Using SMS in a Multisystem Environment

You can use system-managed storage in a multisystem environment in which the z/OS systems share a common SMS configuration. Shared SMS control data sets contain a common set of classes and storage groups, ACS routines, and a base configuration that you can use across the systems. You can use DFSMShsm and DFSMSdss functions, such as restore, recover, and recall, in a multisystem environment.

You can use SMS in the following types of multisystem environments:

sysplex: A sysplex is a multiple z/OS-system environment that allows multiple-console support consoles to receive console messages and send operator commands across the system. These systems simultaneously process different types of work. For example, you could define different storage group and volume connectivity for systems handling online transaction processing, and for systems handling batch processing.
Parallel Sysplex: A Parallel Sysplex® consists of multiple z/OS® images coupled together by hardware elements and software services. When multiple z/OS images are coupled using the cross-system coupling facility (XCF), they can be viewed as a single entity. XCF services allow applications on one system to communicate with applications on the same system or on other systems. The systems in a Parallel Sysplex can simultaneously process one type of work. In a Parallel Sysplex, you can share data, SMS control data sets, catalogs, and other system resources between the applications on these systems. For example, you can use VSAM record-level sharing on a Parallel Sysplex.

You can specify up to 32 unique system names, system group names, or a combination of both in your SMS configuration. DFSMS supports the following configurations:

More than eight systems in a JES3 SMS complex, where system group names cannot be used
System-level unique operations, such as VARY SMS commands, for more than eight unique systems, system groups, or a combination of unique systems and system groups
More than eight unique system variations in connectivity, status and workload.

Requirement: You must have global resource serialization (GRS) or an equivalent product to serialize system resources on the multiple systems.

Related reading: For more information on the above topics, see: