Removing a Top Secret facility from FACSTOR(YES)

Products

• Top Secret
• Top Secret - LDAP

Issue/Introduction

Prior to storing facility definitions in the VSAM file, when a facility was no longer needed one would RENAME it back to the USERxxx name and it would no longer appear in a display. After setting the control option FACSTOR to YES, when one renames the facility back to the USERxxx name, it continues to display. 

How can a facility be removed from being displayed when using FACSTOR(YES)? 

Environment

 

Resolution

This is one of those subtle differences between the 'temporary' nature of the old parameter style FACILITY displays vs. the 'permanent' nature of the FACSTOR VSAM record FACILITY displays.  Every facility in the matrix has an associated IN-USE bit that is OFF for all unused USERxxx facilities.  The first time that facility is renamed using a MODIFY command, that IN-USE bit is turned ON and that is what causes it to be displayed in a FAC(ALL) type display.  If you later use MODIFY to rename it back to the USERxxx name, or to any other name, the IN-USE bit always remains set and the facility will show up in the FAC(ALL) list. This works the same whether FACSTOR is active or not until the next IPL or re-cycle of the Top Secret address space.  With FACSTOR(NO) the 'temporary' version of the facility matrix is wiped clean and completely rebuilt by your latest parameter file settings after an IPL or recycle of the Top Secret address space. This is what allows the USERxxx entries to go back to their native value for the IN-USE bit which is OFF.  With FACSTOR(YES), the facility matrix is established from the 'permanent' FACSTOR VSAM record which permanently maintains the IN-USE bit for each facility entry no matter how many times you IPL or recycle Top Secret.