Auditing volumes in an automated tape library

From the ISMF panels, you can use the AUDIT line operator or the ISMF AUDIT command to verify the location of the tape volumes in your tape libraries.

AUDIT provides three auditing scopes:

Single volume audit (invoked by the AUDIT line operator)
Volume list audit (invoked by the AUDIT command)
Library audit (invoked by the AUDIT line operator

Note: The audit functions are not supported in an MTL.

AUDIT can be invoked as an ISMF line operator on the Mountable Tape Volume List panel (single volume audit) or from the Tape Library List panel (library audit).

AUDIT can also be invoked as an ISMF command to audit all eligible volumes on the Mountable Tape Volume List (volume list audit). ISMF is an important part of the audit scheme because it allows you to start with an entire tape volume list, and then by using sorting and filtering capabilities, you can reduce that list to a subset of volumes; for example, all the volumes in a single storage group. You can then use the AUDIT command to request an audit of all volumes in that subset list.

Note: In an environment with multiple systems at different z/OS software levels but sharing a common TCDB, library audits should be performed on the system with the highest software level of z/OS. A library audit on a lower level z/OS software level does not include higher release level volumes if they are media types unknown to the lower level software.

You may want to use the following criteria when filtering a volume list:

Fully or partially qualified volume serial number
Fully or partially qualified storage group name
Fully or partially qualified library name
Other criteria using ISMF VIEW, SORT, and HIDE

Before scheduling an audit request for an automated tape library, ensure that the following criteria is met:

The library must be defined in the SMS configuration.
The library must be online, operational, and not pending offline.
For an automated tape library dataserver, the library must not be in manual mode and the vision system must be operative.