We're running a Domino mail server under z/Linux under z/VM. Volumes are full-pack volumes and are dedicated to the VM guest when we autolog the guest. Dedicates are in the form of "DEDICATE 1500 VOLID xxxxx".
This has worked well for us. For backing this system up, we use FDR from the z/OS side to backup. Of course, the linux system is down when we do this so we can get a clean copy. Since we're using 8 3390-27's to hold our mail files, our backup window is about 2 hours. In an effort to reduce the size of the window, we used FDR to Flashcopy these volumes to other DASD. And then backup these DASD. My understanding is when using FDR to flashcopy, it will change the VOLSER for the target devices (can't vary them online to z/OS). Our VOLSERS are LEMAI1 - LEMAI8. Reside on units 4701-4708. Our flashcopy targets are on 4506-450D. This scenario worked for several weeks until yesterday. When we autologged the guest machines, somehow they grabbed 4506 and 4507. (I'm assuming somehow the volsers got changed?) Has anybody had any experience with doing something like this? Any idea why z/VM assigned 4506-4507? Correct me if I'm wrong, but z/VM will take the first device it finds matching a VOLSER? What can we do to remedy this? Is this even a good idea? Thanks