Vault Management

When a data set is closed, the rule table in memory is searched to see if a vault pattern was specified for this data set. If found, this vault pattern is copied to the volume record.

The vault pattern specifies the different vaults in which the volume is to be stored, and how long the volume is kept at each vault (meaning, retention criteria for each vault). The retention criteria for each vault are the same as general retention specifications. Vault retention criteria can be composed of up to three expiration dates, each of a different type (specific date, cycles, and so on).

One DO VAULT statement can be specified per rule, but an unlimited number of vaults can be specified in the DO VAULT statement.

Vault locations, entry dates, exit dates, and retention criteria are recorded in the Media Database. The current location of a volume is updated whenever the volume is moved.

A volume residing in a vault cannot be scratched. When a volume is first created or checked in (from external sources), the volume’s first location is the active library (MAINLIB). When a volume’s vault retention in any location expires, the volume is moved to the next vault location specified in the Media Database. When no additional vault locations are specified for a volume, the volume returns to MAINLIB.

Since vaulting can only be performed on a volume and not on individual data sets, only one data set can determine the vault pattern of a volume. Installation parameter VLTBYDS1 determines which data set sets the vault pattern for the volume. If parameter VLTBYDS1 is set to Y (Yes) in member CTTPARM, the first data set on a volume determines the vaulting of the volume. If parameter VLTBYDS1 is set to N (No), the first data set that has vault criteria (regardless of its position on the volume) determines the vaulting of the volume, provided there is no previous vault pattern for this volume.

The same vault pattern is assigned to all volumes in a multi-volume chain.

Only one data set in a volume or multi-volume chain can determine the vault pattern for the volumes. The VLTBYDS1 parameter in the CTTPARM member determines the data set whose vault pattern takes effect for the multi-volume chain.