Scratch Tape Synchronization › Scratch Tape Synchronization

Scratch Tape Synchronization

Expiration of the CA Vtape Virtual Volumes is controlled by the Tape Management System. As Virtual Volumes are expired, CA Vtape must be notified for the following actions:

• Changing the status of the Virtual Volumes in the Global VCAT.
• Deletion of the cache copies of the Virtual Volumes.
• Uncataloging of the backstore copies of the Virtual Volumes.
• Making scratched Virtual Volumes available for reuse.
• Notify the appropriate remote CA Vtape Subsystem to scratch shared VOLSERs (CA Vtape P2P Option only).

In general, notification is performed by executing a batch Scratch Synchronization Job specific to the installed Tape Management System. If other scratch synchronization processes are available, they are discussed in the section specific to the installed Tape Management System.

The Scratch Synchronization Job should be scheduled to run after the normal Tape Management System expiration cycle has completed.

If a CA Vtape Complex has been created, multiple CA Vtape Subsystems running on the same or different LPARs sharing the same Global VCAT and Tape Management System Database, the Scratch Synchronization Job only needs to be run once for the complex.

Important! When multiple CA Vtape Complexes are installed, you should execute all steps of the appropriate Scratch Synchronization Job, in the order provided, once for each Complex. If you do not, you could deplete all available scratch tapes or scratch active Virtual Volumes, causing a data loss.

The following sections of this chapter document the scratch synchronization process and other requirements for specific Tape Management Systems. Review the section for your Tape Management System and take the required actions.