considerations
      1. 11.2.1 Three-copy solutions versus 3-site solutions
      2. 11.2.2 Multi-target and cascading topologies
      3. 11.2.3 Four-copy solutions
      4. 11.2.4 Cost considerations
      5. 11.2.5 Operational considerations
    3. 11.3 GDPS Metro/Global Mirror 3-site solution
      1. 11.3.1 GDPS/MGM 3-site overview
      2. 11.3.2 GDPS/MGM Site1 failures
      3. 11.3.3 GDPS/MGM Site2 failures
      4. 11.3.4 GDPS/MGM region switch and return home
      5. 11.3.5 Scalability in a GDPS/MGM 3-site environment
      6. 11.3.6 Other considerations in a GDPS/MGM 3-site environment
      7. 11.3.7 Managing the GDPS/MGM 3-site environment
      8. 11.3.8 Flexible testing in a GDPS/MGM 3-site environment
      9. 11.3.9 GDPS Query Services in a GDPS/MGM 3-site environment
      10. 11.3.10 Prerequisites for GDPS/MGM 3-site
      11. 11.3.11 GDPS/Active-Active disk replication integration with GDPS/MGM
    4. 11.4 GDPS Metro/Global Mirror 4-site solution
      1. 11.4.1 Benefits of a GDPS/MGM 4-site configuration
    5. 11.5 GDPS Metro z/OS Global Mirror 3-site solution
      1. 11.5.1 GDPS/MzGM overview
      2. 11.5.2 GDPS/MzGM Site1 failures
      3. 11.5.3 GDPS/MzGM Site2 failures
      4. 11.5.4 GDPS/MzGM region switch and return home
      5. 11.5.5 Management of the GDPS/MzGM environment
      6. 11.5.6 Flexible testing of the GDPS/MzGM environment
      7. 11.5.7 Prerequisites for GDPS/MzGM
    6. 11.6 GDPS Metro z/OS Global Mirror 4-site solution
      1. 11.6.1 Benefits of a GDPS/MzGM 4-site configuration
  16. Chapter 12. Sample continuous availability and disaster recovery scenarios
    1. 12.1 Introduction
    2. 12.2 Continuous availability in a single data center
    3. 12.3 DR across two data centers at metro distance
    4. 12.4 DR and CA across two data centers at metro distance
      1. 12.4.1 Active/active workload
    5. 12.5 DR and CA across two data centers at metro distance for z/VM and Linux on z Systems only
    6. 12.6 Local CA and remote DR across two data centers at long metropolitan distance
    7. 12.7 DR in two data centers, global distance
    8. 12.8 Other configurations
  17. Glossary
  18. Related publications
    1. IBM Redbooks publications
    2. Online resources
    3. Help from IBM
  19. Back cover

Product information

  • Title: IBM GDPS Family: An introduction to Concepts and Capabilities
  • Author(s): David Clitherow, Sim Schindel, John Thompson, Marie-France Narbey
  • Release date: April 2017
  • Publisher(s): IBM Redbooks
  • ISBN: 9780738442532