"Larry Williams" <larryw@ix.netcom.com> wrote in message
news:a1ti20he99545k505p0d3h7e8jrg275vq8@4ax.com...
> On Mon, 9 Feb 2004 21:04:05 -0700, "Mark A" <ma@switchboard.net>
> wrote:
>
>
> >Are you archiving to tape or disk? Most people archive to tape unless
they
> >have some sort of disk to tape migration software running. You can
> >automatically set the retention period on the tape. If you take image
copies
> >of everything (including the catalog tables) then you probably don't need
> >the archive log before that time (unless you want to do a point in time
> >recovery to before the last image copy).
> >
> >When data is logged, it is written to the log buffer (memory) and then to
> >the active log when committed. When the active logs fill up, DB2 switches
to
> >a new active log dataset, and then archives the old one. This is done in
a
> >round-robin fashion depending on the number of active log datasets set
up.
> >So it is unlikely that the logs are slowing things down.
> >
> >If you download the DB2 manuals in PDF format, they are easy to search
with
> >the PDF search facility. Also look at the Master Index.
> >
>
>
> Tape not an option. I have one tape drive, no scratch pool except for
> backups, and no operator.
>
> My comments on the manuals is they are now badly written, and getting
> worse. One recent example was something like:
>
> XYZ001 TCP return code was 1
>
> explaination: TCP returned a return code of one (duh)
>
> actions: See "other book"
>
> Other book:
> -----------
>
> Return code: 1 see the first book.
>
> keyword searchs are getting much worse, cause if you put in a keyword,
> most of the time it gives a terse, useless remark, and includes a link
> that will, without fail, say "book must be in same shelf"
>
> And yes, I do know how to use PDF files... now what file do I look at?
>
> If you tell me where doing image copies is explained (with examples
> would be nice) that would be great.
>
> We've never done an image copy. Can it be done with DB2 up (if no
> transactions are running?) can I then just delete all the arch log
> files? (provided the image copy worked ok?)

I don't know what manuals you are looking at, but they don't sound like the
right ones. Here is the link to manuals. They are the best manuals in the IT
business, by a long shot.
http://www-306.ibm.com/software/data...0/v7books.html

Image copies are in the Utility Reference Manual. Image copies are extremely
important. You must image copy the catalog tablespaces on a regular basis.
There may be example JCL supplied for the catalog image copies with the
install libraries. Backup of user tablespaces is recommended also, but not
quite as critical for a development environment. But if don't do image
copies and there is a disk failure, you could loose the database. Image
copies can be run with share level reference with the system up.

I have never heard of a modern MVS system without an automated tape library
(usually cartridge). But yes, you can delete the archive log files if you
have image copies for all tablespaces and they were made after the archive
log file. I would try to keep the archive logs for a month if possible and
do image copies of everything once a week.

DB2 for OS/390 is not for people who have no education or experience on that
product. I suggest you get some professional help, even if on a part time
temporary basis.