Housekeeping: which files should I back up?

To list the VSAM files used by the CICSĀ® Configuration Manager server, sign on to the CICS region that is running the server, and invoke the following CEMT transaction:

CEMT INQUIRE FILE(CCV*)

Most of these are work files, and contain temporary data only. These files do not need to be backed up, but they must exist. Take care when using storage management products that may change space allocations: the space used by these files varies over time depending on workload.

If the CICS region fails, do not redefine the work files

The CCVMIGC work file contains information about change package migrations currently in progress. If the CICS region running the CICS Configuration Manager server fails while migrations are in progress, then, when you restart the region, the CICS Configuration Manager server uses the information in CCVMIGC to rollout any partially migrated change packages. You should only delete the CICS Configuration Manager work files if the region previously shut down successfully. If you delete the work files after the region failed, any migrations that were in progress will not be rolled out.

Only two files contain permanent data that you should back up:

CCVDDD
The CICS Configuration Manager repository.
CCVJNL
The CICS Configuration Manager journal.

Related files:

  • CCVPT1 and CCVPT2 are the paths to the alternate indexes for the journal
  • CCVAI1 and CCVAI2 are the alternate indexes

Back up these files using your site-specific procedures. While they are being backed up, ensure that they are closed to CICS. For example, before backing up, invoke:

CEMT SET FILE(file) CLO DIS

To reduce the size of the CICS Configuration Manager journal, see Unloading and loading journal records.