If you have multiple z/OS® images in a Parallel Sysplex®, you can get near-continuous availability of DFSMStvs. If one z/OS system fails, the others can continue to run. When you stop one of the systems for hardware or software maintenance, you do not need to stop all the systems. If you have an environment with multiple z/OS JES2 systems, you should use JES2 Multiple Access Spool (JES/MAS). If you use JES2 MAS, batch jobs can be executed on any of the systems. In the case of a system failure, ARM supports started task and job restart on the other systems.

If your current software configuration has only a single z/OS image, you can still use DFSMStvs if you are not running it in LOCAL mode and the system is set up as a single-system sysplex. You can share VSAM data sets between CICS® systems and batch programs, or among batch programs. By using sharing, you can aim for 24-hour availability for your online CICS system, and you can minimize or even eliminate your batch window. For batch jobs alone, DFSMStvs offers you the ability to run jobs in parallel against the same data.