DB002255, 3964 abends with VSAM journals

Products

• IDMS
• IDMS - Database

Issue/Introduction

Care must be taken when defining VSAM as the access method for the system journal files in IDMS.
If the correct sizing is not used, the FORMAT of the journal may abend with DB002255 or the CV may abend with a 3964 at startup.

In order to use Pervasive Encryption on an IDMS database or journal file, VSAM must be used as the access method.
This is described at Pervasive Encryption with IDMS.

Environment

Release: All supported releases.

Resolution

The sizing requirements for the definition of VSAM files as CV journals in IDMS is documented in several places:

DISK JOURNAL Statements (scroll to Block size of Disk Journal File),
Journal Buffers and Journal Sizes (scroll to Sizing Journal Buffers)
JOURNAL BUFFER Statements

The above documentation is not specific. The following is required:

In the VSAM file definition, the RECSZ must be 8 bytes less than the CISZ.
In IDMS, the definition of the journal buffer page size must be the same as the CISZ.
During the FORMAT, IDMS will recognize that this is a VSAM file and subtract 8 from the journal buffer page size.
Furthermore, if the CISZ is less than 8192, it must be a multiple of 512.

For example, use the following.

In the VSAM file:

RECSZ(2040 2040)          
CISZ(2048)

In the IDMS journal buffer:

ALTER                                       
JOURNAL BUFFER GLBLDMCL.JNL_BUFFER          
    PAGE SIZE 2048 CHARACTERS               
    BUFFER PAGES 5                         
    ;

The FORMAT output should look like this:

CONNECT TO SYSTEM;                                                       
Status = 0        SQLSTATE = 00000                                       
FORMAT JOURNAL ALL;                                                      
                                                                         
Journal file J1JRNL                      500 blocks written - size 2,040.
                                                                         
Journal file J2JRNL                      500 blocks written - size 2,040.
                                                                         
Journal file J3JRNL                      500 blocks written - size 2,040.
                                                                         
Journal file J4JRNL                      500 blocks written - size 2,040.
                                                                         
Status = 0        SQLSTATE = 00000

    

Additional Information

FORMAT