Sometimes files on MVS are migrated to another storage level, such as a space-saving format on DASD or tape. If your file has been migrated and you try to access it, it might take a while for it to be recovered back into primary storage. The retrieve and noretrieve processing attributes control what happens when you try to access a migrated file.

There are three ways that the retrieve or noretrieve option is controlled.

1. Using the Default Retrieve Attribute

   You can use the default retrieve processing attribute by not entering retrieve or noretrieve in your mount command or file access command.

2. Specifying retrieve with the mount command

   You can issue the mount command, specifying retrieve or noretrieve. The attributes specified in the mount command override the attributes in the default attribute data set.

   In this example, migrated files under the mount point are not retrieved. However, you can access files under the mount point which are not migrated.

   $ mount mvshost1:"smith,noretrieve" /u/smith/mnt

   Conversely, the next command causes the migrated files under the mount point to be retrieved when accessing the files.

   $ mount mvshost1:"smith,retrieve" /u/smith/mnt

3. Specifying retrieve with a file access command

   You can issue a file access command with the attribute retrieve or noretrieve specified. The attributes specification in the file access command overrides the attributes in the mount command and the server default attributes.

   This command causes all files under the mount point /u/smith/mnt to be retrieved if they are migrated:

   $ ls -l "/u/smith/mnt,retrieve"

   This command, however, does not cause migrated files under the mount point /u/smith/mnt to be retrieved:

   $ ls -l "/u/smith/mnt,noretrieve"