
Managing Tapes
2-44 User Reference
Connectivity Systems, Inc.—Copyright © 2006
Use Pursuant to Company Instructions
Managing Tapes
Tapes in the
DSN Catalog
Every tape BIM-EPIC uses for a controlled dataset is recorded in the DSN
Catalog. Tapes are identified in the DSN Catalog by volume serial
number. New tapes are automatically added to the DSN Catalog when
BIM-EPIC-controlled datasets residing on tapes are processed. You can
also enter tape information into the DSN Catalog using Online Manager
or TSIDMNT ADD.
Valid Volume
Serial Numbers
(Volsers)
Every controlled tape that BIM-EPIC uses must have a unique volume
serial number (volser). Even unlabeled tapes must be identified with
unique volume serial numbers. This strict identification rule simplifies
tape control and retrieval processes. For controlled datasets that are
opened for output, BIM-EPIC checks the volume serial number of a new
tape against the numbers in the DSN Catalog. If there is a duplicate
dataset or an active dataset on the tape, BIM-EPIC requires you to enter a
new volume serial number or use a different tape.
Volume serial numbers can be any unique combination of alphanumeric
characters but cannot exceed the VSE limit of six characters in length.
BIM-EPIC reserves volume serial number 000000 to use as a special
marker in the DSN Catalog. Groups of volume serial numbers do not need
to be consecutive. However, since tape pools are defined by ranges of
volume serial numbers, it is helpful to initialize tape pools with
consecutive volume serial numbers.
Producing
Scratch Tapes
Online Manager, TSIDUTL, and TSIDMNT SCRATCH produce scratch
tapes. In addition, TSIDUTL DSPLY produces a report listing all
available scratch tapes. If a tape resides in an Automatic Cartridge
Library (ACL) when it is scratched in the DSN Catalog, the tape is
scratched in the ACL also. See “
Retaining and Scratching Datasets” for
more information on scratch functions.
Tape Pooling You can use tape pooling to group similar types of tapes into tape pools.
For example, you can have a volume serial number range in one or more
pools, 3590 tape cartridges in a pool, ACL-resident tape cartridges in a
pool, and so on. Datasets are assigned to tape pools through their
BIM-EPIC dataset definition (EDD) entry in the DSN Catalog.
BIM-EPIC requests a scratch tape from the appropriate pool when a
pooled dataset is created.
Each pool is given a one-character pool code (A to Z or 0 to 9) and is
assigned one or more volume serial number ranges. If a volume serial
number falls within a specific pool range, the tape is assigned to that pool.
A tape pool can only be used to write datasets assigned to that pool. If a
volume serial number does not fall in any of the defined ranges, the tape
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