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Protecting Tapes › Protecting Access to Tape Volumes › System Operator Procedures

System Operator Procedures

If CA ACF2 for VM grants access to the requested tape volume after performing validation, a message prompts the system operator to mount the tape. Possible messages and the action to take are:

ACFpgm650A MOUNT TAPE VOLUME 'volser' ON 'raddr' WITH A RING

Mount the tape volume volser onto a tape drive with the real address radr. The message also specifies to include a write ring on the tape. This message occurred because you specified the ACFMOUNT command with the vadr parameter and indicated WRITE access.

ACFpgm652A MOUNT TAPE VOLUME 'volser' ON 'raddr' WITHOUT A RING

Mount the tape volume volser onto a tape drive with the real address radr. The message also specifies that the tape does not need a write ring. This message occurred because you specified ACFMOUNT with the vadr parameter and indicated READ access.

ACFpgm651A MOUNT TAPE VOLUME 'volser' FOR USERID 'lid' WITH A RING

Mount the tape volume volser onto any tape drive for lid. The message specifies to include a write ring on the tape. This message occurred because you specified ACFMOUNT and indicated WRITE access

ACFpgm653A MOUNT TAPE VOLUME 'volser' FOR USERID 'lid' WITHOUT A RING

Mount the tape volume volser onto any tape drive lid. The message specifies that the tape does not need a write ring. It occurred because you specified ACFMOUNT and indicated READ access.

These messages do not necessarily mean that tape volume access validation has occurred. They also appear if you correctly enter ACFMOUNT and specify a volume that is not secured in the TAPEVOLS VMO record.

The main concern for a system operator is to mount a tape only when
CA ACF2 for VM prompts. The message gives explicit instructions for doing this.

You may want the system operator to be responsible for enforcing additional controls. The system operator must be aware of tape volume (object) reuse considerations and implement the appropriate protection measures.

  1. When you notify the operator that a tape is no longer needed (it becomes a scratch tape), the operator must erase the data on the tape or demagnetize the tape volume to remove its data. Use the ACFERASE utility for this. (You can find information about using the ACFERASE utility in the Reports and Utilities Guide.
  2. The operator must archive tape volumes in a secure location. Preferably, you should keep them in the same room with the system console. (This is an important procedure for any site.)