IBM Mainframe Forum

I have a fairly old (30+ years) IMS database that I want to pull data out of. However, I cannot query the database directly because of concerns regarding system performance and the risk of impairing the database. I've heard that it is possible to extract data from an image copy of an IMS database. Is this true? If yes, do I need special software to accomplish this? Or can I simply query the image copy using Cobol code along with the logic/layout of the data tables?

Thank you very much for any assistance or guidance that you can provide!
Mark

I learned that you cannot extract data directly from an image copy. You must first create a mirror database and then you can submit jobs against it.

Listen to mspinozz above. By now I am assuming that you have already looked inside the image copy. You will notice that the data does not line up 'correctly' to be manipulated. Those funny characters you see in front of the segment name are actually pointers (TF, TB for example) used by IMS to control data retrieval. Depending upon how the databse was defined determines how many pointers are required so there is no consistency for you to retrieve data.
Good Luck

Listen to mspinozz above.

the TS was telling that he found out something himself, so You just invited him to listen to himself
also this topic is six years old, the TS has only two posts... usual considerations apply