Copy Pool
A Copy Pool is a logical grouping of storage volumes within an IBM DS8000 series storage system, specifically designated to serve as target volumes for FlashCopy operations. It provides a structured way to manage and allocate storage capacity for point-in-time copies of data.
Key Characteristics
-
- Logical Grouping: A Copy Pool is a software-defined construct, not a physical hardware component, used to organize storage volumes.
- FlashCopy Target Specificity: Volumes within a Copy Pool are primarily intended to be used as target volumes for FlashCopy operations, ensuring dedicated capacity for copies.
- DS8000 Feature: This functionality is a core feature of IBM DS8000 series enterprise storage systems, integral to their advanced data copy services.
- Capacity Management: Facilitates efficient management and allocation of storage resources dedicated to data replication and cloning activities.
- Volume Types: Can contain various types of volumes, including CKD (Count Key Data) volumes for z/OS and Fixed Block (FB) volumes for open systems, depending on the DS8000 configuration.
- Performance Isolation (Optional): By segregating target volumes into specific pools, it can help manage and potentially isolate the I/O performance impact of copy operations.
Use Cases
-
- Disaster Recovery (DR) Testing: Creating consistent, point-in-time copies of production z/OS datasets and volumes for non-disruptive DR drills and validation.
- Application Development and Testing: Providing fresh, production-like data environments for developers and testers without impacting live systems, accelerating development cycles.
- Data Mining and Reporting: Generating copies of large databases (e.g., DB2, IMS) for complex analytical queries or extensive reporting that would otherwise contend with production workloads.
- Backup and Recovery Staging: Utilizing FlashCopy to quickly create a consistent copy of data that can then be backed up to tape or other archival storage, minimizing the production window.
- Database Cloning: Rapidly cloning entire DB2 or IMS subsystems for various purposes, such as creating new instances, applying maintenance, or performance tuning.
Related Concepts
Copy Pools are intrinsically linked to FlashCopy, as they provide the designated storage for FlashCopy target volumes. They are a configuration element within IBM DS8000 series storage systems, which are the underlying hardware providing the FlashCopy capability. For z/OS data management, Copy Pools enable efficient and rapid creation of data copies for critical applications and databases like DB2 and IMS, supporting various operational and development needs. They are a specialized form of volume grouping designed for a specific purpose within the broader context of enterprise storage virtualization.
- Dedicated Pools: Create dedicated Copy Pools for different purposes (e.g.,
DEV_TEST_POOL,DR_TEST_POOL) to improve organization and prevent resource contention. - Capacity Planning: Regularly monitor and plan Copy Pool capacity to ensure sufficient space is available for all planned FlashCopy operations, preventing failures due to lack of target space.
- Performance Alignment: If source volumes are on high-performance storage, ensure the underlying physical storage for the Copy Pool also meets performance requirements if the target copies will be actively used.
- Automation Integration: Integrate Copy Pool management and FlashCopy operations into automated scripts (e.g., using
DSCLIorz/OSautomation tools) for consistency and efficiency. - Monitoring and Alerting: Implement monitoring for Copy Pool usage, available capacity, and FlashCopy job status to proactively identify and address potential issues.
- Security and Access Control: Restrict access to Copy Pool configuration and FlashCopy execution to authorized personnel to maintain data integrity and security.