ICKDSF: Accommodate new default for INIT and REFORMAT commands

Description

The VERIFYOFFLINE parameter of the INIT and REFORMAT commands verifies that the device is offline to all other systems before the command is attempted. Beginning with ICKDSF APAR PI25913, if the UNIT parameter is specified for the INIT or REFORMAT command, and the required storage control microcode support and software support exists, and the device is not a minidisk, the VERIFYOFFLINE parameter is the default, meaning that verification that the device is offline occurs even if VERIFYOFFLINE is not specified. Prior to ICKDSF APAR PI25913, verification occurred only when VERIFYOFFLINE was specified.

If the VERIFYOFFLINE parameter is processed as the default, and the device is online to another system, the command terminates, with message ICK31306I in the job output.

To request that verification not take place, you can use a new NOVERIFYOFFLINE parameter.

Note: The VERIFYOFFLINE parameter of the INIT and REFORMAT commands was introduced by ICKDSF APAR PM76231
With ICKDSF APAR PI52935 and DFSMS APAR OA49448, the ICKDSF VERIFYOFFLINE parameter default can be managed through the following DEVSUPxx parameter:
ICKDSF_VERIFYOFFLINE= YES
Allow the VERIFYOFFLINE parameter to be defaulted.
ICKDSF_VERIFYOFFLINE= NO
Require VERIFYOFFLINE parameter to be explicitly specified (no default accepted). If you want to verify that the device is offline to all host systems, you must specify the VERIFYOFFLINE parameter.
Also, if the device supports ANALYZE NODRIVE NOSCAN with the HOSTACCESS parameter, the host access information for grouped paths for the device is automatically displayed after the following message: 
ICK31306I VERIFICATION FAILED: DEVICE FOUND TO BE GROUPED

You can use this information to determine the systems for which the device is online.

After DFSMS APAR OA50810, the IEA253I message is always issued in the following cases:
  • If ICKDSF_VERIFYOFFLINE=NO is specified, the following message is logged at IPL or after a SET DEVSUP=xx command: 
    IEA253I DEVSUP DISABLED ICKDSF VERIFYOFFLINE PARAMETER DEFAULT
  • If ICKDSF_VERIFYOFFLINE=YES is specified, the following message is logged at IPL or after a SET DEVSUP=xx command: 
    IEA253I DEVSUP ENABLED ICKDSF VERIFYOFFLINE PARAMETER DEFAULT

If ICKDSF_VERIFYOFFLINE=YES is not specified in DEVSUPxx, message IEA253I is not shown, even though ICKDSF_VERIFYOFFLINE=YES is in effect by default.

Table 1 provides more details about this migration action. Use this information to plan your changes to the system.

Table 1. Information about this migration action
Element or feature: ICKDSF
When change was introduced: APAR PI25913 (on ICKDSF R17) for both z/OS V2R1 and z/OS V1R13.
Applies to migration from: z/OS V2R1 without APAR PI25913.
Timing: After the first IPL of z/OS V2R3.
Is the migration action required? Yes, if you do not want the new default to be used.
Target system hardware requirements: DS8870 R7.1 GA, Bundle 87.10.87.0, LIC 7.7.10.287
DS8700 R6.3 SP6, Bundle 76.31.79.0, LIC 6.6.31.670
DS8800 R6.3 SP6, Bundle 86.31.95.0, LIC 7.6.31.1150
Target system software requirements: The software support is provided in APAR OA40719 for z/OS V2R1, and incorporated into z/OS V2R2.
Other system (coexistence or fallback) requirements: None.
Restrictions: None.
System impacts: If the VERIFYOFFLINE parameter is specified either explicitly or by default, and the device is online to any other systems, message ICK31306I VERIFICATION FAILED: DEVICE FOUND TO BE GROUPED is issued, and the command is terminated. If the NOVERIFYOFFLINE parameter is specified and the device is online, command processing continues.

Message ICK31336I VERIFYOFFLINE PARAMETER INVALID is issued if the VERIFYOFFLINE parameter is specified, but the required hardware or software is not found.
Related IBM® Health Checker for z/OS® check: None.

Steps to take

If you do not want INIT and REFORMAT commands with the UNIT parameter to verify that the device is offline to all other systems before the command is attempted, add the new NOVERIFYOFFLINE parameter to the commands.

Reference information

For more information, see the descriptions of the INIT and REFORMAT commands in Device Support Facilities (ICKDSF) User's Guide and Reference.