CONSOLIDATE


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   '-CONsolidate-'

CONSOLIDATE specifies that DEFRAG perform extent reduction by combining the extents of data sets with multiple extents. When you specify CONSOLIDATE, DFSMSdss consolidates data set extents where possible and then continues with normal free space defragmentation processing.

Note: The process of combining data set extents can cause the free space to be more fragmented than it was before the operation began. And, although DFSMSdss performs free space defragmentation following the consolidation of data set extents, there is a possibility that the fragmentation index may be higher following a DEFRAG operation with CONSOLIDATE specified.

Attention: Use the CONSOLIDATE command instead of the DEFRAG command with the CONSOLIDATE keyword, which is obsolete. Otherwise, DFSMSdss issues an informational message and runs the CONSOLIDATE command instead, for all files on the device not excluded through the EXCLUDE or BY filtering keywords. When CONSOLIDATE processing completes, DEFRAG then runs as expected. To have consolidation proceed as it did in previous releases, you must specify the VERSION1 keyword with the CONSOLIDATE keyword.