FAQ: CoolSpools and H.A. / Replication

We’re using a High Availability system that replicates our objects and data to a backup system. What do I have to do in relation to CoolSpools etc?

Replication

If your site is using a mirroring application such as MAXAVA, iCluster or MIMIX to replicate objects and data from your live system to a backup system, please take note of the following points in relation to CoolSpools software. If you are using a hardware replication tool such as PowerHA that mirrors the entire disk, then the following points will not be relevant.

We cannot tell you exactly how you should or should not configure your H.A. system in relation to our software as:

1. This will depend on your company or organization’s specific replication needs; and
2. This will vary depending on the product being used and its capabilities

However, here are some general pointers. Hopefully you will be able to decide how best to set things up based on what we say below.

Licence keys

CoolSpools license keys are not affected by replication as they are managed by the IBM License Management system outside of the CoolSpools product library.

However, support keys are stored in a data area within the product library (e.g. COOLSPV6R1 or COOLSPV7R1), which is amongst the objects that should be excluded from replication.

See this link if you are unclear of the difference between a license key and a support key

Objects that should not be replicated

The tables below list objects that should be excluded from replication

Objects that should not be replicated (CoolSpools Version 6)

Object name	Object type	Product or Option	Description
COOLSPV6R1	*DTAARA	CoolSpools V6	Product data area containing product status information and support keys etc.
CPV6R1BASE	*DTAARA	CoolSpools V6 Base Option	Product option data area containing option status information
CPV6R1OPT1	*DTAARA	CoolSpools V6 Option 1	Product option data area containing option status information
CPV6R1OPT2	*DTAARA	CoolSpools V6 Option 2	Product option data area containing option status information
CPV6R1OPT3	*DTAARA	CoolSpools V6 Option 3	Product option data area containing option status information
CPV6R1OPT4	*DTAARA	CoolSpools V6 Option 4	Product option data area containing option status information
CPV6R1OPT5	*DTAARA	CoolSpools V6 Option 5	Product option data area containing option status information
Any object with a name starting QPZA* or QPZR*	Any	All	These are previous and new versions of objects created as part of the PTF installation process. They should not be replicated. They are not used. For Version 6, they should be managed using the following fix pack commands: LODFIX will install the new versions of objects; APYFIX *TEMP will put the new version live; RMVFIX allows you to roll back a fix that has not been permanently applied; APYFIX *PERM will permanently apply the fix.

Objects that should not be replicated (CoolSpools Version 7)

Object name	Object type	Product or Option	Description
CP_PRDINFO	*DTAARA	CoolSpools V7	Product data area containing product status information and support keys etc.
CPV7R1BASE	*DTAARA	CoolSpools V7 Base Option	Product option data area containing option status information
CPV7R1OPT1	*DTAARA	CoolSpools V7 Option 1	Product option data area containing option status information
CPV7R1OPT2	*DTAARA	CoolSpools V7 Option 2	Product option data area containing option status information
CPV7R1OPT3	*DTAARA	CoolSpools V7 Option 3	Product option data area containing option status information
CPV7R1OPT4	*DTAARA	CoolSpools V7 Option 4	Product option data area containing option status information
CPV7R1OPT5	*DTAARA	CoolSpools V7 Option 5	Product option data area containing option status information
Any object with a name starting QPZA* or QPZR*	Any	All	These are previous and new versions of objects created as part of the PTF installation process. They should not be replicated. They are not used. For Version 7, they should be managed using the following fix pack commands: LODFIX will install the new versions of objects; APYFIX *TEMP will put the new version live; RMVFIX allows you to roll back a fix that has not been permanently applied; APYFIX *PERM will permanently apply the fix.

Data

By “Data”, we mean the contents of database files and data areas.

The table below lists files and data areas that you may wish to replicate. The table indicates the nature of the data and in particular how frequently it is updated. You should decide your replication strategy in relation to each object listed here based on its data type and volatility.

