Combining retention policies in a vital record specification

DFSMSrmm combines retention policies when both a primary and secondary vital record specification match to a data set. When one vital record specification that uses the data set name mask '*.**' matches to a data set and another vital record specification with a management class name vital record specification management value, also matches , DFSMSrmm tries to combine the retention policies. DFSMSrmm checks to see if merging of WHILECATALOG should be done. If you use the data set name mask '*.**' in a data set vital record specification that does not include UNTILEXPIRED, then the vital record specification management value is not applied.

You can specify combinations of retention policies on a single vital record specification. When you specify multiple options on a retention policy, all the conditions true for the data set to be retained. In Figure 1, the data set is retained until the date 2011/361 when the vital record specification is deleted, the data set is uncataloged, and the data set has not been referenced for 100 days.

Figure 1. Specifying combinations of retention policies on a single vital record specification

RMM ADDVRS DSNAME('RTEAM.HAS.FUN') COUNT(100) -
 DELETEDATE(2011/361) LOCATION(REMOTE) WHILECATALOG

You can request that a data set be retained until the volume expiration date is reached, while a data set is cataloged, or the combination of expiration date and catalog status. You identify the retention policy when you define a vital record specification with the UNTILEXPIRED or WHILECATALOG operands.

When you specify UNTILEXPIRED only, DFSMSrmm retains the data set as long as the volume expiration date has not been reached. When you specify WHILECATALOG only, DFSMSrmm retains the data set as long as the data set remains cataloged. When you specify UNTILEXPIRED and WHILECATALOG, DFSMSrmm retains the data set only when both conditions are true.

Figure 2 shows a single vital record specification defined with both UNTILEXPIRED and WHILECATALOG. Data sets are retained as long as both conditions are true.

Figure 2. Using UNTILEXPIRED and WHILECATALOG on a single vital record specification

RMM ADDVRS DSNAME('*.**') COUNT(99999) UNTILEXPIRED WHILECATALOG

UNTILEXPIRED can be used with all retention types.