This knowledge article provides an overview for defining and using Dispatch Online Viewing (OLV) and ARCHIVE report & msgclass retentions.
z/OS, Dispatch, 11.7, OLV, Online Viewing, Archive, Report, MSGCLASS, Retention
Generally speaking, the Dispatch LDS files are not meant to be a "long term" repository for report and/or MSGCLASS data.
Consequently, your Online Viewing (OLV) defined report and msgclass retentions would typically be for a much shorter duration than that of your archive defined report and msgclass retentions, as archival to TAPE or other external media would represent your "long term" data repository.
In Dispatch, you will define both Online Viewing (OLV) retention records, as well as ARCHIVE retention records, for all of your reports and msgclass data. These different OLV & ARCHIVE retention records are tracked and processed separately by Dispatch.
I) Dispatch Online Viewing (OLV) retention:
Define The Following For MSGCLASS Processing:
Number Of Days To Hold MSGCLASS Online (0-999) ==>
Number Of Generations To Hold MSGCLASS Online (0-999) ==>
a. The DEFAULT OLV retention for all reports is specified in the following fields on the VSGMU190-Sysgen Online Viewing Control Screen (Option 9.9 from the main menu).
Define The Following For Report Use Of Online Viewing:
Number Of Days To Hold Report Online (0-999) ==>
Number Of Generations To Hold Report Online (0-999) ==>
b. The VRDMU110-Report Base Definition Screen for the specific report. (Option 1.S from the main menu).
II) Dispatch ARCHIVE retention:
a. The VSGMU210-Sysgen Archive Control screen (Option 9.A from the main menu - This is the sysgen DEFAULT archive retention for reports).
b. The VARMU100-Report Archive Definition Screen (Option A.1.S from the main menu - This is the REPORTS actual archive retention record).
1. The first time a report ever gets archived. (After which, we create a database record that will contain the retention for that report).
2. If the VARMU100 screen retention record for a report contains a value of 'SD' in the DAYS or GENS fields, this tells CA Dispatch to use the "sysgen default" retention, which is actually the VSGMU210 screens defined retention.
For additional details and information, please click on this hyperlink to access a downloadable PDF version of the Dispatch documentation.