Data types are defined as follows:

Data Type Definitions

Lookup file	Data is accessed read-only to drive system processes and cannot be user maintained. It changes only when a PTF is applied.
Definition file	Data is primarily accessed read-only to drive system processes but is user maintainable.
Control file	A small quantity of heavily updated data (e.g. next email number, next transaction number etc.)
Log file	Data is for audit purposes only and does not drive subsequent processing.
Template file	The file is used only for taking copies into QTEMP as temporary work files
Transaction file	The file contains data required to process transactions and is heavily updated by the system.

Data objects that form part of our software can be classified as follows:

Data Objects

Object name	Object type	Product or Option	Description	Data type	Modified by	Volatility
AR_CCSIDS	*FILE	CoolSpools *BASE	CCSID definitions	Lookup file	Install or PTF apply only	Nil (changes only when PTFs applied)
AR_NUMBER	*FILE	CoolSpools *BASE	Next number file	Control file	System	Heavily updated
AR_STLDFN	*FILE	CoolSpools *BASE	Style definitions	Definition file	User maintainable	Low (when changed by a user)
AR_TRCDTA	*FILE	CoolSpools *BASE	Trace data	Log file	System	Heavy when used, but rarely used (only when diagnostic trace activated)
CM_ADRDIR	*FILE	CoolSpools Email	Email Address Directories	Definition file	User maintainable	Low (when changed by a user)
CM_ADRLST	*FILE	CoolSpools Email	Email Address Lists	Definition file	User maintainable	Low (when changed by a user)
CM_DIRENT	*FILE	CoolSpools Email	Email Address Directory Entries	Definition file	User maintainable	Low (when changed by a user)
CM_EMLACT	*FILE	CoolSpools Email	Email Accounts	Definition file	User maintainable	Not currently used
CM_ERRATC	*FILE	CoolSpools Email	Failed Email Message Attachments	Log file	System	Low (per failed email)
CM_ERRLOG	*FILE	CoolSpools Email	Failed Email Log	Log file	System	Low (per failed email)
CM_ERRRCP	*FILE	CoolSpools Email	Failed Email Message recipients	Log file	System	Low (per failed email)
CM_LSTENT	*FILE	CoolSpools Email	Email Address List Entries	Definition file	User maintainable	Low (when changed by a user)
CM_MAILID	*FILE	CoolSpools Email	Last email id	Control file	System	High (per email)
CM_MSGATC	*FILE	CoolSpools Email	Email Message Attachments	Log file	System	High (per email)
CM_MSGLOG	*FILE	CoolSpools Email	Email Message Log	Log file	System	High (per email)
CM_MSGRCP	*FILE	CoolSpools Email	Email Message recipients	Log file	System	High (per email)
CM_NUMBER	*FILE	CoolSpools Email	Next number file	Control file	System	Heavily updated
CM_RCVMSG	*FILE	CoolSpools Email	Received Email Messages	Transaction file	System	Currently unused
CM_RCVPRT	*FILE	CoolSpools Email	Received Email Part	Transaction file	System	Currently unused
CM_RCVRCP	*FILE	CoolSpools Email	Received Email Recipient	Transaction file	System	Currently unused
CM_SVRATC	*FILE	CoolSpools Email	Attachments to emails sent via CoolSpools SMTP	Log file	System	High (per email sent via this method)
CM_SVRATR	*FILE	CoolSpools Email	CoolSpools SMTP server attributes	Definition file	User	Low
CM_SVRCTL	*FILE	CoolSpools Email	CoolSpools SMTP job control	Transaction file	System	Moderate (per SMTP server job)
CM_SVRLOG	*FILE	CoolSpools Email	Detailed history log for emails sent via CoolSpools SMTP	Log file	System	High (per email sent via this method)
CM_SVRMSG	*FILE	CoolSpools Email	Emails sent via CoolSpools SMTP	Transaction file	System	High (per email sent via this method)
