The tape copy application must decide how to manage the retention of the source data set and volume. To manage the retention of the source data set and volume the tape copy application must issue volume and data set subcommands to set the required retention policy. The application can decide whether just the specific data set is no longer required, or the volume, or the entire volume set is no longer required. Retention of data sets is actually subject to retention of the volume. Only when the volume expiration date is reached will the volume be set pending release. The choices include the following:

Keep the current retention

The data sets and volumes continue to be retained as they were prior to the copy. You can later decide when you want to release the volumes. Because the EXPDT retention method does not support cycle retention, no other data set can affect the retention of the source data.

Release the volume or volume set

When copying all the files on a volume, you can decide to manage the retention and expiration at the volume level. If you no longer require the data, you can release the volume manually

RMM DV volser RELEASE

To release the volume chain, you can use DFSMSrmm's SEARCH with CLIST capability:

RMM SV VOLUME(volser) CHAIN LIMIT(*) CLIST('RMM DV ',' RELEASE') 
EXEC RMM.EXEC.CLIST 

Retain the volume for a defined period

If you want to retain the volume for a defined period you can update the existing volume expiration date using a retention period:

RMM CV volser RETPD(days) 

You can change the retention for an entire volume set by:

RMM SV VOLUME(volser) CHAIN LIMIT(*) CLIST('RMM CV ',' RETPD(days)') 
EXEC RMM.EXEC.CLIST 

Set a new retention policy for the data set

Data set on volumes managed by the EXPDT method can be expired after a specified period of time by including the RETPD of the COPYFROM suboperand. The source data set records are updated to enable expiration to occur. The data set EXPDT is set to the specified date. When you specify the COPYFROM RETPD operand to set the source data set expiration date, it will also update the volume expiration date if it is a higher value than the current volume expiration date.