Distributed file manager is the z/OS implementation of Systems Application Architecture® (SAA) distributed data management (DDM). Distributed file manager facilitates access by programs running on non-z/OS systems to data sets stored on a z/OS system. Distributed file manager allows you to use remote record and stream access to sequential and VSAM data sets and PDSE members. DDM attributes associated with these data sets and members can be propagated when the data sets and members are moved or copied.

Distributed file manager creates and associates DDM attributes with data sets. The DDM attributes describe the characteristics of the data set, such as the file size class and last access date. The end user can determine whether a specific data set has associated DDM attributes by using the ISMF Data Set List panel and the IDCAMS DCOLLECT command.

Distributed file manager also provides the ability to process data sets along with their associated attributes. Any DDM attributes associated with a data set cannot be propagated with the data set unless DFSMShsm uses DFSMSdss as its data mover. See z/OS DFSMS DFM Guide and Reference for information about the DDM file attributes.