When policy names and their associated actions are not predefined at the library, the first time that they are assigned to a volume, the library creates the policy name and assigns default actions.

Storage Group Policy: If the storage group construct is not predefined at the library and the policy is automatically created with default actions, the logical volume that is written is stored on a physical stacked volume from the common scratch pool. If the construct definition is altered to specify a physical pool, the data is not moved to the pool that is specified until after the volume is next mounted.

Storage Class Policy: If you are currently using the storage class Initial Access Response Time (IART) to set cache residency in the VTS, the volume's assigned storage class construct action overrides the value set by the storage class IART. However, if the storage class construct has not been predefined to the library but was created automatically when the host sent the construct to the library, the policy's cache residency action by default allows the IART value to take precedence. You can explicitly define the storage class policy at the library to allow the host's IART specification to take precedence or to allow the outboard policy action to take precedence. If there is no IART value being passed to the library and the policy construct does not have a cache preference set, the default preference level of 1 is used.

Management Class Policy: If the management class construct is not predefined at the library and the policy is automatically created with default actions, the selective dual copy function is not performed for a volume because the default action does not create a second copy in the VTS for the volume. If the policy definition is updated to make a second copy of the volume, the second copy is not created retroactively. The action of creating the second copy occurs after the volume is subsequently mounted.

If the management class policy name is not predefined at the PtP VTS library and the policy is automatically created with default actions, the Selective PtP Copy Mode action uses the current library mode control settings as a default. If the management class policy PtP Copy Mode is updated, the management class policy copy setting overrides the current library mode control setting when the volume is next written.

In addition to the outboard policy management actions identified above, additional policy actions may be implemented at the library. For a complete discussion of the outboard policy actions see IBM TotalStorage Enterprise Automated Tape Library (3494) Operator’s Guide.