The allocation request failed because the Storage Management Subsystem (SMS) did not return any tape device pools that were defined in the current Eligible Device Table (EDT). Either no device pools at all were returned, or the job was in recovery allocation (message IEF238D) while at the same time, a dynamic ACTIVATE was done (message IOS500I) such that in the new configuration, no returned device pools matched those in the EDT for the previous configuration.

If a dynamic ACTIVATE was done while the job was in allocation, any new devices or device pools added by the new configuration are not available to the job, because jobs in the recovery allocation are still locked onto the Eligible Device Table (EDT) for the previous configuration. The new configuration does not become available until the job ends, or is cancelled, then is submitted again.