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Group Sections

This section contains an alphabetic list of the attributes that can be coded in the customizable Group Sections. The list contains a description of each attribute, its valid values, and the CA Vtape features it supports. Unless specifically noted, each attribute is considered local in scope.

AutomatedSubgroups=

Defines which subgroups are to be automated.

None indicates that all the subgroups for groups using this attribute are not automated. The corresponding Externalization Subgroup Queues will not be automatically released and held by Externalization Automation. None is a stand-alone value that cannot be combined with the other valid settings. If None is combined with the other valid settings an SVTnQQ412E error message will be issued.

Any combination of S,M,L indicates that the subgroup or subgroups coded are automated for the groups using this attribute. The corresponding Externalization Subgroup Queues will be automatically released and held by Externalization Automation. This attribute determines which of the three subgroups in a group are automated. If none of the subgroups in a group are automated, the attribute should be commented out or deleted.

The S, M, L, Short, Medium, and Long values for this attribute can be specified in any order or combination in a comma-separated list or with separate attribute statements.

The following are examples of single attributes with one or more values:

In this example, instead of entering AutomatedSubgroups=Long,M,S as a single attribute statement with multiple values, the same information is entered as separate attribute statements with the following single values:

Subgroups that are automated are automatically released and held by the Externalization Server based on DASD buffer threshold settings and time schedules determined by the following attributes in the Dynamic Options Section:

Note: For more information about Subgroup Automation, see the chapter “Operational Considerations.”

Valid Values:

Default: None | N

Section: Group Sections

Feature: Backstore Engine

BackstoreBlocksize=

Defines the block size used by the Backstore Engine to Externalize Virtual Volumes queued to this group.

You can specify a different block size value for each group.

If 0K is specified CA Vtape will select a block size based on one of the following output device types:

Valid Values:

Default: 16K

Section: Group Sections

Feature: Backstore Engine

BackstorePriority=

Determines the externalization priority assigned to a group. This priority is used by the Externalization Server to determine which group's Backstore Subgroup Queues should be Externalized first. Zero is the lowest priority. Nine is the highest priority.

Several other factors are considered when starting a subgroup:

Valid Values: 0 to 9

Default: 1

Section: Group Sections

Feature: Backstore Engine

BackstoreTimeoutValue=

Determines the number of seconds that the Backstore Engine will wait for a tape mount before issuing a message to the operator stating that the mount is taking longer than expected.

Valid Values:

Section: Group Sections

Feature: Backstore Engine

BrightStorEncryption=

Determines which Backstore Tapes are to be written with CA Tape Encryption.

Valid Values:

Note: When this attribute is set to a value other than NONE, the BrightStorEncryptionDC attribute must specify the SMS DATACLASS defined for CA Tape Encryption services.

Default: NONE

Section: Group Sections

Feature: Backstore Engine

BrightStorEncryptionDC=

Specifies the SMS DATACLASS name enabling encryption services provided by CA Tape Encryption. Review CA Tape Encryption documentation for instruction on how to setup the DATACLASS to enable encryption.

Note: When this attribute is set to a value other than NONE, the BrightStorEncryption attribute must be set to PRIMARY, DUPLEX, or BOTH.

Valid Values:

Default: NONE

Section: Group Sections

Feature: Backstore Engine

CacheResidenceHours=

Determines the number of hours that a Virtual Volume will remain resident in DASD cache after externalization. The actual cache expiration date and time is calculated using the Virtual Volume last reference date.

If all of your Virtual Volumes are in the same group or you do not wish to use this feature, leave CacheResidenceHours set to the default value of zero.

Note: Cache utilization may be such that it will be impossible to honor this parameter absolutely. If CA Vtape cannot honor the requested hours, the SVTnVQ432I message will be issued with a date and time higher than the current date and time.

Valid Values: 0 to 999

Default: 0

Section: Group Sections

Feature: Miscellaneous

CatalogManagedSubgroup=

Determines the subgroup that catalog managed or catalog control date Virtual Volumes will be assigned to. The catalog managed date value used is determined by the CatalogManagedDate attribute in the Dynamic Options Section.

Valid Values:

Default: L

Section: Group Sections

Feature: Backstore Engine

Description=

Determines the title line displayed for the group in the ISPF Interface on the Subgroup Display Panel and the Externalization Queue Display Panel under the Group List option. The value is limited to 30 characters.

Valid Values: 'Any 30 characters'

Section: Group Sections

Feature: Miscellaneous

Duplex=

Determines the unit esoteric or generic that will be used to dynamically allocate a non-CA Vtape tape drive for Externalization or Recycle for the duplex output tape. If a duplex tape should not be written, this attribute should be deleted from the Group Section or commented out by typing a semi-colon (;) at the start of the line.

