Maintaining password protection for recovered data sets

Password protection in MVS™ is implemented differently for non-VSAM and VSAM data sets. Password protection is not applicable to SMS-managed data sets. The passwords for all non-VSAM data sets are stored in one system password data set. The password for each VSAM data set is stored in a catalog record for the specific VSAM data set. Therefore, VSAM passwords are maintained during DFSMShsm processing as a part of regular catalog record creation and updating.

If you are recovering an existing VSAM data set, the password is the current password. If you are recovering a VSAM data set that has been deleted, the password is the password that existed when DFSMShsm backed up the data set.

If you specify the NEWNAME parameter of a RECOVER command for a password-protected, non-VSAM data set, DFSMShsm marks in the DSCB of the recovered data set the same password protection as the original data set had. Enter a password for the recovered data set in the system password data set. Then, use the password to access the recovered, non-VSAM data set.

For VSAM data sets, whether you specify the NEWNAME parameter, DFSMShsm marks in the catalog that the recovered data set is protected and enters the old password in the catalog record of the recovered data set. Use the old password when you want to access the recovered VSAM data set.

If DFSMShsm migrated a password-protected VSAM data set whose backup versions are to be deleted, you must specify the password or DFSMShsm fails the request. When deleting backup versions of VSAM data sets that no longer exist or that were migrated by DFSMShsm Version 1 Release 3, DFSMShsm does not check the password.

Be aware of the following password issues when you attempt to change password protection while data sets are backed up:

You can change the password of a backed up non-VSAM data set by using the IEHPROGM utility. However, to change the password of a backed up VSAM data set you must use the Access Method Services facility. For a backed up VSAM data set, the password required to recover a backup version is the one that existed when the backup version was created if the data set is not currently cataloged.
If you try to add password protection to a non-existing non-VSAM data set that has backup versions, the password is added to the system password data set. However, the backup versions do not have protection, and when DFSMShsm recovers the data set, the DSCB does not indicate password protection. If an existing non-VSAM data set is password protected at the time it is recovered or restored, even if it was not protected when the data set was backed up or dumped, the data set is password indicated after the recovery or restore.
If you try to add password protection to a backed up VSAM data set, you must use the Access Method Services facility. If you recover the backup versions, DFSMShsm does not protect the recovered data set if the data set was not protected when DFSMShsm backed it up.

Note: If a catalog has update protection, you are prompted for the password when DFSMShsm tries—during an unauthorized DFSMShsm function from an unauthorized DFSMShsm user—to create a catalog entry in the protected catalog.