Performing system level initialization

CFRM performs system level initialization based on the state of the active CFRM policy. Valid CFRM policy states are:

The CFRM couple data set contains an active policy that is empty, that is, there is no currently active CFRM policy, either a policy that was never started or policy usage was stopped. A policy is activated either by issuing a SETXCF START,POLICY command or specifying CFRMPOL(POLICY-NAME) in the COUPLExx parmlib member used when the sysplex is IPLed. Policy usage is stopped by issuing a SETXCF STOP,POLICY command.
The CFRM couple data set contains an active policy that was properly defined with the administrative data utility and then activated either by using the SETXCF START command or the CFRMPOL parameter in the COUPLExx parmlib member.

If there is no currently active CFRM policy, any application requests to use coupling facility resources will be denied. It might be necessary for the system programmer to define new administrative policies with the IXCMIAPU utility and then activate a CFRM policy.

If there is a currently active CFRM policy, each system in the sysplex that has access to the CFRM couple data set determines whether it has connectivity to each of the coupling facilities listed in the active policy and records that information. During this phase of CFRM system level initialization when a coupling facility is first used by a sysplex, CFRM gains ownership of the coupling facility for the sysplex. Ownership is established by setting the coupling facility authority data with ownership information (date, time, and sysplex name) and saving the ownership information in the CFRM active policy. This ownership information is used to determine the need to prompt the operator before a sysplex assumes ownership of a coupling facility. A coupling facility can be used by only one sysplex at a time, thus providing for data integrity and preventing unintentional data loss.

The rules for operator prompting are:

Coupling facility is not owned because the coupling facility has zero for authority data. Here the coupling facility cannot be in use by any sysplex so CFRM proceeds to gain ownership of the coupling facility by setting nonzero authority data in the coupling facility. The nonzero value is the sysplex name and a time stamp to reflect when ownership was established. This value is saved in the CFRM active policy along with system connectivity status. No operator prompting.
Coupling facility is owned (nonzero authority data) and the value matches the value in the CFRM active policy. Here it is assumed that the coupling facility was last used by the same sysplex so CFRM takes ownership again. No operator prompting.
Note: Specifying or defaulting to NO for CFRMOWNEDCFPROMPT causes the ownership information in the CFRM active policy to remain unchanged when the CFRM couple data set is first used by the sysplex. The saved ownership information can match the nonzero coupling facility authority data.
Coupling facility is owned (nonzero authority data) and the value does not match the value in the CFRM active policy. Here CFRM prompts the operator and only gains ownership if the operator response to the messages indicate that the coupling facility can be used by the sysplex.
Note: Specifying YES for CFRMOWNEDCFPROMPT causes the ownership information in the CFRM active policy to be cleared when the CFRM couple data set is first used by the sysplex. The cleared ownership information will not match the nonzero coupling facility authority data.

APAR OA10197 added the CFRMOWNEDCFPROMPT parameter to the COUPLE statement specified in the COUPLExx parmlib member.

Once a sysplex has established ownership of a coupling facility and the coupling facility remains defined in the CFRM active policy, the sysplex will reestablish ownership without operator prompting when a system gains connectivity after a total loss of connectivity to the coupling facility from all systems in the sysplex.