Note: If the unit esoteric or generic contains special characters, it must be enclosed in single quotes. For example, 3590-1 would be coded as Duplex='3590-1'.

Valid Values: A valid unit esoteric or generic

Section: Group Sections

Feature: Backstore Engine / Recycle

ExchangeMetadataOnly=

Determines whether the data is transmitted to the remote system when the Virtual Volume is created. This setting is only in effect for scratch mounts.

Note: The local system's attribute is propagated to the remote. The remote's attribute is ignored.

Valid Values:

Note: The HLQ.CCUUJCL(DEFERXMT) job may be used to trigger the transmission of the data prior to Externalization.

Valid Values:

Default: N

Section: Group Sections

Feature: PeerToPeer

Export=

Determines the unit esoteric or generic that will be used to dynamically allocate a non-CA Vtape tape drive for Externalization for the export output tape. Blank indicates that an Export tape should not be written. If an export tape should not be written, this attribute should be deleted from the Group Section or commented out by typing a semi-colon (;) at the start of the line.

Note: If the unit esoteric or generic contains special characters, it must be enclosed in single quotes. For example, 3590-1 would be coded as Export='3590-1'.

Note: This attribute is mutually exclusive of the Triplex attribute meaning they cannot both be specified for a Group Section.

Valid Values: A valid unit esoteric or generic

Section: Group Sections

Feature: Backstore Engine

HardwareCompressionOption=

Determines if compression should be performed on data written to Virtual Volumes in the DASD buffer that are assigned to this group.

Note: This attribute is only active if the HardwareCompressionOption attribute in the Dynamic Options Section is set to GROUP.

Valid Values:

Note: For more information about Virtual Volume Compression, see the chapter “Operational Considerations.”

Default: N

Section: Group Sections

Feature: DASD Buffer Compression

MaximumCompressionCPU=

Determines the maximum amount of data in each 50 MB segment of data written to a Virtual Volume that will be compressed. This percentage is directly related to the amount of CPU used by compression. If, for example, this percentage is set to 75, only 75% of the data written will be compressed and only 75% of the CPU that would have been used by compression is actually used.

Note: This attribute is only active if the HardwareCompressionOption attribute in the Dynamic Options Section is set to GROUP.

Valid Values:

Note: For more information about Virtual Volume Compression, see the chapter “Operational Considerations.”

Default: 100

Section: Group Sections

Feature: DASD Buffer Compression

MB_Threshold=

Determines when additional Externalization subtasks should be started to Externalize the data in the subgroup faster. The amount queued for Externalization in the subgroup queue is divided by the MB_Threshold value and rounded to the next lowest whole number. For example, if 5000 MBs were queued in the subgroup and the threshold is set to the default of 2000 MBs, 5000 divided by 2000 would be 2.5 rounded down to 2. The Backstore Engine will try to start two Externalization subtasks for this subgroup.

Valid Values: 1 to 999999

Default: 2000

Section: Group Sections

Feature: Backstore Engine

MediumRetention=

Determines the upper limit for the number of days of retention that will cause a Virtual Volume to be assigned to the Medium Subgroup. Zero can only be used when ShortRetention is also set to zero. When a number other than zero is coded, it must be greater than the ShortRetention value.

Valid Values:

Section: Group Sections

Feature: Subgroup Assignment

MinimumCompressionRate=

Determines the minimum compression percentage that must be achieved to continue compressing a 50 MB segment of a Virtual Volume being written. Compression is tested every 50 MBs of each Virtual Volume to determine the best compression method to use.

Note: This attribute is only active if the HardwareCompressionOption attribute in the Dynamic Options Section is set to GROUP.

Note: For more information about Virtual Volume Compression, see the chapter “Operational Considerations.”

Valid Values: 1 to 100

Section: Group Sections

Feature: DASD Buffer Compression

NeverExpireSubgroup=

Determines the subgroup that never-expire or permanent retention date Virtual Volumes will be assigned to. The never-expire date value used is determined by the NeverExpireDate attribute in the Dynamic Options Section.

Valid Values:

Default: L

Section: Group Sections

Feature: Backstore Engine

OffsiteBackstoreCopy=

Determines if any copies of the backstore should be excluded from Recall processing. This attribute facilitates sending copies of Virtual Volumes offsite so only the available copy is considered for Recalls.

