DFSMSrmm validates vital record specification chains by checking for the existence of the next link in a vital record specification chain. If the next link in the vital record specification chain is missing, DFSMSrmm issues message EDG2230I.

Any data sets that match to an incomplete chain are retained by a special broken vital record specification. The special broken vital record specification uses the name *broken* and is listed in the REPORT and ACTIVITY files and in the data set matching vital record specification information. The broken vital record specification uses a permanent retention date.

You can define policies using individual vital record specifications and vital record specification groups or subchains that DFSMSrmm will use during inventory management. When a data set matches to a vital record specification, DFSMSrmm uses the retention information to retain the data set. Once the retention criteria has been met, the next vital record specification in the chain is used, and so on, until the end of the chain is reached. Each time you run vital record processing, DFSMSrmm processes from the start of the chain in case any of the earlier retention criteria apply again.