IBM DS8700 Delivers z/OS Distributed Data Backup …

New functional capabilities for the System Storage DS8700 machine types 2421, 2422, 2423, and 2424 from IBM Corp. include:

• 
  z/OS Distributed Data Backup – Allows reliable backup of open data via a System z host
• z/OS FICON Discovery and Auto Configuration (zDAC) – Automatically discover new or updated devices and propose channel configurations based on high availability best practices and existing configurations

                

                                    DS8700

z/OS Distributed Data Backup
This provides the capability to perform backup of open systems data from distributed server platforms via a System z host. The open systems data will be transferred to the System z host via the fixed block command set used for the 3880 control unit, allowing backup of open data on distributed servers that are not formatted for mainframe System z I/O commands. Currently, customers are not able to effectively use System z I/O commands to backup open data along with their mainframe data. This will provide a multi-platform backup capability from System z.

Innovation Data Processing application will issue commands from z/OS to read/write data to LUNs. Support for IBM z/OS Distributed Data Backup is an optional feature of the DS8700 model 941. It is available with the z/OS Distributed Data Backup licensed feature indicator, feature numbers 7094 and 0714, and corresponding DS8700 function authorization (239x-LFA) z/OS Distributed Data Backup, feature number 7094.

The IBM System Storage DS8700 now supports z/OS FICON Discovery and Auto Configuration (zDAC). This allows a IBM System z controller channel to request control unit information that identifies the logical paths that can be established by the channel with the connected control unit. This request returns information for all Logical Control Units configured, accelerating the system configuration process.

zDAC can help simplify the configuration and reduce the complexity and setup time for new and changed disk and tape I/O configuration changes. zDAC is designed to automatically perform a number of I/O configuration definition tasks for new and changed disk and tape control units connected to a switch or director when attached to FICON channel. zDAC can save time by discovering new and changed fabric-attached devices, and suggesting configurations aligned with best practices for availability and with the I/O policies that you define in the Hardware Configuration Dialog (HCD).

z/OS support of z/OS FICON Discovery and Auto Configuration is available on z/OS V1.12 with PTFs, or later.

Key prerequisites: All features and functions in this announcement are supported on the IBM System Storage DS8000 series, and require DS8000 licensed machine code level 6.5.15.xx (bundle version 75.15.xx.xx), or later.

Planned availability date: August 6, 2010

Availability of programs with an encryption algorithm in France is subject to French government approval.