If you have an existing removable media library with no record
of tape usage, define basic volume information to DFSMSrmm. Set the
DFSMSrmm running mode to record-only mode. DFSMSrmm monitors all tape
volume mounts and automatically records and updates information about
your defined tape volumes when they are used. DFSMSrmm cannot automatically
record optical disk information.
- Define all required tape volumes to DFSMSrmm as private volumes
using the RMM ADDVOLUME subcommand. This example shows the minimum
information you should add:
RMM ADDVOLUME volser STATUS(USER) EXPDT(yyyy/ddd)
DFSMSrmm uses
the parmlib RETPD default if you do not use EXPDT or RETPD to define
an expiration date for the volumes. Specifying the EXPDT or RETPD
operand allows you to define a time period long enough to gather information
about the volumes under DFSMSrmm. Use the information to determine
if the volume should be released. Use EXPDT(99365) if you are unsure
how long volumes should be retained. Later, after running DFSMSrmm,
defining DFSMSrmm vital record specifications, you should use the
information to determine if the volume should be released.
If you do not specify the RETENTIONMETHOD operand, then
DFSMSrmm uses the parmlib RETENTIONMETHOD default. When you are adding
a volume that is managed by the EXPDT retention method and you do
not specify the RETAINBY operand, then DFSMSrmm uses the parmlib default
for the RETAINBY value.
Specifying STATUS(USER) ensures that
DFSMSrmm does not change the expiration date when the first file on
the volume is rewritten.
- Set the DFSMSrmm running mode to record-only mode. DFSMSrmm records
information about the volumes as they are used but does not validate
or reject volumes.
- When you believe that DFSMSrmm has recorded enough information,
set the DFSMSrmm running mode to warning mode. When DFSMSrmm is running
in warning mode, DFSMSrmm validates tape volumes. If DFSMSrmm discovers
errors, it issues error messages but does not reject tape usage.
- After DFSMSrmm has been running for a while, check volume usage
to determine if some of the volumes you added can be released.