Creating a volume label

The IBM standard volume label (VOL1) is usually written by a utility program when the volume is first received at the installation. At that time, a permanent volume serial number is assigned to the volume, physically posted on the volume, and recorded in the VOL1 label.

You can use the EDGINERS or IEHINITT utility programs to create IBM standard volume labels. EDGINERS and IEHINITT initialize the tape by writing in the following order:

A volume label (VOL1) with the volume serial number and owner identification that you specify. You cannot specify any other fields of the VOL1 label.
A dummy header label (HDR1 followed by 76 EBCDIC zeros).
A tape mark.

The IEHINITT utility program can write a volume label on a labeled, unlabeled, or blank tape; it makes no checks to see what data, if any, previously existed on the tape. Therefore, IEHINITT does not check for password or RACF security protection. It does not create, modify, or delete RACF profiles of RACF-defined volumes. Detailed procedures for using the program are described in z/OS DFSMSdfp Utilities.

The EDGINERS utility program verifies that the volume is mounted before writing a volume label on a labeled, unlabeled, or blank tape. EDGINERS does not check password or RACF security protection, but it verifies whether the volume is defined to DFSMSrmm. DFSMSrmm must know that the volume needs to be labelled. If the labelled volume is undefined, then DFSMSrmm defines it to DFSMSrmm and can create RACF volume security protection. Detailed procedures for using the program are described in z/OS DFSMSrmm Implementation and Customization Guide.

Methods other than the EDGINERS or IEHINITT utility programs are available to write volume labels. You can use a card-to-tape program, or the system programmer can replace the IBM-supplied volume label editor routine with one that writes volume labels. On some old models of tape drives with reels, some data or a tape mark should already exist on the tape. See IBM standard volume label editor routines for more information. Otherwise, the system might read through the entire reel of blank tape looking for a record or a tape mark.

The VOL1 label is rewritten by the open or EOV routine if all the following conditions are met. It is not necessary for a conflict to occur in order for the VOL1 label to be rewritten:

If a density, track, or label type conflict occurred, then permission must be granted by the installation's label anomaly exit, the installation's label editor routine, DFSMSrmm, or the system operator.
OUTPUT, OUTIN, or OUTINX is specified in the OPEN macro.
The tape is positioned to the first data set on the volume.
Either of the following two conditions are true:
- The data set is not password protected, or
- The volume is RACF protected, the system-wide RACF tape protection option has been specified, and the user is ALTER authorized

All VOL1 labels that can be successfully read under these conditions are rewritten.

If you request a standard labeled (SL, SUL) output volume and the tape that you are allocated is recorded in the wrong density and cannot be read, the VOL1 label is rewritten in the density that you specify. This facility allows you to make nonspecific requests, you do not need to specify a volume serial number in your DD statement for output tapes. The operator can mount any scratch volume to answer your request. However, if the system-wide RACF tape protection option has been specified, the volume is rejected, because it cannot be verified that it is not a RACF-protected volume.

If you make a nonspecific output volume request for the first data set for a standard labeled (SL, SUL) tape and the mounted volume is an NL, NSL, AL or AUL labeled tape, the open or the EOV routine creates a volume label (VOL1). A message is sent to the console operator requesting serial number and owner information. The label anomaly exit volume label editor exit and DFSMSrmm can optionally prevent the creation or the destruction of standard labels.