VMXMAN0572I Cannot link for format; how to create IDENTITY

Products

VM:Secure for z/VM

Issue/Introduction

Seeking some guidance on creating an IDENTITY.

Getting VMXMAN0572I Cannot link for format; specify NO to FORMAT to continue on one member of an SSI.

Another version of this message said volume VP3L01 not online but it clearly is and attached.

Environment

Release : 3.2

Component : CA VM:Secure for z/VM

Resolution

You can define a user and minidisk through VM:Secure from any system in the SSI cluster provided you are using the SERVANT facility. VM:Secure should autolog the servant on the member of the cluster where the volume is online, providing it is NOT a shared SSI volume.

Is this a USER definition or a IDENTITY definition? If you intend for the user to 'eventually' be logged on to all members at one time then it has to be an IDENTITY and you'd define the non shared volume minidisk in the SUBCONFIG for the system the volume is online on.

Is the volume you are working with ONLINE to all the SSI members or just to one?

For a USER entry, you should define all mdisks on shared dasd since it doesn't have a separate configuration depending on the system. IDENTITY entries do but they have a special place and not all userids need to be IDENTITY entries. The OPERATOR user is a good example of what needs to be an IDENTITY entry since it needs to be logged on to all SSI members at one time. If this user you are creating will be one you need to have or be able to log onto all members at the same time then you definitely need to set it up as an IDENTITY entry.

Again, if it is a USER vs. IDENTITY then all of its mdisks need to be on shared dasd. If this is an identity entry then set up a SUBCONFIG for the system you want to start on and define the mdisk to the subconfig.

Able to reproduce the symptoms you have if I try to specify a subpool for a minidisk for a USER entry that exists on a non-shared SSI volume. This only works when you are creating a subconfig entry minidisk for the SSI member the non shared DASD exists on. That is the ONLY circumstance where you'd want to create a minidisk on a DASD volume that is NOT shared through the SSI complex, in a SUBCONFIG entry.

Additional Information

You can create a new subconfig in a couple of ways.

If you issue VMSECURE MANAGE identityname you will see selection 1 will help you create a new SUBCONFIG for that identity.

If you use something like ADDENTRY, you need to use a skeleton that directs VMSECURe to make a SUBCONFIG.

I have a skeleton called SUBCFG that consists of this:

SUBCONFIG SUBCFG
*ED=
*LL=
*-----End VM:Secure Directory Comments-----*
*------------------------------------------*
* System Specific Minidisks *
*------------------------------------------*

Then I can do:

VMSECURE ADDENTRY subconfig-name SUBCFG (IN identity-name ON ssi-member-name

Once created you can MANAGE it or use other commands on it like you normally would.

You can find more information about Creating and Deleting SUBCONFIGs in VM:Secure's Administrator's guide at:

https://techdocs.broadcom.com/us/en/ca-mainframe-software/traditional-management/ca-vm-secure-for-z-vm-with-security/3-2/administrators/managing-the-product-in-a-single-system-image-complex/creating-and-deleting-subconfig-entries.html