Predefining replacement checkpoint data sets

You can minimize the chance of errors and operator involvement during a checkpoint reconfiguration by defining and allocating replacement checkpoint data sets or structure definitions. Predefining replacement checkpoint data sets, however, does not guarantee that JES2 will be able to successfully allocate them during the checkpoint reconfiguration process.

JES2 can specify a replacement checkpoint data set on DASD. This procedure requires that you minimally perform step 1; step 2 is optional.

You can specify your backup checkpoint data set (NEWCKPTn) either on the CKPTDEF initialization statement or by operator command ($T CKPTDEF,NEWCKPTn=(DSN=...,VOL=...)) .
Using this definition, JES2 can dynamically allocate the space for this data set if this data set did not previously exist on the volume.
To ensure that the space for the data set is available if needed, pre-allocate the space on the volumes for your replacement checkpoint data sets. See Replacement data set (NEWCKPTn) definition for information about defining replacement checkpoint data sets. See Syntax for checkpoint space allocation on DASD for information about how to determine the space requirements for checkpoint data sets.

If you maintain your checkpoint on a coupling facility structure, be certain to have previously defined the structure for NEWCKPTn=(STRNAME=) in a coupling facility resource management (CFRM) policy. JES2 cannot dynamically add this name to the CFRM policy. Therefore, if you expect JES2 to forward a checkpoint to a new structure, and you have failed to define the structure in the CFRM policy, JES2 will prompt the operator for a valid checkpoint specification. See z/OS MVS Setting Up a Sysplex for information on defining coupling facility structure and a CFRM policy.