FAQ: CoolSpools and H.A./Replication
we try to keep Spool Converter variables as straight forwards as we can, if you need help with any of the techniques described below, feel free to contact our support team.
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 you’re using a system such as MIMIX or Data Mirror to replicate your objects and data from your live system to a backup system, please take note of the following points in relation to CoolSpools V6 and earlier versions of our software.
We cannot tell you exactly how you should or should not configure your H.A. system in relation to our software as:
- This will depend on your company or organization’s specific replication needs; and
- 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 library COOLSPV6R1.
However, support keys are stored in data area COOLSPV6R1 in library COOLSPV6R1, and that object 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 table below lists objects that should be excluded from replication
| 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 fix pack commands LODFIX, APYFIX etc: LODFIX will install the new versions of objects; APYFIX *TEMP will put the new version live; APYFIX *PERM will delete the old version. |
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:
| 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:
| Object name | Object type | Product or Option | Description | Data type | Modified by | Volatility |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AR_CCSIDS | *FILE | CoolSpools V6 CoolSpools PLUS CoolSpools Slipstream Communiqué |
CCSID definitions | Lookup file | Install or PTF apply only | Nil (changes only when PTFs applied) |
| AR_NUMBER | *FILE | CoolSpools V6 *BASE CoolSpools PLUS Slipstream Communiqué |
Next number file | Control file | System | Heavily updated |
| AR_STLDFN | *FILE | CoolSpools V6 *BASE | Style definitions | Definition file | User maintainable | Low (when changed by a user) |
| AR_TRCDTA | *FILE | CoolSpools V6 *BASE | Trace data | Log file | System | Heavy when used, but rarely used (only when diagnostic trace activated) |
| CM_ADRDIR | *FILE | CoolSpools V6 Email Communique |
Email Address Directories | Definition file | User maintainable | Low (when changed by a user) |
| CM_ADRLST | *FILE | CoolSpools V6 Email Communique |
Email Address Lists | Definition file | User maintainable | Low (when changed by a user) |
| CM_DIRENT | *FILE | CoolSpools V6 Email Communique |
Email Address Directory Entries | Definition file | User maintainable | Low (when changed by a user) |
| CM_EMLACT | *FILE | CoolSpools V6 Email Communique |
Email Accounts | Definition file | User maintainable | Not currently used |
| CM_ERRATC | *FILE | CoolSpools V6 Email Communique |
Failed Email Message Attachments | Log file | System | Low (per failed email) |
| CM_ERRLOG | *FILE | CoolSpools V6 Email Communique |
Failed Email Log | Log file | System | Low (per failed email) |
| CM_ERRRCP | *FILE | CoolSpools V6 Email Communique |
Failed Email Message recipients | Log file | System | Low (per failed email) |
| CM_LSTENT | *FILE | CoolSpools V6 Email Communique |
Email Address List Entries | Definition file | User maintainable | Low (when changed by a user) |
| CM_MAILID | *FILE | CoolSpools V6 Email Communique |
Last email id | Control file | System | High (per email) |
| CM_MSGATC | *FILE | CoolSpools V6 Email Communique |
Email Message Attachments | Log file | System | High (per email) |
| CM_MSGLOG | *FILE | CoolSpools V6 Email Communique |
Email Message Log | Log file | System | High (per email) |
| CM_MSGRCP | *FILE | CoolSpools V6 Email Communique |
Email Message recipients | Log file | System | High (per email) |
| CM_NUMBER | *FILE | CoolSpools V6 Email CoolSpools PLUS Communiqué |
Next number file | Control file | System | Heavily updated |
| CM_RCVMSG | *FILE | CoolSpools V6 Email Communique |
Received Email Messages | Transaction file | System | Currently unused |
| CM_RCVPRT | *FILE | CoolSpools V6 Email Communique |
Received Email Part | Transaction file | System | Currently unused |
| CM_RCVRCP | *FILE | CoolSpools V6 Email Communique |
Received Email Recipient | Transaction file | System | Currently unused |
| CM_SVRATC | *FILE | CoolSpools V6 Email | Attachments to emails sent via CoolSpools SMTP | Log file | System | High (per email sent via this method) |
| CM_SVRATR | *FILE | CoolSpools V6 Email | CoolSpools SMTP server attributes | Definition file | User | Low |
| CM_SVRCTL | *FILE | CoolSpools V6 Email | CoolSpools SMTP job control | Transaction file | System | Moderate (per SMTP server job) |
| CM_SVRLOG | *FILE | CoolSpools V6 Email | Detailed history log for emails sent via CoolSpools SMTP | Log file | System | High (per email sent via this method) |
