DB2 MultiNode

The DB2 MultiNode agent works in conjunction with the DB2 Database Partitioning Feature (DPF) database and the DB2 pureScale feature.

The DB2 MultiNode agent (in a pureScale environment) provides a simplified end-to-end backup and recovery solution for DB2 databases in your enterprise without using multiple subclients and storage policies. It also allows you to load-balance DB2 DPF and pureScale backups and restores across multiple database nodes. The product can be used to perform both full system rebuilds and granular recovery of data and logs.

It is designed primarily to do the following:

• Enable parallel backup and restores of DB2 partitioned databases without using multiple subclients and storage policies.

• Load-balance DB2 pureScale backups and restores across multiple database nodes.

Key Features

Offline Backup

When the database is mounted, and not open or available for use, perform a full backup of the database without the archive logs. Use the offline backup when the data is consistent, and there are no transactions in the database.

Online Backup

When you cannot bring down the database to perform an offline backup, use the online backup method. Perform full or incremental backups when the database is online and in ARCHIVELOG mode. Use online backups to perform a point-in-time restore of the database.

You can also backup the archive logs only when the database is online. These logs can be applied to an online backup to recover the database to the current point-in-time.

You can also protect the non-database files and profiles using the appropriate File System agent.

Backup and Recovery Failovers

In the event that the MediaAgent used for the backup or recovery operation fails, the backup is automatically resumed on an alternate MediaAgents. In such cases, the backup or restore job does not restart from the beginning, but resumes from the point of failure. This is useful for backups and restores of large amount of file system data.

In the event that a network goes down, the backup and recovery jobs are resumed on alternate data paths. Similarly, in the event of a device failure, the jobs are automatically switched to alternate disk and tape drives.

Efficient Job Management and Reporting

You can view and verify the status of backup and recovery operations from the Job Controller and the Event Viewer within the CommCell Console. You can also track the status of the jobs using Reports, which can be saved and distributed. Generate reports for different aspects of data management. Customize the reports to display only the required data and save them to a specific location in different formats. For example, you can create a backup job summary report to view the completed backup jobs.

You can schedule, generate and send the Reports via email without user intervention.

Simplified Management of Partitioned Databases

The DB2 MultiNode agent allows you to group any desired number of DB2 DPF partitioned databases on various clients under one or more DB2 DPF database logical entities. As such, DB2 DPF backups and restores as well as other job types and functions (including Data Aging, Scheduling, Job Management) are all consolidated and easy to manage. This allows you to maintain your data irrespective of whether you add or remove database partitions from the DB2 DPF database.

Terminology

The documentation uses the following terminology: