Primary tape copy for VTAPE 1111111 is not getting created

Products

• Vtape Virtual Tape System

Issue/Introduction

Issue: Primary tape copy for VTAPE 1111111 is not getting created. Every time when we have a recall request for 1111111 it's looking for duplex copy as no primary tape is available.

Environment

Release : 12.6

Component : CA VTAPE

Cause

Primary VVE entry is 'lost', thus forcing use of the DUPLEX entry (but it is desired to use the PRIMARY entry instead of the DUPLEX entry as the DUPLEX tape is 'off site'). 

Resolution

The 'lost' PRIMARY VVE entry had to be temporarily redefined to a scratch volume (of the same volume set as the DUPLEX backstore volume) using IDCAMS, then a RECYCLE PHYSICAL SOURCE(REPAIR) using the DUPLEX backstore volume was run. The end result being that a new PRIMARY VVE and backstore volume is created.

------------------------------------- Instructions/Steps for Resolution ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

When a PRIMARY VVE entry for a virtual volume does not exist or is 'lost', it is possible to recreate this VVE entry from the corresponding DUPLEX VVE entry/DUPLEX backstore volume, if it exists:

1) Create a 'dummy' PRIMARY VVE entry in the system catalog: 

//STEP01  EXEC PGM=IDCAMS 

//SYSIN DD * 

    DEFINE NONVSAM(NAME(CAVTAPE.VVE.Vnnnnn.PRIMARY) - 

           VOL(vvvvvv) - 

           DEVT(<device type, such as 3590-1>) - 

           FSEQN(1)) 

/* 

//SYSPRINT DD SYSOUT=* 

In the above control statements replace 'Vnnnnn' with the volser of the 'missing' PRIMARY virtual volume. 

Also, replace volser 'vvvvvv' with a physical volume that is not currently in use, but is of the same type 

as other PRIMARY backstore volumes (this would normally match with the DEVT parm value).  Supply a 

device type for the DEVT parm which is the device type used for the PRIMARY backstore volumes 

(to identify this, see the Vtape 'VTGROUP' member and the GroupNN associated with this PRIMARY volume, 

the 'PRIMARY=' parm defines this device type, use this value). 

2) Run a RECYCLE/REPAIR against this same 'dummy' volume to force creation of a PRIMARY backstore volume and 

   PRIMARY VVE entry:  

RECYCLE PHYSICAL(vvvvvv),

        SOURCE(REPAIR) 

In the above control statement, replace 'vvvvvv' with the same value used in the IDCAMS DEFINE VOL(vvvvvv) above. 

Additional Information

See the CA Vtape Administrating Guide, Chapter 'Recycle Utility' for Recycle background info: 

https://techdocs.broadcom.com/content/broadcom/techdocs/us/en/ca-mainframe-software/traditional-management/ca-vtape-virtual-tape-system/12-6/administrating/recycle-utility.html

See the section 'Virtual Volume Recovery' in Chapter 'Recovering CA Vtape' for more details on recovery processing:

https://techdocs.broadcom.com/content/broadcom/techdocs/us/en/ca-mainframe-software/traditional-management/ca-vtape-virtual-tape-system/12-6/administrating/how-to-prepare-and-recover-ca-vtape/virtual-volume-recovery.html