Returning BTLS-managed volumes to scratch

When volumes that reside in an automated tape library are returned to scratch by DFSMSrmm, information needs to be updated in the TCDB or the BTLS catalog. DFSMSrmm provides no support to automatically update the BTLS catalog.

If you perform scratch management of volumes that reside in an automated tape library that are managed by BTLS, ensure that BTLS volume status information matches DFSMSrmm volume status information. After you run expiration processing, prepare a list of volumes that are in scratch status. Issue the LIBRARY SETCATEGORY command to update the status of each volume to scratch. Issue this command for each volume even if the status of the volume is scratch:

  LIBRARY SETCATEGORY UNIT(addr) VOLSER(volser) CATEGORY(SCRTCH)

You can use DFSMSrmm to help build the input to the SETCATEGORY function. The TMP step shown in Figure 1 uses the RMM SEARCHVOLUME subcommand to produce a simple list of scratch volumes in the CLIST data set. This list is then input to IDCAMS in the LIBIN DD file. You can tailor the RMM SEARCHVOLUME subcommand to list volumes that are based on more selective criteria.

Figure 1. Sample JCL to return volumes to scratch

//jobname JOB ......
//TMP      EXEC PGM=IKJEFT01
//SYSTSPRT DD SYSOUT=*
//SYSTSIN  DD *
RMM SEARCHVOLUME VOLUME(*) OWN(*) STATUS(SCRATCH) LIMIT(*) -
 CLIST
/*
//AMS      EXEC PGM=IDCAMS
//SYSPRINT DD SYSOUT=*
//LIBIN DD DSN=userid.EXEC.RMM.CLIST,DISP=SHR
//SYSIN DD *
  LIBRARY SETCATEGORY UNIT(addr) CATEGORY(SCRTCH)
/*

You need to modify this example if you are using system-managed tape with DFSMS and BTLS-managed volumes. Limit the search to volumes that are in the BTLS scratch pool. Otherwise all scratch volumes will become BTLS scratch and will not be available for use as scratch on the DFSMS system. Refer to Basic Tape Library Support Version 1 Release 1 User's Guide and Reference for more information on using the LIBRARY command.