The following are the basic steps for removing a system from a sysplex. For detailed instructions for the necessary steps, see “Removing a z/OS® image from a Sysplex” at http://www.ibm.com/systems/z/advantages/pso/removing.html.

1. Use the VARY XCF command to remove a system from the sysplex. You can remove the system temporarily or permanently.
   To temporarily remove a system from the sysplex, issue:

     VARY XCF,system-name,OFFLINE,RETAIN=YES

   With RETAIN=YES (the default), MVS™ on each remaining system in the sysplex retains the definition of the devices for the signaling paths that connected to the removed system. Therefore, the removed system can be re-IPLed into the sysplex or another system can be added in its place, and MVS automatically starts the signaling paths. Note that the last system removed from the sysplex, remains defined to the sysplex couple data set.
   To permanently remove a system from the sysplex, issue:

     VARY XCF,system-name,OFFLINE,RETAIN=NO

   With RETAIN=NO, MVS on each remaining system stops the signaling paths connected to the removed system and discards their definition. Therefore, you cannot re-IPL the system into the sysplex.

2. Reply to message IXC371D, which requests confirmation of the VARY XCF command.

   Message IXC101I then informs you that the system is being removed.

3. When the target system is in a wait state (issues message IXC220W with a wait state code 0A2), issue a system reset. The reset must be done after the wait state, to ensure the integrity of I/O to sysplex shared I/O resources.
4. Reply DOWN to message IXC102A to continue removing the system from the sysplex.

   After you reply, when the removal of the system is complete, message IXC105I is issued.