Use the access method services DEFINE USERCATALOG VOLCATALOG to define a catalog that only contains tape library and tape volume entries. See the z/OS DFSMS Access Method Services Commands for more detail. Table 1 describes the naming conventions for a tape volume catalog.

The high level qualifier of the tape volume catalog, xxxxxxxx, is 1 to 8 characters. It is specified by the LOADxx member in SYS1.PARMLIB. See Bypassing SYSCATxx with LOADxx for a description of the format. When the system is initialized with SYSP=xx, the tape volume catalog high level qualifier specified in the LOADxx member is activated. After initialization, you should use the MODIFY CATALOG,REPORT command to verify that the proper tape volume catalog high level qualifier is selected. For an example of the MODIFY CATALOG,REPORT output showing the high level qualifier, see Monitoring the Catalog Address Space.

All systems connected to the Tape Library Dataserver must use the same high level qualifier for their tape volume catalogs. All systems must be initialized with a LOADxx member containing the same tape volume catalog high level qualifier. If different versions exist, different systems can be accessing different sets of tape volume catalogs.