CM_SVRRCP	*FILE	CoolSpools Email	Emails sent via CoolSpools SMTP to individual recipients	Transaction file	System	High (per email sent via this method)
CM_USRDFT	*FILE	CoolSpools Email	User Defaults	Definition file	System	Currently unused
CS_DBFFLD	*FILE	CoolSpools Spool Converter	Spooled File to Database Map Fields	Definition File	User maintainable	Low (when changed by a user)
CS_DBFMAP	*FILE	CoolSpools Spool Converter	Spooled File to Database Maps	Definition File	User maintainable	Low (when changed by a user)
CS_FNTCTL	*FILE	CoolSpools Spool Converter	Font Control File	Lookup file	Install or PTF apply only	Nil (changes only when PTFs applied)
CS_FNTDTA	*FILE	CoolSpools Spool Converter	Font Data	Lookup file	Install or PTF apply only	Nil (changes only when PTFs applied)
CS_FNTGLP	*FILE	CoolSpools Spool Converter	Font Glyphs	Lookup file	Install or PTF apply only	Nil (changes only when PTFs applied)
CS_FNTKEY	*FILE	CoolSpools Spool Converter	Font Key File	Lookup file	Install or PTF apply only	Nil (changes only when PTFs applied)
CS_FNTMET	*FILE	CoolSpools Spool Converter	Font Metrics	Lookup file	Install or PTF apply only	Nil (changes only when PTFs applied)
CS_FNTNAM	*FILE	CoolSpools Spool Converter	Font Names	Lookup file	Install or PTF apply only	Nil (changes only when PTFs applied)
CS_FNTTBL	*FILE	CoolSpools Spool Converter	Font Table	Lookup file	Install or PTF apply only	Nil (changes only when PTFs applied)
CS_PDFFLD	*FILE	CoolSpools Spool Converter	PDF form fields	Definition file	User maintainable	Low (when changed by a user)
CS_PDFFRM	*FILE	CoolSpools Spool Converter	PDF forms	Definition file	User maintainable	Low (when changed by a user)
CS_PDFTXT	*FILE	CoolSpools Spool Converter	PDF form textbox fields	Definition file	User maintainable	Low (when changed by a user)
CS_PRMSET	*FILE	CoolSpools Spool Converter	Parameter Sets	Definition file	User maintainable	Low (when changed by a user)
CS_PRTTBL	*FILE	CoolSpools Spool Converter	Printer Table	Lookup file	Install or PTF apply only	Nil (changes only when PTFs applied)
CS_RPTDFN	*FILE	CoolSpools Spool Converter	Report definitions	Definition file	User maintainable	Low (when changed by a user)
CS_RPTITM	*FILE	CoolSpools Spool Converter	Report items	Definition file	User maintainable	Low (when changed by a user)
CS_RPTLIN	*FILE	CoolSpools Spool Converter	Report lines	Definition file	User maintainable	Low (when changed by a user)
CS_RPTRUL	*FILE	CoolSpools Spool Converter	Report rules	Definition file	User maintainable	Low (when changed by a user)
CS_RPTSCT	*FILE	CoolSpools Spool Converter	Report sections	Definition file	User maintainable	Low (when changed by a user)
CS_STRIDX	*FILE	CoolSpools Spool Converter	Excel strings work file	Template file	Install or PTF apply only	Nil (just a template)
CS_XLSCEL	*FILE	CoolSpools Spool Converter	Report-to-Excel Map Cells	Definition file	User maintainable	Low (when changed by a user)
CS_XLSMAP	*FILE	CoolSpools Spool Converter	Report-to-Excel Maps	Definition file	User maintainable	Low (when changed by a user)
CS_XLSROW	*FILE	CoolSpools Spool Converter	Report-to-Excel Map Row Groups	Definition file	User maintainable	Low (when changed by a user)
CS_XLSTXT	*FILE	CoolSpools Spool Converter	Report-to-Excel Map Constant Text	Definition file	User maintainable	Low (when changed by a user)
CS_XLTTBL	*FILE	CoolSpools Spool Converter	Special translation tables	Definition file – multi-member	User maintainable	Low (when changed by a user)
