Eligible data sets for backup-while-open processing

You can use the BWO facility for the following data sets.

Backup-while-open is supported at the VSAM sphere level; thus, you cannot make backup-while-open copies of some sphere components and not others. The first data set that is opened for update against a VSAM base cluster sets the backup-while-open eligibility for the sphere. This includes base clusters that are accessed through a VSAM path key. For example, if the first data set is eligible for backup-while-open processing, CICS fails the file-open operation for a following data set that is opened for update against that cluster and that is not defined as eligible for backup-while-open processing.

You can make BWO volume backups if all data sets that are open for update on the volume are eligible for BWO. The backup-while-open facility does not support physical dumps.

For detailed information on BWO, see CICS Recovery and Restart Guide.