AUTOCAT Record

System Programmer Reference › Configuration File Records › AUTOCAT Record

AUTOCAT Record

Use the AUTOCAT record to specify if and when CA VM:Backup should automatically run an AUTOCAT job each day, and to specify the name of the job template for the job.

AUTOCAT [ON [jobname] | hh:mm [jobname] | OFF]

Definitions

ON [jobname]

Specifies that CA VM:Backup is to automatically submit the AUTOCAT job based on AUTOCAT job template file jobname each night at midnight. The default for jobname is AUTOCAT.

If AUTOCAT job template file jobname does not exist at midnight, CA VM:Backup creates it from the sample job template file AUTOCAT TEMPDIST, then submits the job.

hh:mm [jobname]

Specifies that CA VM:Backup is to automatically submit the AUTOCAT job based on AUTOCAT job template file jobname each day or night at hh:mm. Using 24-hour format, type all four digits of hh:mm. Use leading zeros if necessary. Specify midnight as either 00:00 or 24:00. The default for jobname is AUTOCAT.

If AUTOCAT job template file jobname does not exist at hh:mm, CA VM:Backup creates it from the sample job template file AUTOCAT TEMPDIST, then submits the job.

OFF

Specifies that CA VM:Backup is not to run any AUTOCAT job automatically. Setting AUTOCAT OFF does not prevent you from running AUTOCAT jobs manually.

Description

An AUTOCAT job searches the catalog minidisk for catalogs whose auto-condense or auto-discard dates have passed and condenses or discards those catalogs. The AUTOCAT job also automatically condenses or discards any catalogs created by incremental backups that are based on catalogs the job has condensed or discarded.

An AUTOCAT job enters the job queue like any other job. Currently running jobs are allowed to complete, and jobs that entered the job queue before the AUTOCAT job are allowed to run. An AUTOCAT job can begin while other jobs are running if those jobs do not use catalogs, and other jobs can run while an AUTOCAT job is running if those jobs do not use catalogs.

You can manage an AUTOCAT job the same way you manage any other job. You can change its position in the job queue using the ORDER command. You can make it a priority job or an exclusive job using the PRIORITY or EXCLUSIVE option on the SUBMIT command or the JOBOPTIONS TPI record. You can place it on hold and later release it using the HOLD and RELEASE commands, or you can cancel it using the CANCEL command. You can display status and other information about it using the QUERY REQUESTS command.

If CA VM:Backup is not running at the time the AUTOCAT job is configured to run, at CA VM:Backup initialization the AUTOCAT job will not be queued and will not run until the next scheduled time.

You can use the SUBMIT command to manually submit an AUTOCAT job, regardless of how or if the AUTOCAT record is specified.

AUTOCAT jobs do not generate any reports. To locate errors or review activity completed, see the CA VM:Backup console.

You can include only one AUTOCAT record in the VMBACKUP CONFIG file. The default is AUTOCAT ON AUTOCAT.

If the AUTOCAT record specifies AUTOCAT ON or AUTOCAT hh:mm but the indicated job template file does not exist at the specified time, CA VM:Backup creates an AUTOCAT job template file when the job is automatically submitted. CA VM:Backup creates the template by copying the sample job template file AUTOCAT TEMPDIST that is provided on your distribution tape to the CA VM:Backup A-disk and renaming it jobname TEMPLATE, where jobname is the name indicated on the AUTOCAT record. The template uses the default parameters for jobs, including EXCLUSIVE NO and PRIORITY NO. For information about the defaults, see the section JOBOPTIONS Record in the chapter "Restore Job Template Files" in the Template Programming Interface Guide.

If you use the Manage Job Template screen to rename the job template file specified on the AUTOCAT record while CA VM:Backup is running, CA VM:Backup updates the AUTOCAT record to reflect the new name. If you use that screen to discard the AUTOCAT job template file while CA VM:Backup is running, CA VM:Backup changes the AUTOCAT record to AUTOCAT OFF.

Interactive Reconfiguration

You cannot interactively reconfigure the AUTOCAT record through CA VM:Backup system administrator screens.

Examples

To submit the job defined by job template file AUTOCAT at midnight, specify one of the following records in the VMBACKUP CONFIG file:
```
AUTOCAT
AUTOCAT ON
AUTOCAT 00:00
AUTOCAT 24:00
```
To submit the job defined by job template file AUTOCAT at 3 p.m., specify the following record in the VMBACKUP CONFIG file:
```
AUTOCAT 15:00
```
To submit the job defined by job template file CATDEL at 3 a.m., specify the following record in the VMBACKUP CONFIG file:
```
AUTOCAT 03:00 CATDEL
```