If you want to prevent the reading of residual data on tape volumes, you can implement some method of overwriting the volume. A DFSMSrmm user can define security classes in EDGRMMxx, a DFSMSrmm PARMLIB member, by using name masks to identify data sets that must be erased before the volume can be released for use as scratch. If DFSMSrmm determines that the security class of a data set requires erasure, DFSMSrmm sets release actions of ERASE and INIT for any volume that contains the data set. When all data sets on the volume have expired, DFSMSrmm holds the volume until these actions have been confirmed.

To automate the overwriting of residual data, schedule a regular EDGINERS job to process volumes that have the erase action pending. DFSMSrmm selects the volumes to process and prompts the operator to mount each one. After verifying that the correct volume is mounted, DFSMSrmm erases the volume, using the hardware-security erase feature, where supported, to free the channel for other activity during the erasure.

If the hardware-security erase feature is not available, DFSMSrmm overwrites volumes with a bit pattern of X'FF'. When erasing volumes, DFSMSrmm also reinitializes them so that the correct volume labels are written, and the volumes are ready for reuse in a single operation.