SMS screens all data set SCRATCH requests. If the volumes in your volume list are SMS managed, SMS does a catalog LOCATE to determine the actual volume serial numbers, and deletes the data set from all volumes on which it resides. SMS coordinates the required changes to the VTOC, the VTOC index, and the catalog.

If DADSM encounters a processing error when SMS is active and all the volumes in your list are SMS managed, SMS determines the volume on which the failure occurred. The first entry in your list will be overlaid with the entry for the volume on which the request failed.

You might find that a volume indicated as being in error was not specified in the volume list your program provided. This occurs if the volumes in your list are different from the volumes in the data set's catalog entry.

If SMS is not active, you cannot delete SMS-managed data sets.

You can delete SMS-managed VSAM data sets using the access method services DELETE command. See z/OS DFSMS Access Method Services Commands for further information.