GFTAXTR extracts only tape-related records, which are the records GFTAVMA analyzes, reducing the size of the SMF input by approximately 95%. It also reduces each SMF record so as to contain only those fields necessary to perform tape activity analysis. GFTAXTR then provides missing information in the SMF records, such as invalid record format, data set name syntax errors, BLKSIZE value, and volume serial numbers.

Unlike GFTAVMA, which can be run many times using various keywords, you run GFTAXTR just once to create the input data set for GFTAVMA. The only other time you would run GFTAXTR is when you want to analyze a new sample of SMF data from another time period or another system.

The extract process was split, and several new modules were created. This allows you to make daily or weekly runs and then concatenate these runs into a final extract run. The output from this final run will be the input data set for GFTAVMA. However, if you wish, you can still use GFTAXTR to make just one run.