EXPIREBV command: Deleting unwanted backup versions of data sets

The EXPIREBV command is used to delete unwanted backup and expired ABARS versions of SMS-managed and non-SMS-managed data sets from DFSMShsm-owned storage. The optional parameters of the EXPIREBV command determine the deletion of the backup versions of non-SMS-managed data sets. The management class attributes determine the deletion of backup versions of SMS-managed data sets. The management class fields, “Retain Extra Versions” and “Retain Only Version”, determine which ABARS versions or incremental backup versions are deleted. The RETAINDAYS value provided during the data set backup request determines how long a data set backup copy is kept for both SMS-managed and non-SMS-managed data sets.

A detailed description of eligibility considerations for both SMS-managed and non-SMS-managed data sets is provided in the Aggregate backup and recovery support (ABARS).

EXPIREBV determines if a backed-up data set should be considered SMS-managed (and thus whether to apply management-class attributes or EXPIREBV command parameters in expiring cataloged backup versions) by the most recent status of the data set:

If the data set is still cataloged, SMS-managed status is taken from the data set’s current catalog entry.
If the data set has been deleted (that is, if it is no longer cataloged), SMS-managed status is the same as it was the last time the data set was backed up.