Considerations for retaining data sets and volumes

Any volumes that are currently open or left open are listed in message EDG2404W. If you do not want to retain those volumes that are left open from processing errors or abends, you can use the RMM DELETEVOLUME volser RELEASE command to release those volumes.

You can also define vital record specifications with the reserved data set name mask or jobname mask OPEN to manage volumes that are left open. You can use the reserved data set name mask or jobname mask ABEND in a vital record specification to specify policies for data sets closed as a result of an abnormal end in a task. You can use the reserved data set name mask or jobname mask DELETED in a vital record specification to specify policies for data sets closed with normal disposition DELETE. This method applies only when the VRSEL retention method is used and the data set does not have the VRSELEXCLUDE attribute set on. See z/OS DFSMSrmm Managing and Using Removable Media for information on defining vital record specifications.

Data sets and volumes that have reached or passed their expiration date and that are not to be retained are subject to normal expiration and release processing. You can control when DFSMSrmm releases volumes by defining vital record specifications that ignore the expiration date, so that volumes are released before their expiration date. See How expiration processing works for more information.