Valid Values:

Default: None

Section: Group Sections

Feature: Backstore Engine

Primary=

Determines whether a Primary Backstore Tape Copy of the Virtual Volumes assigned to a group will be created and where to write it. This is a required attribute that must be coded in each Group Section.

Specifying TEMPONLY alters the behavior of the Virtual Volume's retention by immediately placing the volume on the free queue. The volume's retention is then controlled by the CacheResidenceHours attribute.

Note: If the unit esoteric or generic contains special characters, it must be enclosed in single quotes. For example, 3590-1 would be coded as Primary='3590-1'.

Valid Values:

Section: Group Sections

Feature: Backstore Engine

RecallAttemptsThreshold=

Limits the number of times a Recall is attempted from any one backstore copy of a Virtual Volume. Once the threshold is exceeded if another eligible backstore copy is present, Recall will be attempted using that copy. Once all copies have exceeded their threshold, the volume will be mounted as an empty volume. This attribute resets itself for each mount. Specifying or defaulting to zero disables this parameter and Recall always uses the backstore copy after applying the OffsiteBackstoreCopy exclusion rule.

Valid Values: 0 to 15

Default: 0

Section: Group Sections

Feature: Miscellaneous

RemoteSystemPrimary=

Determines which remote CA Vtape Subsystem a local CA Vtape Subsystem should communication with first. This is an optional attribute which is only used when the PeerToPeer Option of CA Vtape has been licensed and activated.

The values coded must correspond to a valid RemoteSystem defined in the Peer To Peer Remotes Section of the VTP2PRMT parmlib member. If a RemoteConsoleSuffix is coded, it must be prefaced with a forward slash (/).

Examples:

RemoteSystemPrimary=   SYSA.SVT2         ;  RemoteSystem

RemoteSystemPrimary=   /SAV2             ;  /RemoteConsoleSuffix

Note: Coding double quotes with no value between the double quotes or coding $Null indicates that the attribute is not in use.

Valid Values:

Default: “”

Section: Group Sections

Feature: Peer To Peer

RemoteSystemSecondary=

Determines which remote CA Vtape Subsystem a local CA Vtape Subsystem should communicate with when the subsystem defined by the RemoteSystemPrimary attribute is not responding. This is an optional attribute which is only used when the PeerToPeer Option of CA Vtape has been licensed and activated.

The values coded must correspond to a valid RemoteSystem or RemoteConsoleSuffix defined in the Peer To Peer Remotes Section of the VTP2PRMT parmlib member. If a RemoteConsoleSuffix is coded, it must be prefaced with a forward slash(/).

Examples:

RemoteSystemSecondary=   SYSB.SVT3     ;   RemoteSystem

RemoteSystemSecondary=  /SBV3          ;   /RemoteConsoleSuffix

Coding double quotes with no value between the double quotes or coding $Null indicates that the attribute is not in use.

Valid Values:

Default: “”

Section: Group Sections

Feature: Peer To Peer

ShortRetention=

Determines the upper limit for the number of days of retention that will cause a Virtual Volume to be assigned to the Short Subgroup.

Valid Values:

Section: Group Sections

Feature: Subgroup Assignment

SpecialRetentionSubgroup=

Determines the subgroup that special retention or negative retention date Virtual Volumes will be assigned to. The special retention dates used are determined by the SpecialRetentionDate attribute in the Dynamic Options section.

Valid Values:

Default: S

Section: Group Sections

Feature: Subgroup Assignment

TMSVirtualToPhysicalReport=

Determines whether the Virtual Volume record in the CA 1 or CA TLMS tape management systems is updated with the duplex or primary tape VOLSER. The field updated is the ACTVOL field. This attribute is active only when the TapeManagementSystem attribute in the Dynamic Options Section is set to a value other than NONE.

Valid Values:

Default: DUPLEX

Section: Group Sections

Feature: Tape Management

Triplex=

When USS Backstore is active, this attribute determines if externalization writes a triplex copy of the virtual volume to the USS file system. If a triplex copy shall not be written, this attribute can be commented out of the Group Section by typing a semi-colon (;) at the start of the line.

Note: This attribute is mutually exclusive of the Export= attribute, meaning they cannot both be specified in a Group Section.

Valid Value: USS

Section: Group Sections

Feature: Backstore Engine / UNIX System Services

VolumePool=

Specifies the name of the Virtual Volume pool used to obtain the volser for new scratch mount requests.

Virtual Volume pools are defined in the Volume Pool Definitions section of the VTPOOLS member.

Valid Values: POOL1 or any valid virtual volume pool defined under the Volume Pool Definitions Section.

Default: POOL1

Section: Group Sections

Feature: Miscellaneous