# I want Advice on Using Adabas Utilities on Mainframes

**URL:** <https://techcommunity.softwareag.com/t/i-want-advice-on-using-adabas-utilities-on-mainframes/310886>\
**Category:** Forum\
**Tags:** Adabas-Natural, Adabas, Adabas-on-Mainframes\
**Created:** [July 9, 2025, 9:55am UTC](https://techcommunity.softwareag.com/t/i-want-advice-on-using-adabas-utilities-on-mainframes/310886 "2025-07-09T09:55:22Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Aaliyah](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a88e4f/32.png) [@Aaliyah](https://techcommunity.softwareag.com/u/Aaliyah)\
**Post date:** [July 9, 2025, 9:55am UTC](https://techcommunity.softwareag.com/t/i-want-advice-on-using-adabas-utilities-on-mainframes/310886/1 "2025-07-09T09:55:22Z")

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Hi all,

I am getting started with Adabas on mainframes & I want help understanding how to use the built-in utilities such as ADAREP, ADAFRM & ADACMP in real-world scenarios. I have gone through the official docs but I am more interested in how experienced users apply these tools in day-to-day operations.

How often do you run reports such as ADAREP in your workflow? Do you follow any Z` scheduling or automation routines for regular database maintenance? Also, are there any common mistakes or issues to avoid when working with these tools during active system hours?

I took a Ruby On Rails course & it is interesting seeing how different the ecosystem is compared to mainframe environments. I am trying to broaden my understanding across both old and new tech.

I Appreciate any tips or suggestions. I want to hear how you approach these tasks in your own setup.

Thank you.🙂

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**Author:** ![jenst](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e8c25b/32.png) [@jenst](https://techcommunity.softwareag.com/u/jenst)\
**Post date:** [August 18, 2025, 6:45am UTC](https://techcommunity.softwareag.com/t/i-want-advice-on-using-adabas-utilities-on-mainframes/310886/2 "2025-08-18T06:45:15Z")

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Good to see someone exploring Adabas — it’s one of those systems where the official docs explain the commands well, but the “when and why” only comes with real use.

Here’s how these utilities usually fit into daily/weekly operations:

- **ADAREP** → Most shops run this as part of a **weekly or monthly routine** to get a snapshot of database stats (file usage, extents, etc.). It’s not something you need every day unless you’re actively troubleshooting. A lot of teams wrap it into a scheduled job (via JCL with CA-7, Control-M, or similar) so there’s always a fresh report for audits.
- **ADAFRM** → This is more about **initializing or reformatting datasets** , so you’ll only use it during setup or major reorganizations. Avoid running it on live DBs — it wipes everything. A common mistake new folks make is forgetting that it’s destructive.
- **ADACMP** → Handy for **compressing data** before loading it (saves space and speeds up ADALOD). Many teams build this into ETL-style pipelines if they regularly bulk-load data from other systems.

A few general tips from experience:

- Try to schedule heavy utilities (like compress/reformat) **outside peak hours** to avoid contention.
- Keep an eye on catalog/space usage — many people forget until an extent fills up and jobs start failing.
- Document your JCL jobs early — six months later, you’ll thank yourself when you need to re-run or adjust something.

It’s a shift compared to Rails or modern stacks — with Adabas, you’ll find a lot more reliance on **batch jobs, job schedulers, and system resource planning**. Once you get into that rhythm, the utilities feel less intimidating.

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**Author:** ![Neil\_Beesley9](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/techcommunity/user_avatar/techcommunity.softwareag.com/neil_beesley9/32/37232_2.png) [@Neil\_Beesley9](https://techcommunity.softwareag.com/u/Neil_Beesley9)\
**Post date:** [August 18, 2025, 8:39pm UTC](https://techcommunity.softwareag.com/t/i-want-advice-on-using-adabas-utilities-on-mainframes/310886/3 "2025-08-18T20:39:24Z")

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Aaliyah, did you set up your Adabas save JCL yet for database backup and restore (ADASAV). Also the dual protection log copy (ADARES) ?

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**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/techcommunity/original/3X/c/d/cd19967bb605d28a72d77eb83a1cae22f3df2eb8.svg) [@system](https://techcommunity.softwareag.com/u/system)\
**Post date:** [February 14, 2026, 8:39pm UTC](https://techcommunity.softwareag.com/t/i-want-advice-on-using-adabas-utilities-on-mainframes/310886/4 "2026-02-14T20:39:48Z")

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