VMTAPE CANCEL resulted in IOS002 abend

Products

• VM:Tape for z/VM

Issue/Introduction

VMTAPE Q TAPES command showed that tape drive nnnn was assigned to user id USER05 at real tape drive address E641, virtual address 0494.  However, a query of address E641 showed the tape drive free.  I issued a VMTAPE CANCEL 0494 USER05 and VMTAPE abended with an IOS002 abend. 

Can you explain what steps should have been taken if not the VMTAPE CANCEL command. 

 

Environment

VM:Tape r2.0

Resolution

A VM:Tape IOS002 abend is not very common and indicates the virtual device being opened does not exist.

The problem that caused the IOS002 ABEND was the fact that you detached tape drive E641 from VMTAPE before you issued the CANCEL command.  If you had just issued the CANCEL command for the USER05 494 MOUNT request, it would have cancelled and there would have been no ABEND.

Something was going on with RMSMASTR trying to mount the tape.  The RMSMASTR console showed RMS ReasonCode 3336 was issued indicating that the volume is "mounted elsewhere" meaning that the tape is/was on another tape drive and could have even been mounted on another system (not necessarily a VM system).

In any case, the problem that caused the IOS002 ABEND was the fact that you detached tape drive E641 from VMTAPE before you issued the CANCEL command. I believe if you had just issued the CANCEL command for the VPLNKS05 494 MOUNT request it would have cancelled and there would have been no ABEND.

Additional Information

In this scenario, when/after you issue the CANCEL command, as part of the CANCEL processing VMTAPE should DETACH the real tape device from itself. You shouldn't need to clean up after the CANCEL.