Using SFS Unresolved Aliases (SFS only)

SFS unresolved aliases can improve the performance of user applications that restore file pools and storage groups by using CMS commands and routines to overwrite file pool objects from a backup medium. Ordinarily, a user cannot have an alias for a base file unless the file exists and the user is authorized to access it. Unresolved aliases can be created when these conditions are not met, so it is not necessary to process aliases separately.

To use SFS unresolved aliases, an application that is restoring file pool objects must:
  • Restore an alias by using the DMSCRALI CSL routine with the UNRESOLVED option:
    • If the base file does not exist, an unresolved alias is created.
    • If the necessary authorizations do not exist, an unresolved alias is created. In this case, the alias can be resolved after the authorizations are restored by opening the base file with DMSOPBLK RESOLVE and creating, replacing, or changing the file.
    • If the base file and the authorizations exist, an alias is created.
  • Restore a base file by using the DMSOPBLK CSL routine with the RESOLVE option:
    • If necessary authorizations exist, any unresolved aliases to the file are resolved.
    • If authorizations do not exist, any unresolved aliases to the file are converted to revoked aliases.
If the restoration process must be interrupted, lock the file pool or storage group so unresolved aliases cannot be overwritten.

For details, see the description of DMSCRALI and DMSOPBLK in z/VM: CMS Callable Services Reference.

If the alias is not resolved, it remains in the file pool catalog; FILELIST and LISTFILE show it as a revoked alias. When unresolved aliases remain after the restoration operation:
  1. Get a list of unresolved aliases:
    • Enter FILESERV LIST and search for OBJECTCAT rows with a status of J.
    • Or enter DMSOPCAT and search for OBJECTCAT rows with a status of J.
  2. Remove the unresolved alias:
    • Erase it.
    • Attempt to resolve it: Using DMSOPBLK RESOLVE, open the base file and change it. If the attempt does not resolve the alias, it is converted to a revoked alias.
    • Overwrite it with other types of objects with the same name, for example, by opening a file with the same name, copying a file or external object over the alias, or creating an alias with the same name.