Replication of DB2 Databases

You can replicate backups of a DB2 database to a synced copy of the database. A replication operation is automatically triggered when any kind of backup of the source (primary) DB2 database is made. This automatic operation keeps the replicated target database in sync with the source database, up to the time when the most recent replication operation completes.

The replication operation performs the following tasks:

• Initiates a replication restore automatically in the following cases:

  • After a replication schedule is created. The whole database is restored to the destination and includes the data, log, and history files.

  • After any backup job is completed on the source database. The backed-up logs are replicated to the destination.

  • After an auxiliary copy is completed, when you use a copy precedence for replication.

• Minimizes the impact on production systems' CPU and I/O by using the backup data for replications. This approach avoids the need to read the source database again for replication.

DB2 replication supports cross-machine replication operations or cross-instance replication operations. In addition, you can set up parallel replication operations from one backup set to multiple target databases. A cross-machine replication operation is one in which the destination is a different host than the source machine. A cross-instance replication operation is one to a different instance on the same source machine.

If no new backups have run since the last replication operation, then the scheduled replication does not run.

Use the following backup types to replicate source DB2 databases. The backups can be initiated by using the CommCell Browser, the command line interface (CLI), or by making a SNAP request.

• Traditional backups

• Auxiliary copies

• SNAP backups