IBM GDPS Family: An Introduction to Concepts and Capabilities

IBM GDPS Family: An Introduction to Concepts and Capabilities

by Lydia Parziale, Brian Cooper, David Draper, Joerg Klemm, Mairi Jane Lee, Marie-France Narbey, Vijay Radhakrishnan, John Thompson
Released August 2021
Publisher(s): IBM Redbooks
ISBN: 9780738459936

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Book description

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. The extra planning and implementation services available from IBM also 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 read all of 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 2021, Seventeenth Edition
    2. March 2020, Sixteenth Edition
    3. March 2019, Fifteenth Edition
    4. December 2018, Fourteenth Edition
    5. March 2017, Thirteenth Edition
    6. June 2016, Twelfth Edition
    7. June 2015, Eleventh Edition
    8. August 2014, Update to Tenth Edition
    9. October 2013, Update to Ninth Edition
    10. March 2013, Ninth Edition
    11. July 2012, Eighth Edition
    12. June 2011, Seventh Edition
    13. August 2010, Sixth Edition
    14. September 2009, Fifth Edition
    15. September 2008, Fourth Edition
    16. March 2007, Third 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 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 Capacity for Planned Events
      4. 2.8.4 System Recovery Boost
      5. 2.8.5 GDPS CBU, On/Off CoD, CPE, and SRB
    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 Metro
    1. 3.1 Introduction to GDPS Metro
      1. 3.1.1 Protecting data integrity and data availability with GDPS Metro
      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 Metro configurations
      1. 3.2.1 Controlling systems
      2. 3.2.2 Single-site workload configuration
      3. 3.2.3 Multisite workload configuration
      4. 3.2.4 Business Recovery Services configuration
      5. 3.2.5 Single-leg configuration
      6. 3.2.6 Dual-leg configuration
      7. 3.2.7 Combining GDPS Metro with GDPS GM or GDPS XRC
      8. 3.2.8 GDPS Metro in a single site
      9. 3.2.9 Other considerations
    3. 3.3 GDPS Metro management of distributed systems and data
      1. 3.3.1 Fixed Block disk management
      2. 3.3.2 Multiplatform Resiliency for IBM Z
    4. 3.4 Managing 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 environment
      1. 3.5.1 User interfaces
      2. 3.5.2 GDPS scripts
      3. 3.5.3 Application programming interfaces
      4. 3.5.4 Additional system management information
      5. 3.5.5 Securing the GDPS environment
    6. 3.6 GDPS Metro monitoring and alerting
      1. 3.6.1 GDPS Metro 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 Concurrent Copy cleanup
      5. 3.7.5 Easy Tier Heat Map Transfer
    8. 3.8 Flexible testing, resync protection, and Logical Corruption Protection
      1. 3.8.1 Use of space-efficient FlashCopy volumes
    9. 3.9 GDPS tools for GDPS Metro
    10. 3.10 GDPS Metro co-operation with GDPS Continuous Availability
    11. 3.11 Services component
    12. 3.12 GDPS Metro prerequisites
    13. 3.13 Comparison of GDPS Metro versus other GDPS offerings
    14. 3.14 Summary
  8. Chapter 4. GDPS Metro HyperSwap Manager
    1. 4.1 Introduction to GDPS HM
      1. 4.1.1 Protecting data integrity and data availability with GDPS HM
      2. 4.1.2 Protecting distributed (FB) data
      3. 4.1.3 Protecting other CKD data
    2. 4.2 GDPS Metro HyperSwap Manager configurations
      1. 4.2.1 Controlling system
      2. 4.2.2 GDPS Metro HyperSwap Manager in a single site
      3. 4.2.3 GDPS Metro HyperSwap Manager in a 2-site configuration
      4. 4.2.4 GDPS Metro HyperSwap Manager in a 3-site configuration
      5. 4.2.5 Other important considerations
    3. 4.3 Fixed Block disk management
      1. 4.3.1 FB disk management prerequisites
    4. 4.4 Managing the GDPS Metro HyperSwap Manager environment
      1. 4.4.1 User interfaces
      2. 4.4.2 NetView commands
      3. 4.4.3 Application programming interfaces
    5. 4.5 GDPS Metro HyperSwap Manager monitoring and alerting
      1. 4.5.1 GDPS Metro HyperSwap Manager health checks
    6. 4.6 Other facilities related to GDPS
      1. 4.6.1 HyperSwap coexistence
      2. 4.6.2 GDPS HM reduced impact initial copy and resynchronization
      3. 4.6.3 Reserve Storage Pool
      4. 4.6.4 Concurrent Copy cleanup
    7. 4.7 GDPS Metro HyperSwap Manager flexible testing and resync protection
      1. 4.7.1 Use of space-efficient FlashCopy volumes
    8. 4.8 GDPS tools for GDPS Metro HyperSwap Manager
    9. 4.9 Services component
    10. 4.10 GDPS Metro HyperSwap Manager prerequisites
    11. 4.11 Comparison of GDPS Metro HyperSwap Manager to other GDPS offerings
    12. 4.12 Summary
  9. Chapter 5. GDPS Global - XRC
    1. 5.1 Introduction to GDPS Global - XRC
      1. 5.1.1 Protecting data integrity
    2. 5.2 GDPS Global - XRC configuration
      1. 5.2.1 GDPS XRC in a 3-site configuration
    3. 5.3 Managing the GDPS environment
      1. 5.3.1 NetView interface
      2. 5.3.2 GDPS scripts
      3. 5.3.3 Application programming interfaces
      4. 5.3.4 Additional system management information
    4. 5.4 GDPS XRC monitoring and alerting
      1. 5.4.1 GDPS XRC health checks
    5. 5.5 Other GDPS-related facilities
      1. 5.5.1 GDPS XRC FlashCopy locking
      2. 5.5.2 GDPS XRC Configuration checking
      3. 5.5.3 Vary-After-Clip automation
      4. 5.5.4 Offline primary volume support
      5. 5.5.5 Easy Tier Heat Map Transfer
    6. 5.6 Flexible testing
    7. 5.7 GDPS tools for GDPS XRC
    8. 5.8 Services component
    9. 5.9 GDPS XRC prerequisites
    10. 5.10 Comparison of GDPS XRC versus other GDPS offerings
    11. 5.11 Summary
  10. Chapter 6. GDPS Global - GM
    1. 6.1 Introduction to GDPS Global - GM
      1. 6.1.1 Protecting data integrity
    2. 6.2 GDPS Global - GM configuration
      1. 6.2.1 GDPS GM in a 3-site or 4-site configuration
      2. 6.2.2 Other considerations
    3. 6.3 Managing the GDPS environment
      1. 6.3.1 User interfaces
      2. 6.3.2 GDPS scripts
      3. 6.3.3 Application programming interfaces
      4. 6.3.4 Additional system management information
    4. 6.4 GDPS GM monitoring and alerting
      1. 6.4.1 GDPS GM health checks
    5. 6.5 Other facilities related to GDPS
      1. 6.5.1 GDPS GM Copy Once facility
      2. 6.5.2 Global Mirror Monitor integration
      3. 6.5.3 Easy Tier Heat Map Transfer
    6. 6.6 Flexible testing and Logical Corruption Protection
      1. 6.6.1 Use of space-efficient FlashCopy
      2. 6.6.2 Creating a test copy using GM CGPause and testing on isolated disks
      3. 6.6.3 Logical Corruption Protection
    7. 6.7 GDPS tools for GDPS GM
    8. 6.8 Services component
    9. 6.9 GDPS GM prerequisites
    10. 6.10 Comparison of GDPS GM versus other GDPS offerings
    11. 6.11 Summary
  11. Chapter 7. GDPS Continuous Availability solution
    1. 7.1 Overview of GDPS Continuous Availability
      1. 7.1.1 Positioning GDPS Continuous Availability
      2. 7.1.2 GDPS Continuous Availability sites concept
    2. 7.2 GDPS Continuous Availability solution products
      1. 7.2.1 GDPS Continuous Availability product
      2. 7.2.2 IBM Z NetView
      3. 7.2.3 IBM NetView Monitoring for Continuous Availability
      4. 7.2.4 System Automation for z/OS
      5. 7.2.5 IBM Multi-site Workload Lifeline for z/OS
      6. 7.2.6 Middleware
      7. 7.2.7 Replication software
      8. 7.2.8 Other optional components
    3. 7.3 GDPS Continuous Availability environment
      1. 7.3.1 GDPS Continuous Availability: A closer look
      2. 7.3.2 Considerations for other non-Active-Active workloads
    4. 7.4 GDPS Continuous Availability functions and features
      1. 7.4.1 GDPS Continuous Availability graphical user interface
      2. 7.4.2 GDPS Standard Actions, CPC Operations, and Workload Management
      3. 7.4.3 GDPS Planned Actions, Batch Scripts, and Switch Scripts
      4. 7.4.4 SDF Alerts, CANZLOG, NetView, and WTORs
      5. 7.4.5 Settings and Debug
      6. 7.4.6 GDPS Continuous Availability scripts
      7. 7.4.7 Application programming interfaces
    5. 7.5 GDPS Continuous Availability co-operation with GDPS Metro
    6. 7.6 GDPS Continuous Availability disk replication integration
    7. 7.7 Zero Data Loss configuration
      1. 7.7.1 DB2 replication in a non-ZDL environment
      2. 7.7.2 DB2 replication within Metro Mirror distances
      3. 7.7.3 DB2 replication over Global Mirror distances
    8. 7.8 Flexible testing with GDPS Continuous Availability
    9. 7.9 GDPS Continuous Availability services
    10. 7.10 GDPS Continuous Availability prerequisites
    11. 7.11 GDPS Continuous Availability comparison to other GDPS offerings
    12. 7.12 Summary
  12. Chapter 8. GDPS Virtual Appliance
