Specifying how to scratch expired data sets

During automatic primary space management, the example scratches expired data sets that have valid explicit expiration dates in the data set's VTOC entry. The EXPIREDDATASETS parameter of the SETSYS command specifies the SCRATCH subparameter indicating for DFSMShsm to scratch any data set that has passed the expiration date. See the explanation of VALID EXPIRATION DATES under Specifying expiration attributes.

Example: You can add the following command to the ARCCMDxx member in each DFSMShsm host:

SETSYS EXPIREDDATASETS(SCRATCH)

The expiration attributes in the management class control the expiration of non-VSAM data sets that do not have an expiration date in their data set VTOC entry or VSAM data sets that do not have an expiration date in the base cluster catalog entry. The management class does not control data sets with an expiration date in the data set VTOC or catalog entry. These data sets require the EXPIREDDATASETS(SCRATCH) parameter of the SETSYS command.

Note: For multivolume non-VSAM data sets, DFSMShsm looks at the VTOC of the first volume.

An alternative subparameter for the EXPIREDDATASETS parameter is NOSCRATCH. NOSCRATCH is the default value and prevents DFSMShsm from scratching data sets that have passed the expiration date indicated in the data set's VTOC entry during space management processing.