| CM_SVRMSG | *FILE | CoolSpools V6 Email | Emails sent via CoolSpools SMTP | Transaction file | System | High (per email sent via this method) |
| CM_SVRRCP | *FILE | CoolSpools V6 Email | Emails sent via CoolSpools SMTP to individual recipients | Transaction file | System | High (per email sent via this method) |
| CM_USRDFT | *FILE | CoolSpools V6 Email Communique |
User Defaults | Definition file | System | Currently unused |
| CS_DBFFLD | *FILE | CoolSpools V6 Spool Converter CoolSpools PLUS CoolSpools V5 |
Spooled File to Database Map Fields | Definition File | User maintainable | Low (when changed by a user) |
| CS_DBFMAP | *FILE | CoolSpools V6 Spool Converter CoolSpools PLUS CoolSpools V5 |
Spooled File to Database Maps | Definition File | User maintainable | Low (when changed by a user) |
| CS_FNTCTL | *FILE | CoolSpools V6 Spool Converter CoolSpools PLUS CoolSpools V5 |
Font Control File | Lookup file | Install or PTF apply only | Nil (changes only when PTFs applied) |
| CS_FNTDTA | *FILE | CoolSpools PLUS CoolSpools V5 |
Font Data | Lookup file | Install or PTF apply only | Nil (changes only when PTFs applied) |
| CS_FNTGLP | *FILE | CoolSpools V6 Spool Converter CoolSpools PLUS CoolSpools V5 |
Font Glyphs | Lookup file | Install or PTF apply only | Nil (changes only when PTFs applied) |
| CS_FNTKEY | *FILE | CoolSpools V6 Spool Converter CoolSpools PLUS CoolSpools V5 |
Font Key File | Lookup file | Install or PTF apply only | Nil (changes only when PTFs applied) |
| CS_FNTMET | *FILE | CoolSpools V6 Spool Converter CoolSpools PLUS CoolSpools V5 |
Font Metrics | Lookup file | Install or PTF apply only | Nil (changes only when PTFs applied) |
| CS_FNTNAM | *FILE | CoolSpools V6 Spool Converter CoolSpools PLUS CoolSpools V5 |
Font Names | Lookup file | Install or PTF apply only | Nil (changes only when PTFs applied) |
| CS_FNTTBL | *FILE | CoolSpools V6 Spool Converter CoolSpools PLUS CoolSpools V5 |
Font Table | Lookup file | Install or PTF apply only | Nil (changes only when PTFs applied) |
| CS_PDFFLD | *FILE | CoolSpools V6 Spool Converter | PDF form fields | Definition file | User maintainable | Low (when changed by a user) |
| CS_PDFFRM | *FILE | CoolSpools V6 Spool Converter | PDF forms | Definition file | User maintainable | Low (when changed by a user) |
| CS_PDFTXT | *FILE | CoolSpools V6 Spool Converter | PDF form textbox fields | Definition file | User maintainable | Low (when changed by a user) |
| CS_PRMSET | *FILE | CoolSpools V6 Spool Converter | Parameter Sets | Definition file | User maintainable | Low (when changed by a user) |
| CS_PRTTBL | *FILE | CoolSpools V6 Spool Converter CoolSpools PLUS CoolSpools V5 |
Printer Table | Lookup file | Install or PTF apply only | Nil (changes only when PTFs applied) |
| CS_RPTDFN | *FILE | CoolSpools V6 Spool Converter | Report definitions | Definition file | User maintainable | Low (when changed by a user) |
| CS_RPTITM | *FILE | CoolSpools V6 Spool Converter | Report items | Definition file | User maintainable | Low (when changed by a user) |
| CS_RPTLIN | *FILE | CoolSpools V6 Spool Converter | Report lines | Definition file | User maintainable | Low (when changed by a user) |
| CS_RPTRUL | *FILE | CoolSpools V6 Spool Converter | Report rules | Definition file | User maintainable | Low (when changed by a user) |
| CS_RPTSCT | *FILE | CoolSpools V6 Spool Converter | Report sections | Definition file | User maintainable | Low (when changed by a user) |
| CS_STRIDX | *FILE | CoolSpools V6 Spool Converter CoolSpools PLUS CoolSpools V5 |
Excel strings work file | Template file | Install or PTF apply only | Nil (just a template) |
| CS_XLSCEL | *FILE | CoolSpools V6 Spool Converter | Report-to-Excel Map Cells | Definition file | User maintainable | Low (when changed by a user) |
| CS_XLSMAP | *FILE | CoolSpools V6 Spool Converter | Report-to-Excel Maps | Definition file | User maintainable | Low (when changed by a user) |
| CS_XLSROW | *FILE | CoolSpools V6 Spool Converter | Report-to-Excel Map Row Groups | Definition file | User maintainable | Low (when changed by a user) |
| CS_XLSTXT | *FILE | CoolSpools V6 Spool Converter | Report-to-Excel Map Constant Text | Definition file | User maintainable | Low (when changed by a user) |
| CS_XLTTBL | *FILE | CoolSpools V6 Spool Converter | Special translation tables | Definition file – multi-member | User maintainable | Low (when changed by a user) |
| CS_XMLATR | *FILE | CoolSpools V6 Spool Converter | Report-to-XML Map Attributes | Definition file | User maintainable | Low (when changed by a user) |
| CS_XMLELM | *FILE | CoolSpools V6 Spool Converter | Report-to-XML Map Element | Definition file | User maintainable | Low (when changed by a user) |
