To prepare new DASD volumes for SMS storage groups, use the Device Support Facilities (ICKDSF) INIT command to assign new DASD volume serial numbers and allocate an indexed VTOC. You can use the STORAGEGROUP (STGR) keyword of the INIT command to make a DASD volume available for allocation of new system-managed data sets.

You can use INIT from the ISMF Volume Application and the Storage Group (through LISTVOL) Application. If you go to the Volume Application directly from the Primary Option Menu, you initialize the DASD volume as a non-system-managed volume. If, instead, you work from a DASD volume list generated within the Storage Group Application, you initialize the DASD volume as a system-managed volume. When new volumes are added to a storage group in the active configuration, we recommend explicitly allocating small temporary data sets to each new volume to update the SMS volume space statistics.

As you bring DASD volumes under the control of SMS, you need to keep track of those that are ready to be system-managed. The physical DASD volume status can be one of the following: converted, initial, non-SMS, or unknown. To display this information, on the Storage Group Application panel, enter the LISTVOL command against pool storage groups.

Convert status indicates that the DASD volume is converted and is fully available for SMS control. To be converted, all data sets on the DASD volume must have an associated storage class, and all permanent data sets on the DASD volume must be cataloged in an integrated catalog facility (ICF) catalog. The DASD volume must have a VTOC index.

Initial status indicates that an attempt to convert the DASD volume has been made, but the DASD volume contains data sets that fail to satisfy the requirements of a converted volume. In the initial state, no new allocations can be made on the DASD volume. You cannot extend data sets to additional DASD volumes. The initial status allows DFSMSdss to process the DASD volume without having to issue a RESERVE for the entire duration of the conversion process. Also, to be eligible for conversion, data sets and the DASD volume must have an organization that is supported by SMS. For more information, refer to z/OS DFSMS Implementing System-Managed Storage.