Originally posted by: RandyBlea

In December, 2019 IBM GA'd the next version of IBM Copy Services Manager, version 6.2.7

Copy Services Manager 6.2.7 Download

IBM Copy Services Manager is a storage replication product that provides a single place to manage all the replication across your IBM storage environment.  With IBM Copy Services Manager customers can simplify the management of their replication solutions while providing disaster recovery and high availability to their applications.

What's New in IBM Copy Services Manager 6.2.7

As always, we're very excited to provide the following key features being released in this new version.  We develop Copy Services Manager in an agile development cycle and as such have included a number of customer requested features!!!

Scheduled Task Improvements

In CSM 6.2.7 two new types of actions were added for support in Scheduled Tasks.  Scheduled Tasks allow customers to string together multiple actions across one or more sessions.  These Scheduled tasks can either be scheduled by CSM's internal scheduler, or invoked externally via batch through the CSMCLI.

Wait for Percent Complete allows customers to add a wait step in their task that will wait until the Out Of Sync Tracks reach a given percentage for a specified role pair.  This can be useful in cases such as requiring data to drain prior to performing a suspend action, or a flash on a separate session.  

Validate Role Pair Consistency allows customers to specify an action that will check the consistency state for a role pair prior to moving on to the next action.  If the role pair specified is not consistent, the Task will fail.  This extra validation can help ensure that subsequence actions, such as a flash, will be executed against consistent data and not overwrite the last consistent copy.  

Support for Email Alert Categories

Prior to CSM 6.2.7 email alerts could be configured, however, any email addresses entered would receive any event thrown by the server.  Customers did not like this as it would flood their inboxes with events that they may not be interested in.  So, with CSM 6.2.7 we are introducing Email Alert Categories.  These are specific categories based off of the types of events that a CSM server may throw.  One or more email addresses can be set to be notified about one or more event types.  This allows customers to configure it so that they will receive only the events they feel are necessary for their job.  

Ability to "Lock" Practice Copy

Some CSM customers running "Practice" session types, issue flashes with the intent of running several tests, etc, against the flashed data at the remote site.  This is often automated but not coordinated with the Flash itself.  If tests are still being run when the next scheduled flash occurs, this could cause issues with the tests or additional problems.  With CSM 6.2.7, you can now check the "Prevent Reflash of Practice volume after Flash or Recover" if you want to "lock" the practice volume until those tests are complete.  When this is checked, after a flash, the Flash command will be disabled on the session until the customer issues the "Allow Practice Flash" command.  Note that the practice volume will NOT be locked from a Recover.  In the event of a disaster, if the customer issues a Recover, the command will still be allowed so that a consistent copy can be made at the remote site in case they need to move production. 

Launch CSMCLI with -Xquickstart

The CSMCLI runs in it's own Java runtime.  When invoked via batch every command will startup Java which can via very time consuming and add to the overall performance of a solution.  The -Xquickstart option is a Java parameter that allows IBM Java to startup faster than it normally would.  The setting is not ideal for long running runtimes but for batch environments where Java only stays up for the duration of the command it works far better.

In CSM 6.2.7 you can now create a javaoptions.properties file and specify the -Xquickstart parm as well as other Java runtime variables such as -Xmx, which can define the memory allocated for the CSMCLI.  

Remove Copy Sets with CSV from CSMCLI

CSM has had support for importing CSV files for adding copy sets for a long time.  Recently CSM added additional support to allow remove copy sets using a CSV as well, but this was only provided as an option through the CSM GUI remove copy set wizard.  In 6.2.7, CSM has added the -action tag onto the importcsv command which will use the csv file to remove copy sets when "remove" is specified.  This support allows customers that add and remove copy sets through automation using the CSMCLI to do so without having to call individual removes.  

GUI Enhancements

CSM 6.2.7 made a couple enhancements to the GUI.  On the CSM View Copy Sets panel for a give session, CSM added columns for both the Full Name and User Name for the volumes in each role of the copy set for the session.  The customer can then modify the table to hide or make visible the columns they want to view.  In addition, the table added a filter box which can allow customer to quickly find volumes in the session, or determine if there are missing volumes from the session.  

On the session overview panel, CSM has added a new column for the User Defined Consistency Group name.  Customers can defined a User Defined Consistency Group name for supported role pairs in a session.  This feature allows customers to tie multiple sessions together with either DS8000 Global Mirror for GM relationships or z/OS HyperSwap for Metro Mirror relationships.  From the Session Overview panel the customer can now filter and see which sessions were defined with the same consistency group name so that they know which sessions are tied together.  

Support for Linux PPC-LE

CSM 6.2.7 added support for Linux PowerPC Little Endian servers.  This allows customers to install either the full CSM server or the remote CSMCLI on a Linux PPC-LE system. 

Logging improvements for performance

On some platforms, CSM logging has been known to cause performance impact or use too much system resource.  Logging within CSM has been modified in the 6.2.7 release in an attempt to minimize the amount of logging necessary while still providing enough for problem determination.  This should help with performance and system resource issues. 

Support for new MT MM-MM 4 Site session type

CSM 6.2.7 a new DS8000 4 site session type was added supporting a Multi-Target MM-MM relationship with a cascaded Global Copy relationship off of one of the MM targets to a fourth site.  The session is designed to be completely symmetrical so that no matter which site you're running from a MT MM-MM->GC configuration can be active.  The session also supports z/OS HyperSwap on both active Metro Mirror Multi-Target legs.  While similar to the MT MM-GM 4 site session in terms of capabilities, this new session is designed for a closer locale between sites and extreme high availability. 

What's new in Copy Services Manager 6.2.7 Video

RFE support for Copy Services Manager

If you wish to open a new Request for Enhancement on IBM Copy Services Manager, you can now do so through the following link.
https://ibm.biz/Bd4Zxj