CS_XMLATR	*FILE	CoolSpools Spool Converter	Report-to-XML Map Attributes	Definition file	User maintainable	Low (when changed by a user)
CS_XMLELM	*FILE	CoolSpools Spool Converter	Report-to-XML Map Element	Definition file	User maintainable	Low (when changed by a user)
CS_XMLMAP	*FILE	CoolSpools Spool Converter	Report-to-XML Maps	Definition file	User maintainable	Low (when changed by a user)
SL_FMTENT	*FILE	CoolSpools Database	Format set entries	Definition file	User maintainable	Low (when changed by a user)
SL_FMTSET	*FILE	CoolSpools Database	Format sets	Definition file	User maintainable	Low (when changed by a user)
SL_STRIDX	*FILE	CoolSpools Database	Excel strings work file	Template file	Install or PTF apply only	Nil (just a template)
SL_XLSCEL	*FILE	CoolSpools Database	Database-to-Excel Map Cells	Definition file	User maintainable	Low (when changed by a user)
SL_XLSIMG	*FILE	CoolSpools Database	Database-to-Excel Map Images	Definition file	User maintainable	Low (when changed by a user)
SL_XLSMAP	*FILE	CoolSpools Database	Database-Database-to-Excel Maps	Definition file	User maintainable	Low (when changed by a user)
SL_XLSOUT	*FILE	CoolSpools Database	Template for output from CVTXLDBF	Template file	Install or PTF apply only	Nil (just a template)
SL_XLSROW	*FILE	CoolSpools Database	Database-to-Excel Map Row Groups	Definition file	User maintainable	Low (when changed by a user)
SL_XLSTXT	*FILE	CoolSpools Database	Database-to-Excel Map Constant Text	Definition file	User maintainable	Low (when changed by a user)
SL_XMLATR	*FILE	CoolSpools Database	Database-to-XML Map Attributes	Definition file	User maintainable	Low (when changed by a user)
SL_XMLELM	*FILE	CoolSpools Database	Database-to-XML Map Element	Definition file	User maintainable	Low (when changed by a user)
SL_XMLMAP	*FILE	CoolSpools Database	Database-to-XML Maps	Definition file	User maintainable	Low (when changed by a user)
ST_ERRLOG	*FILE	CoolSpools Spool Admin	Error log	Log file	System	Unpredictable
ST_JOBCTL	*FILE	CoolSpools Spool Admin	Job Control File	Control file	System	Medium (per control job)
ST_NUMBER	*FILE	CoolSpools Spool Admin	Unique numbers	Control file	System	High (per transaction)
ST_SBSVAR	*FILE	CoolSpools Spool Admin	Substitution variable definitions	Definition file	User maintainable	Low (when changed by a user)
ST_SCPENT	*FILE	CoolSpools Spool Admin	Spooled file script entries	Definition file	User maintainable	Low (when changed by a user)
ST_SCRIPT	*FILE	CoolSpools Spool Admin	Spooled file scripts	Definition file	User maintainable	Low (when changed by a user)
ST_SPLLOG	*FILE	CoolSpools Spool Admin	Work with spooled files log	Log file	System	High (per spooled file action)
ST_SPLMON	*FILE	CoolSpools Spool Admin	Spooled file monitor definitions	Definition file	User maintainable	Low (when changed by a user)
ST_SPLRUL	*FILE	CoolSpools Spool Admin	Spooled file rules	Definition file	User maintainable	Low (when changed by a user)
ST_SPLTRN	*FILE	CoolSpools Spool Admin	Spooled file transactions	Transaction file	System	High (per spooled file transaction)
ST_STDOPT	*FILE	CoolSpools Spool Admin	Standard Options Definition file	Definition file	User maintainable	Low (when changed by a user)
ST_TRNRUL	*FILE	CoolSpools Spool Admin	Spooled file transaction rules	Transaction file	System	High (per spooled file transaction)
ST_TRNSTP	*FILE	CoolSpools Spool Admin	Spooled file transaction steps	Transaction file	System	High (per spooled file transaction)
ST_USROPT	*FILE	CoolSpools Spool Admin	User Options	Definition file	User maintainable	Low (when changed by a user)

