Converting tape volumes marked partially full to marked full
The DFSMShsm default behavior is to mark a tape volume full only
when the tape volume reaches the maximum block count specified by
the SETSYS command TAPEUTILIZATION parameter. This is known as a reuse
environment.
In a reuse environment, issuing a generic TAPECOPY
command processes only the tape volumes that are marked full and that
do not already have an alternate tape copy. In addition, partially
full tape volumes without an alternate tape volume are not selected
for tape volume duplexing. Therefore, it is advantageous to convert
tape volumes marked partially full in the DFSMShsm inventory to marked
full.
There are two methods for converting tape volumes marked partially
full to marked full:
- Use the DELVOL BACKUP(MARKFULL) or DELVOL MIGRATION(MARKFULL) command to mark each partially full tape volume full. This method is immediate and applies to tape volumes used for both volume and data set migration and backup.
- Use the SETSYS command PARTIALTAPE(MARKFULL), PARTIALTAPE(MIGRATION(MARKFULL)),
or PARTIALTAPE(BACKUP(MARKFULL)) parameters to operate DFSMShsm in
what is known as a
mark-full environment.
In a mark-full environment, DFSMShsm will mark partially full tape volumes without an associated duplex copy as full when processing a generic TAPECOPY command or at the end of volume migration, backup, or both (depending on the SETSYS setting). However, tape volumes will not be marked full during data set migration or backup. This method is gradual as a partially full tape volume must be selected for volume migration or backup before being marked full.
Related reading
- For more information about using the DELVOL command, see DELVOL command: Removing a volume from DFSMShsm management.
- For more information about using the SETSYS command, see SETSYS command: Establishing or changing the values of DFSMShsm control parameters.
- For more information about using the TAPECOPY command, see TAPECOPY command: Making copies of selected cartridge-type tape volumes.