| CS_XMLMAP | *FILE | CoolSpools V6 Spool Converter | Report-to-XML Maps | Definition file | User maintainable | Low (when changed by a user) |
| SL_FMTENT | *FILE | CoolSpools V6 Database | Format set entries | Definition file | User maintainable | Low (when changed by a user) |
| SL_FMTSET | *FILE | CoolSpools V6 Database | Format sets | Definition file | User maintainable | Low (when changed by a user) |
| SL_STRIDX | *FILE | CoolSpools V6 Database Slipstream |
Excel strings work file | Template file | Install or PTF apply only | Nil (just a template) |
| SL_XLSCEL | *FILE | CoolSpools V6 Database | Database-to-Excel Map Cells | Definition file | User maintainable | Low (when changed by a user) |
| SL_XLSIMG | *FILE | CoolSpools V6 Database | Database-to-Excel Map Images | Definition file | User maintainable | Low (when changed by a user) |
| SL_XLSMAP | *FILE | CoolSpools V6 Database | Database-Database-to-Excel Maps | Definition file | User maintainable | Low (when changed by a user) |
| SL_XLSOUT | *FILE | CoolSpools V6 Database | Template for output from CVTXLDBF | Template file | Install or PTF apply only | Nil (just a template) |
| SL_XLSROW | *FILE | CoolSpools V6 Database | Database-to-Excel Map Row Groups | Definition file | User maintainable | Low (when changed by a user) |
| SL_XLSTXT | *FILE | CoolSpools V6 Database | Database-to-Excel Map Constant Text | Definition file | User maintainable | Low (when changed by a user) |
| SL_XMLATR | *FILE | CoolSpools V6 Database | Database-to-XML Map Attributes | Definition file | User maintainable | Low (when changed by a user) |
| SL_XMLELM | *FILE | CoolSpools V6 Database | Database-to-XML Map Element | Definition file | User maintainable | Low (when changed by a user) |
| SL_XMLMAP | *FILE | CoolSpools V6 Database | Database-to-XML Maps | Definition file | User maintainable | Low (when changed by a user) |
| ST_ERRLOG | *FILE | CoolSpools V6 Spool Admin CoolTools |
Error log | Log file | System | Unpredictable |
| ST_JOBCTL | *FILE | CoolSpools V6 Spool Admin CoolTools |
Job Control File | Control file | System | Medium (per control job) |
| ST_NUMBER | *FILE | CoolSpools V6 Spool Admin CoolTools |
Unique numbers | Control file | System | High (per transaction) |
| ST_SBSVAR | *FILE | CoolSpools V6 Spool Admin | Substitution variable definitions | Definition file | User maintainable | Low (when changed by a user) |
| ST_SCPENT | *FILE | CoolSpools V6 Spool Admin CoolTools |
Spooled file script entries | Definition file | User maintainable | Low (when changed by a user) |
| ST_SCRIPT | *FILE | CoolSpools V6 Spool Admin CoolTools |
Spooled file scripts | Definition file | User maintainable | Low (when changed by a user) |
| ST_SPLLOG | *FILE | CoolSpools V6 Spool Admin CoolTools |
Work with spooled files log | Log file | System | High (per spooled file action) |
| ST_SPLMON | *FILE | CoolSpools V6 Spool Admin CoolTools |
Spooled file monitor definitions | Definition file | User maintainable | Low (when changed by a user) |
| ST_SPLRUL | *FILE | CoolSpools V6 Spool Admin CoolTools |
Spooled file rules | Definition file | User maintainable | Low (when changed by a user) |
| ST_SPLTRN | *FILE | CoolSpools V6 Spool Admin CoolTools |
Spooled file transactions | Transaction file | System | High (per spooled file transaction) |
| ST_STDOPT | *FILE | CoolSpools V6 Spool Admin CoolTools |
Standard Options Definition file | Definition file | User maintainable | Low (when changed by a user) |
| ST_TRNRUL | *FILE | CoolSpools V6 Spool Admin CoolTools |
Spooled file transaction rules | Transaction file | System | High (per spooled file transaction) |
| ST_TRNSTP | *FILE | CoolSpools V6 Spool Admin | Spooled file transaction steps | Transaction file | System | High (per spooled file transaction) |
| ST_USROPT | *FILE | CoolSpools V6 Spool Admin CoolTools |
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.
- 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.
- 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 will probably not be replicated by your H.A. Software but which have a significant bearing on the operation of the system.
- 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 (CoolTools) 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 V6 *BASE and CoolTools V2 include commands called SAVREGFNC (Save Registered Functions) and RSTREGFNC (Restore Registered Functions) which are intended 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.
- 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 (CoolTools) 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):
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.