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BCV5 - Fast Database Clones Copy Refresh you can use DSN1COPY, hardware mirror copies, DB2 image copy and other quick methods

BCV5
BCV5 stands for fast, reliable copying and refresh of DB2 data. Compared with other methods based on UNLOAD/RELOAD or DSN1COPY, BCV5 works up to ten times faster. That is, BCV5 requires only 10% of the resources (CPU, SSU/SRU) and wall clock time required by conventional copying methods. To put it in a nutshell: BCV5 saves 90% of the copy time and 90% of the machine operating resources .

BCV5 provides for extraordinarily fast duplication and copying of DB2 databases or sets of tables. BCV5 copies or migrates all kinds of DB2 objects: DATABASES, TABLES, INDICES, PAGESETS and optionally the corresponding objects like VIEWS TRIGGERS, FUNCTIONS, GRANTS, BINDS and RUNSTATS. Thus BCV5 copies both, data and structure, whereby all variations are possible: duplicate data and structure, duplicate structure only, copy only data, customise structure and copy changed objects, etc.

This means:

  • Previously difficult copies and refreshes can now be done at any time
  • Batch window time is reduced
  • Long waiting times for copy and migration of DB2 data is a thing of the past
  • Significant money savings by reducing database copy time and CPU time by 90%
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    Preview the new version 2 of BCV5  >> more...

    How BCV5 helps migrating to DB2 V.8  >> more...

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BCV5 provides fast generation of:

  • New Business Environments
  • Test Environments
  • Training Environments
  • Development Environments
  • Business Intelligence/Data Warehouse Databases for Reporting
  • Database clones in the same or different DB2 systems.

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Why is BCV5 so fast and efficient?

Because BCV5 eliminates logical operations as they are used by LOAD, DSN1COPY and other DB2 utilities. BCV5 works differently, using dataset copy functions and advanced copy services like DSS, AMS, ADR/FDR, Snapshot, Flashcopy, etc.

To provide for minimal suspension, or no suspension at all, in the source database's availability, BCV5 accepts as in input beside Tablespaces DB2 Image Copies!

BCV5 - Ease of use

Although BCV5 allows Image Copies and/or Tablespaces as input sources it is much easier to handle as for example DSN1COPY.

A BCV5 user selects via BCV5's ISPF interface:

  • the databases and/or the tables to be copied/migrated,
  • specifies source and the target DB2 subsystem (if necessary),
  • specifies (optionally) renaming rules,
  • specifies wether only tables should be transfered or auxilliary objects like VIEWs, specifies whether only tables should be transfered or auxilliary objects like VIEWs.

BCV5 cares about all the rest, fast, efficiently, and riskless!

How does BCV5 work?

BCV5's process of cloning a DB2 Database or copying tables consists of four stages. Each stage executes automatically via a generated job. An ISPF environment simplifies initiation and tracking of cloning or copying requests. Stage 1 gathers all system information of the databases (or the tables) to be cloned from the source DB2 system, it generates a DDL stream for stage 2. Stage 2 uses this DDL stream and the renaming specification entered by the user to generate a job which will create the new objects in the target DB2 system. BCV5 allows renaming of the following attributes in its overall copy process: Database, Creator, Stogroup, VCAT. Stage 3, the copy stage, replaces the tablespaces created by stage 2 with copies of the original tablespaces from the source DB2. These copies can be DB2 Online Copies or any kind of Offline-Copies made by means of DSS, AMS or any other applicable tool including advanced copy services like Snapshot, Flashcopy, etc. Stage 4 adapts the tablespaces to the users renaming requests and DB2 requirements regarding RBA and OBIDs.

If, instead of entire Databases, only sets of tables are to be copied, BCV5's Relational Dependency Checker may be helpful. It determines all tables which are relationally dependent to already chosen tables and adds those tables to the set to be copied. The function is paramerterized - check levels, check direction: upwards, downwards.

