Setting DFSMSrmm options when using DFSMShsm

You use the DFSMSrmm parmlib EDGRMMxx to specify the installation options for DFSMSrmm as described in Defining system options: OPTION. If you are using expiration dates to manage tapes, you should consider the values you specify for the parmlib OPTION command MAXRETPD, RETENTIONMETHOD, and TVEXTPURGE operands and the VLPOOL command EXPDTCHECK operand.

The MAXRETPD operand specifies the maximum retention period that a user can request for data sets on volumes and is described in Defining system options: OPTION.
The RETENTIONMETHOD operand specifies the retention method (EXPDT or VRSEL) that DFSMSrmm is to use for DFSMShsm volumes and is described in Defining system options: OPTION.
When the EXPDT retention method is used, the DFSMShsm volume can be retained by VOLUME, SET, or FIRSTFILE.
The TVEXTPURGE operand specifies how you want to handle the release of DFSMShsm tape volumes and is described in Defining system options: OPTION.
The VLPOOL command EXPDTCHECK operand described in Defining pools: VLPOOL tells DFSMSrmm how to manage a volume based on the expiration date field in the volume label. See A pooling example for information about setting up pools.

You can use the EXPDT retention method to avoid the processing of DFSMShsm volumes on each inventory management VRSEL run. This retention method requires that you use expiration date protection for DFSMShsm tape volumes, namely: EXPDT=99365

When DFSMShsm sets 99365 as the expiration date to manage its tapes, 99365 means permanent retention or to never expire. If you choose to use DFSMShsm expiration date protected tape volumes, DFSMShsm sets the date 99365 to prevent DFSMSrmm from considering the volumes for release at any time. You must specify the MAXRETPD(NOLIMIT) operand to ensure that DFSMSrmm honors the 99365 date.

You also use the DFSMSrmm parmlib MAXRETPD operand value to reduce the expiration date for all volumes including DFSMShsm volumes. If you want to reduce the 99365 permanent retention expiration date, specify the MAXRETPD with a value between 0 and 9999 days.

Recommendation: If you want to avoid the overhead of VRSEL processing for tape volumes managed by DFSMShsm (and similar applications), use the EXPDT retention method. If, however, you require DFSMSrmm to manage the movement of DFSMShsm volumes, use DFSMSrmm vital record specifications instead of using the 99365 permanent retention date to retain DFSMShsm volumes. See Using the VRSEL retention method to manage DFSMShsm tapes for information on setting up vital record specifications.

If you use expiration dates, see Retaining DFSMShsm tapes using expiration dates for details on how DFSMSrmm provides facilities to avoid reinitializing tapes before reuse or having the operator reply to IEC507D messages.