── ARCHIVE MERGE ─┬─────────────────────┬─ FROM ───────────────────────►
└─ <archive options> ─┘
►─ <archive disk volume> ─┬───────────────────────────────────┬────────►
│ ┌◄────────────── , ─────────────┐ │
└─┴─ TO ── <archive tape volume> ─┴─┘
►─┬───────────────────────────────┬────────────────────────────────────►
└─ [ ── <task identifier> ── ] ─┘
►─┬─────────────────────────────────────┬──────────────────────────────┤
└─ ; ── <archive task equation list> ─┘Explanation
The ARCHIVE MERGE statement transfers backup copies of files that reside on one or more backup tapes to a single tape. If there is insufficient space to merge all requested backup tape files to one tape, a reel switch condition results and the remaining files are merged on another tape. This produces a single tape set of merged files.
The primary purpose of this operation is to enable more efficient use of tape resources. When you merge files to a single backup tape or to a tape set, space is freed on other tape volumes for other uses.
The ARCHIVE MERGE statement requests as input any file that has been archived to a backup tape by any ARCHIVE backup statement, ARCHIVE MERGE statement, or ARCHIVE ROLLOUT statement.
| Note: | Use of the ARCHIVE MERGE statement usually requires privileged access. However, a job can run this statement if it was started from an ODT without a usercode. In any case, this statement affects all tape files that were backed up or rolled out to a backup tape through the archive subsystem. |
As a merge operation executes, it requests as input the backup tape files that were created by preceding ARCHIVE statements. During the operation, the archive subsystem prompts you to load the input tapes on the tape drives twice: once while the system creates the output tape directory, and again when it copies the selected files.
You can use the OF (Optional File) system command to cause the merge operation to skip an input tape value. You can enter <mix number> OF when the archive subsystem prompts you to load the input tape. You can use the HI (Cause Exception Event) system command to check the progress of an ARCHIVE MERGE statement. A command of the form <mix number> HI displays the number of files already copied and other information.
Example
The following example illustrates how to consolidate archive backup tapes for the family DISK onto a new backup tape named MERGEDISK:
ARCHIVE MERGE FROM DISK TO MERGEDISK