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Customizable Process

BCV5 fits into any given environment. The involved DB2 systems may reside on the same or different computers, LPARS, SYSPLEX, or JES networks.

24x7

In a 24x7 environment even minimal suspensions may cause problems. Only DB2 Online CONCURRENT are then feasable. BCV5 can use these Online Copies - CONCURRENT or VIRTUAL CONCURRENT - as input. It automatically determines the most current copies from SYSIBM.SYSCOPY.

What makes BCV5 unique?

BCV5 is fast. The differences in copy time between logical operations and BCV5 is dramatic, factor 10 up to 100 and more is usual. Logical copies which last hours will BCV5 complete in minutes. There are users who used to copy large systems over a whole weekend and now, with BCV5, they finish it in less than two hours.

BCV5 not only shortens and simplifies table/database migrations and copies, it avoids as well most of the subsequent actions like establish GRANTs, Views, Binds, etc. Users reported about 'hours' of running Runstats before they introduced BCV5.

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BCV5 leads to a new level of performance. Similar signifcant as the difference in elapsed time is the difference in consumption of CPU resources. This means to BCV5 users that copies of large amounts of data need not anymore to be deferred to night shifts or weekends.

BCV5's operating speed and its abilitiy to use DB2 Online Copies as input ensure highest availiability of production systems.

The other, perhaps the most important attribute, of BCV5 is the combination of all necessary actions in one single, self-acting process. A user just selects the objects to be copied, BCV5 creates the new objects and fills it with data of the source objects. A copy process, a BCV5 Task, once defined may be repeated any time with one simple command.

BCV5 takes today's high-speed hardware and copy/restore utilities, and accelerates them to new levels of performance. Its high-speed cloning process of DB2 databases is unique in the industry.

Customers report improved levels of data integrity and availability due to the reduction of manual activities. Others report performance improvements, reduced manual effort, a stable production environment and the avoidance of lengthy undesired outages.

BCV5 is compatible to pertinent DASD environment for z/OS from all vendors. BCV5 utilizes standard interfaces only, thus it is compatible with all future versions of DB2. BCV5 provides fast generation of database clones in the same or different DB2 systems. It is the most appropriate tool for new business environments, test environments, training environments, development environments.

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Does BCV5 require BCV4?

No. BCV5 copies DB2 Databases or Table Sets. BCV5 provides the capability to copy selected databases within the same DB2 system or into another DB2. BCV4 clones entire DB2 systems. If required, BCV5's stage 3 can deploy 'volume dump/restore', 'volume copy', or similar functions.

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How does BCV5 complement BCV4?

BCV4 provides a clone of an entire DB2 system. BCV5 supplements BCV4 by allowing customers to "maintain" this environment.

Customers find it convenient to have BCV4 create a completely new DB2 system, a clone, and afterwards use BCV5 to populate this system with additional databases, or to duplicate existing databases, or to "rewrite" existing databases i.e. refresh with production data.

BCV5's operating speed and its abilitiy to use DB2 Online Copies as input ensure highest availiability of production systems.

The other, perhaps the most important attribute, of BCV5 the combination of all necessary actions in one single, automatic process: the user just selects the objects to be copied, BCV5 creates the new objects and fills it with data of the source objects. A copy process, a BCV5 Task, once defined may be repeated any time with one simple command.

BCV5 takes today's high-speed hardware and copy/restore utilities, and accelerates them to new levels of performance. Its high-speed cloning process of DB2 databases is unique in the industry.

Customers report improved levels of data integrity and availability due to the reduction of manual activities. Others report performance improvements, reduced manual effort, a stable production environment and the avoidance of lengthy undesired outages.

BCV5 is compatible to pertinent DASD environment for z/OS from all vendors. BCV5 utilizes standard interfaces only, thus it is compatible with all future versions of DB2. BCV5 provides fast generation of database clones in the same or different DB2 systems. It is the most appropriate tool for new business environments, test environments, training environments, development environments.

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