Decide whether to use your existing master catalog

Is your current master catalog shared between several images? If so, will all images in your system use the same layout?

In order to share the master catalog, all images should use the same layout. If all systems will not use the same layout, then the master catalog should not be shared. In this situation, a separate master catalog for the system that has been converted to the layout must be used because the same data set cannot be cataloged on two different volumes.

Keep in mind that a catalog that contains extended indirect catalog entries cannot be used by a system where the support is not available. If you plan on sharing your master catalog with an earlier system that does not provide this function, you must decide if you will:

Upgrade the earlier system to the minimum required for extended indirect cataloging
Not use extended indirect cataloging until each image has the minimum required
Use a separate master catalog on the later system, and discontinue sharing master catalogs.