    1. 8.1 Introduction to the GDPS Virtual Appliance
    2. 8.2 GDPS Virtual Appliance configuration components
      1. 8.2.1 GDPS Virtual Appliance
      2. 8.2.2 Multiplatform Resiliency for IBM Z
    3. 8.3 Protecting data integrity and data availability with the GDPS Virtual Appliance
      1. 8.3.1 GDPS Freeze function for mirroring failures
      2. 8.3.2 GDPS HyperSwap function
      3. 8.3.3 GDPS use of DS8000 functions
      4. 8.3.4 Protecting secondary disks from accidental update
    4. 8.4 Managing the GDPS environment
      1. 8.4.1 GDPS graphic user interface
      2. 8.4.2 GDPS scripts
      3. 8.4.3 System Management actions
    5. 8.5 GDPS monitoring and alerting
    6. 8.6 Services component
    7. 8.7 GDPS Virtual Appliance prerequisites
    8. 8.8 GDPS Virtual Appliance compared to other GDPS offerings
    9. 8.9 Summary
  13. Chapter 9. Combining local and metro continuous availability with out-of-region disaster recovery
    1. 9.1 Introduction
    2. 9.2 Design considerations
      1. 9.2.1 Three-copy solutions versus 3-site solutions
      2. 9.2.2 Multi-target and cascading topologies
      3. 9.2.3 Four-copy solutions
      4. 9.2.4 Cost considerations
      5. 9.2.5 Operational considerations
    3. 9.3 GDPS Metro Global - GM 3-site solution
      1. 9.3.1 GDPS MGM 3-site overview
      2. 9.3.2 GDPS MGM Site1 failures
      3. 9.3.3 GDPS MGM Site2 failures
      4. 9.3.4 GDPS MGM region switch and return home
      5. 9.3.5 Scalability in a GDPS MGM 3-site environment
      6. 9.3.6 Other considerations in a GDPS MGM 3-site environment
      7. 9.3.7 Managing the GDPS MGM 3-site environment
      8. 9.3.8 GDPS MGM 3-site support for multiple IBM Z platforms
      9. 9.3.9 Flexible testing in a GDPS MGM 3-site environment
      10. 9.3.10 GDPS Query Services in a GDPS MGM 3-site environment
      11. 9.3.11 Easy Tier Heat Map Transfer in a GDPS MGM 3-site environment
      12. 9.3.12 Prerequisites for GDPS MGM 3-site
      13. 9.3.13 GDPS MGM 3-site integration with GDPS Continuous Availability
    4. 9.4 GDPS Metro Global - GM 4-site solution
      1. 9.4.1 Benefits of a GDPS MGM 4-site configuration
    5. 9.5 GDPS Metro Global - XRC 3-site
      1. 9.5.1 GDPS MzGM overview
      2. 9.5.2 GDPS MzGM Site1 failures
      3. 9.5.3 GDPS MzGM Site2 failures
      4. 9.5.4 GDPS MzGM region switch and return home
      5. 9.5.5 Scalability in a GDPS MzGM 3-site environment
      6. 9.5.6 Management of the GDPS MzGM 3-site environment
      7. 9.5.7 Flexible testing of the GDPS MzGM 3-site environment
      8. 9.5.8 Easy Tier Heat Map Transfer in a GDPS MzGM 3-site environment
      9. 9.5.9 Prerequisites for GDPS MzGM
    6. 9.6 GDPS Metro Global - XRC 4-site solution
      1. 9.6.1 Benefits of a GDPS MzGM 4-site configuration
  14. Chapter 10. GDPS Logical Corruption Protection and Testcopy Manager
    1. 10.1 LCP terminology
    2. 10.2 Introduction to LCP and Testcopy Manager
      1. 10.2.1 Internal LCP
      2. 10.2.2 External LCP
      3. 10.2.3 Testcopy Manager
    3. 10.3 Supported LCP models
      1. 10.3.1 GDPS Metro
      2. 10.3.2 GDPS Global - GM
      3. 10.3.3 GDPS Metro Global - GM
      4. 10.3.4 GDPS Metro Global - XRC
    4. 10.4 Managing the LCP and TCM environments
      1. 10.4.1 Script statements
      2. 10.4.2 Panels
    5. 10.5 Summary
  15. Chapter 11. Sample continuous availability and disaster recovery scenarios
    1. 11.1 Introduction
    2. 11.2 Continuous availability in a single data center
    3. 11.3 DR across two data centers at metro distance
    4. 11.4 DR and CA across two data centers at metro distance
      1. 11.4.1 Multi-site workload
    5. 11.5 DR and CA across two data centers at metro distance for z/VM and Linux on IBM Z
    6. 11.6 Local CA and remote DR across two data centers at long metropolitan distance
    7. 11.7 DR in two data centers, global distance
    8. 11.8 Other configurations
  16. Glossary
  17. Related publications
    1. IBM Redbooks publications
    2. Online resources
    3. Help from IBM
  18. Back cover

Product information

  • Title: IBM GDPS Family: An Introduction to Concepts and Capabilities
  • Author(s): Lydia Parziale, Brian Cooper, David Draper, Joerg Klemm, Mairi Jane Lee, Marie-France Narbey, Vijay Radhakrishnan, John Thompson
  • Release date: August 2021
  • Publisher(s): IBM Redbooks
  • ISBN: 9780738459936