Informational message RCM0165I during RC/Merger execution

Products

• RC/Merger for DB2 for z/OS

Issue/Introduction

The informational message below is seen during an RC/Merger for Db2 for z/OS (RMM) MERGER COPY or MOVE at execution time:

RCM0165I - VSAM DATASET ssid.DSNDBC.database.tablespace.I0001.A001
IS IN USE BY JOB NAME ssidDBM1.
RC/MERGER WILL WAIT AND RETRY AFTER 5 SECONDS.

This could be repeated a number of times after which the execution ends with an RC 16.

Cause

This occurs because the SOURCE tablespace has not been stopped prior to the execution. This is something the user must do.

The message above states that the VSAM dataset "ssid.DSNDBC.database.tablespace.I0001.A001" is being used by this job "ssidDBM1".

An RC/Merger execution operates not only at the Db2 Catalog level but also at the underlying Db2 VSAM dataset level with the VSAM LDS datasets.

RC/Merger needs exclusive control of these VSAM datasets as it executes IDCAMS statements on these datasets in order to do it's work.

The job in question "ssidDBM1" is actually the DBM1 started task belonging to Db2. This means that the tablespace is being actively held by Db2
because Db2 thinks it's available for use. In Db2 terms the tablespace is in RW status.

Resolution

Stop the source database and then restart the RC/Merger job but first read of the RC/Migrator User Guide because there are some considerations to be aware of.

Refer to Migrate Db2 Objects with RC/Merger Move Analysis   This section contain information about the need to stop the source tablespaces.

Obviously the act of stopping a tablespace could have impacts on other users so you must be mindful of that.
It may also be true that you may not have the Db2 authority to stop the source tablespace.