Non-data Objects

By “Non-data objects”, we mean objects such as:

• programs (object type *PGM)
• service programs (*SRVPGM)
• display files (object type *FILE attribute DSPF)
• printer files (object type *FILE attribute PRTF)
• commands (*CMD)
• panel groups (*PNLGRP)
• message files (*MSGF)
• user spaces (*USRSPC). These are only used by CoolSpools for static information or (in the case of those created in QTEMP) for temporary information which does not need to be replicated.
• workstation customization objects (*WSCST)
• job descriptions (*JOBD)
• job queues (*JOBQ)
• subsystems descriptions (*SBSD)
• menus (*MENU)

These objects change relatively infrequently, typically only when a fix pack (PTF) or a new release is installed.

In relation to objects of this type, you have two main choices so far as H.A./replication systems are concerned. Each choice has advantages and disadvantages.

1. Install fixes (PTFs) on your live system only, rely on your H.A. software to replicate object changesThis approach has the advantage of simplicity, in that you only need to install fix packs on the one system.However, this approach also has the significant disadvantage that OS/400 (IBM i) on the target system will not be aware that the fix (PTF) has been installed. This is because our fix packs are packaged as OS/400 PTFs and OS/400 tracks what PTFs have been installed. The H.A. software will not update OS/400’s internal tables correctly to indicate that the PTF has been installed. This means that DSPPTF on the target system will display incorrect information and any attempt to install a fix pack on that system subsequently may fail.
2. Install fixes (PTFs) on both systems and do not replicate object changesThis approach has the disadvantage that it is more complex, as you need to be sure to install fix packs on both systems to keep objects in sync, but has the advantage that both systems will correctly indicate the PTF level of the software when you run DSPPTF.On balance, this is the approach we recommend.

Other items

You should be aware that CoolSpools V6 and earlier versions of our software use two other features of OS/400 (IBM i) which may not be replicated by your H.A. Software but which have a significant bearing on the operation of the system.

1. Registered functionsRegistered functions are a feature of OS/400 (IBM i) which enable applications to control access to system functions in a similar way to object-level security. We use registered functions to allow users to manage access to items such as:
   • Spool Admin standard and user defined options
   • Spool Admin features such as the ability to run commands at the command line in WRKSPLFPDM
   • Spool Converter report definitions and report maps
   • Database maps

   See these InfoCenter articles for further details of registered functions as a feature of OS/400 (IBM i):

   • http://publib.boulder.ibm.com/infocenter/iseries/v5r4/topic/apis/sec4.htm
   • http://publib.boulder.ibm.com/infocenter/iseries/v5r4/topic/rzamv/rzamvlimitaccessprogfunc.htm

   So far as we are aware, registered functions are not replicated by any H.A. system and they are also not saved by IBM commands such as SAVSYS, SAVSECDTA or SAVE menu option 21.

   For this reason, CoolSpools *BASE includes commands SAVREGFNC (Save Registered Functions) and RSTREGFNC (Restore Registered Functions) to allow you to take a snapshot of the registered functions defined on your system and user authorities to those functions. The information is saved into a stream file. This stream file can be used to restore those registered functions and user authorities to another partition or system.

   It is recommended that you run SAVREGFNC regularly (and especially after changing registered function settings) to ensure that your registered functions and associated user authorities can be restored in the event of a system failure or duplicated to a backup system in the event of a failure.

2. Environment variables – Environment variables are a feature of OS/400 (IBM i) which provide a simple and convenient way of defining items of information at either a system- or job-level that applications can use to control aspects of processing. earlier software versions use environment variables to define things such as:
   • Spool Admin standard and user defined options
   • Spool Admin features such as the ability to run commands at the command line in WRKSPLFPDM
   • Spool Converter report definitions and report maps
   • Database maps

   A full set of environment variables used by CoolSpools V6 is available in the Programmer’s Guide.

   See this InfoCenter article for further details of environment variables as a feature of OS/400 (IBM i):

   • http://publib.boulder.ibm.com/infocenter/iseries/v5r4/topic/apis/unix1a.htm

   So far as we are aware, environment variables are not replicated by any H.A. system and they are also not saved by IBM commands such as SAVSYS or SAVE menu option 21.

   Although we do not provide a SAVENVVAR (Save Environment Variables) or RSTENVVAR (Restore Environment Variables) command as part of our licensed programs, we can provide such commands on request on an “as-is” unsupported basis. These commands work in a similar way to SAVREGFNC and RSTREGFNC in that they save system-level environment variable settings into a stream file. This stream file can be used to restore those system-level environment variable settings to another partition or system.