Placing an I/O Path or Paths Online or Offline

Use the following form of the VARY command to place online or offline a path to a device or a range of devices. A path is the logical route between a processor and a device. A path can be offline if:

One or more of the path components is offline
A VARY PATH OFFLINE command has been entered

Note:

Path(s) taken offline with a VARY PATH command can only be brought online again with another VARY PATH command.
In a JES3 environment, if a device is being used by JES3, or allocated to a job by JES3, the system will not take offline the last path to that device.
When MVS™ takes the last path to a device offline, the device is also taken offline. In a JES3 environment, it also takes the device offline to JES3.
When MVS brings the first path to a device online, the device is also brought online (if it is not in use). In a JES3 environment, the device is also brought online to JES3.
The VARY PATH command cannot be used on paths that are defined as managed. To manipulate managed paths, use the VARY SWITCH command. (See Placing a switch port online or offline.)

 
V PATH
  {([/]devnum,chp[,[/]devnum,chp]...)                                }
                                                                    
  {(([/]devnum[,[/]devnum]...),chp                                   }
           [,([/]devnum[,[/]devnum]...),chp]...)                          
                                                                  
  {(([/]lowdevnum-[/]highdevnum],[/]lowdevnum-[/]highdevnum]...),chp }
           [,([/]lowdevnum-[/]highdevnum[),chp]...)                      
                                                                    
  {(cfname,chp[,cfname,chp]...)                                      }
 
  {((cfname[,cfname]...),chp                                         }
           [,(cfname[,cfname]...),chp]...)                               

{,ONLINE[,FORCE]  }
{,OFFLINE[,UNCOND | ,FORCE]}

PATH

The system is to move the specified path(s) online or offline.

[/]devnum: The device number of a device associated with the path the system is to move online or offline.
[/]lowdevnum-[/]highdevnum: The device numbers of a range of devices associated with the paths the system is to move online or offline. The lower device number of each range is lowdevnum and the higher device number of each range is highdevnum.
cfname: The name of a single coupling facility associated with the path(s) the system is to logically move online or offline. cfname can be up to 8 alphanumeric characters long.
chp: The channel path associated with the path(s) the system is to move online or offline. You can specify for chp any number from 00 to FF.

Device numbers and coupling facility names can be specified in any combination. If you specify only one device number or coupling facility name, you do not need to enter the parentheses.

A device number is 3 to 5 hexadecimal digits, optionally preceded by a slash (/). You can precede the device number with a slash to prevent ambiguity between the device number and a coupling facility name. Five-digit logical device numbers consist of a one-digit subchannel set ID plus a four-digit device number. If a 3-digit or 4-digit device number is entered in the command, then the device information representing subchannel set 0 is used for the display even if the actual subchannel connected to the device is in subchannel set 1. If a 5-digit device number is entered, the device information representing the specified subchannel set is displayed. If a range of device numbers is found and the first number is 5 digits, the second number in the range must be 5 digits and vice-versa.

ONLINE

The system is to bring the path(s) online.

Start of change If a path is offline for port decommissioning reasons when the VARY PATH(devnum,chpd),ONLINE command is issued, the system does not attempt to bring the path online and the setting of the flag offline by switch remains unchanged. End of change

FORCE

The system is to bring back online the path previously taken offline.

If the path was taken offline by Enterprise System Connection Manager (ESCM), then use ESCM to bring the path back online. Use the VARY PATH,ONLINE,FORCE command only if ESCM is not available and the path is physically available.

If the path is quiesced by Control Unit Initiated Reconfiguration (C.U.I.R.), the VARY PATH,ONLINE,FORCE command can be used to bring the path back online.

Start of change If FORCE is specified and the path is offline for port decommissioning reasons, the system attempts to bring the path online and clear the conditions for which the path is offline. However, the path cannot be brought online if either the ingress or egress switch ports used by this path are still offline (for example, blocked, in maintenance mode, or service required). End of change

OFFLINE

The system is to take the specified path(s) offline. The system rejects this command if the specified path is the last available path to a device that is any one of the following:

Online (either allocated or unallocated)
Allocated (either online or offline)
In use by the system
A console
Assigned to JES3
A coupling facility

UNCOND

The system is to take the path offline. The system rejects the VARY PATH,OFFLINE,UNCOND command if the specified path is the last available path to a device that is any one of the following:

Allocated
In use by the system
A console
Assigned to JES3
A coupling facility, and one or more structures are in use by an active XES connection on the system offline

In other words, adding the UNCOND keyword to the VARY PATH,OFFLINE command requests that the system take offline those last paths to devices that are online but unallocated.

FORCE

The system is to take the specified path(s) offline. If Dynamic Pathing (DPS) Validation is invoked, the system will issue DISBAND/REGROUP Set Path Group ID (SPID) commands on the paths that are remaining online, instead of RESIGN SPIDs on the path that is coming offline. The system rejects this command if the specified path is the last available path to a device that is any one of the following:

Allocated (either online or offline)
In use by the system
A console
Assigned to JES3
A coupling facility

Example :

Enter the following command to take offline the paths through channel path 2 leading to devices 130, 133, 134, 135, and 140.

V PATH((130,133-135,140),2),OFFLINE

The system issues a message describing the path status for each device.

Assume that channel path 2 represents the last paths to device 134, which is online and allocated, and device 135, which is online and unallocated. A VARY PATH((134,135),2),OFFLINE,UNCOND command would remove the last path to device 135 but not 134. The jobs using device 134 must end or be terminated before the last path can be removed.