Step 3: Define retention policies for management class names

You define policies for management classes by defining vital record specifications. Use the RMM subcommand ADDVRS with the DSNAME operand, or the DFSMSrmm Add Data Set VRS panel in the DFSMSrmm ISPF dialog to define vital record specifications. Use the data set name masks that match the management class names you have defined. See z/OS DFSMSrmm Managing and Using Removable Media for more information on defining vital record specifications.

Issue the command shown in Figure 1 to define a vital record specification that manages the special date 99000.

Figure 1. Special date 99000 vital record specification

RMM ADDVRS DSNAME('M99000') WHILECATALOG

You can define a vital record specification data set name mask that matches multiple management class names. For example you could define a data set name mask of M99* and use this mask to cover several management classes. Because the RMM ADDVRS subcommand with DSNAME operand can also be used to define a vital record specification for an individual data set, the management class name mask you specify for ADDVRS DSNAME is first used to match a data set name before any other mask.

Figure 2 uses a data set name mask to define a vital record specification to manage any management class starting with M99. For example, with this data set name mask you could manage special dates in the range 99001 through 99365.

Figure 2. Managing management classes using a data set name mask

RMM ADDVRS DSNAME('M99*')