Managing Input/Output

Input/output (I/O) management involves controlling the flow of data into and out of a data processing complex. In an automated environment, you might want to change your approach to I/O activities that previously required manual intervention, such as tape and printer management.

One approach to tape management is to avoid it by converting from tapes to direct access storage devices (DASD). DASD does not require the manual intervention that tapes do. You might want to compare, on a case-by-case basis, the cost of DASD to the cost of tapes plus the cost of people to handle the tapes. Consider the higher reliability and manageability of DASD. Also, you can institute periodic reviews of your I/O rules and policies. Determine how effective your policies are and how consistently your application programmers are applying them.

For less frequently used data, you might find that it is still appropriate to rely on tape devices. The cartridge of the IBM® 3480 Magnetic Tape Subsystem is extensively used for its size and reliability advantages over other tape devices. The Automatic Cartridge Loader function is available to assist with cartridge handling and scratch tape mounts with minimal human intervention and minimal delay.

Sometimes, the best approach to printer handling is to place responsibility in the hands of the users. You might be able to reduce the volume of printing. Programs such as IBM's Report Management and Distribution System (RMDS) program can help. The RMDS program enables you to present report data to users online from a central library archive. Users can view data online, printing only the portion of the information that they need to have on paper. The RMDS program eliminates the need for printing large volumes of report data on a regular basis and distributing them to users who often want only a fraction of a report.

For more information about the RMDS program, refer to Report Management and Distribution System: General Information.