Controlling outgoing requests from the local node

The OPERATIVE and DORMANT keywords on the TARGET command control whether outgoing requests from the local node are sent immediately to the target node or held. Profiles in the RRSFDATA class control what outgoing requests can be sent.

Use the OPERATIVE keyword to request that a connection to a node be made active, or operative. When a connection becomes operative, all requests for the remote node (such as directed commands) that are held in the OUTMSG data set are sent to the node. As long as the connection remains operative, new requests for the node are sent when they are placed in the OUTMSG data set.

For example, to request that NODEA's connection with NODEB be made operative, issue the following command on NODEA:

TARGET NODE(NODEB) OPERATIVE

You must make the local node's connection with itself operative before you can make the connection with the remote nodes operative. You must specify the PREFIX keyword for a node, and either preallocate the workspace data sets for the node or specify the WORKSPACE keyword, before you can make the connection with the node operative. You must also specify the PROTOCOL keyword, except for the local node when it is operating in local mode. For example, if you issue the following commands for a remote node:

TARGET NODE(KINGSTON) PREFIX(RRSF) DESCRIPTION('KINGSTON, NY')
TARGET NODE(KINGSTON) WORKSPACE(VOLUME(123456))
TARGET NODE(KINGSTON) OPERATIVE

RACF® issues an error message on the TARGET OPERATIVE command because you did not provide protocol information for the node KINGSTON. The following commands should succeed:

TARGET NODE(KINGSTON) PREFIX(RRSF) DESCRIPTION('KINGSTON, NY')
TARGET NODE(KINGSTON) WORKSPACE(VOLUME(123456))
TARGET NODE(KINGSTON) PROTOCOL(APPC(LUNAME(MVS01)))
TARGET NODE(KINGSTON) OPERATIVE

Be aware that when you issue a TARGET OPERATIVE command, RACF begins trying to make the connection operative, but this can take time. Until the connection reaches the operative active state (see Connection states), RACF treats the connection as if it were dormant, and continues to queue requests for the remote node. You can use the TARGET LIST command to determine what state the connection is in.

Use the DORMANT keyword to define a connection to a node as inactive, or dormant. When a connection is dormant, RACF saves requests for the remote node (such as directed commands) in the OUTMSG workspace data set for the node. The requests are held until the connection is made operative. Requests that have been received from the remote node, but not yet processed, are saved in the INMSG data set. RACF continues to process requests in the INMSG data set even if the connection is dormant.

For example, to define NODEA's connection with NODEB as dormant, issue the following command on NODEA:

TARGET NODE(NODEB) DORMANT

The OPERATIVE and DORMANT keywords are not processed for remote nodes if the local node is in the initial state.