Allocating a large VLS file

Issue/Introduction:

When allocating and formatting a VLS file for use with CA Ideal or CA Datacom/DB, the internal addressing configuration will dictate how large the VLS file can be. If the upper limit is exceeded, you could receive error messages like this from the VLSUTIL program:
DISK SPACE ALLOCATION IS GREATER THAN MAXIMUM ALLOWED. EXCESS SPACE IS WASTED
RUN CANCELLED. ERROR CODE IS 0212

Environment:

Release: IDEAL.00200-15.1-Ideal-for CA-Datacom
Component:

Resolution:

In version 14.0, a new parameter was introduced for the FORMAT function - LIBFMT= {H | F}. This parameter identifies whether the block number is stored as a 2-byte value (parameter value H for halfword), or as a 4-byte value (parameter value F for fullword). If this is not specified, blocks will use the 2-byte format. The result, as specified in the CA IPC Implementation Guide:

With the old 2-byte block numbering format, the maximum amount of space that can be allocated to one VLS library is 60900 blocks. With the new 4-byte block numbering format, the maximum space limitation for the VLS library is 65,535 tracks.

Here is a table showing three common blocksizes, and the maximum number of blocks or tracks you can allocate, depending on whether you use LIBFMT=H, with its maximum number of blocks, or LIBFMT=F, with the maximum allocation of 65535 tracks (4369 cylinders):

Block	Blocks	LIBFMT=H			LIBFMT=F
Size	per track	Max Trks	Max Cyls	Max blocks	Max Trks	Max Cyls	Max blocks
1960	28	2175	145	60900	65535	4369	1834980
2000	26	2342	156	60900	65535	4369	1703910
4000	12	5075	338	60900	65535	4369	786420

To allocate and initialize this VLS file, you can use JCL like this below. Note that secondary allocations are not used with VLS files.

//FMTVLS01 EXEC PGM=VLSUTIL
//         INCLUDE MEMBER=IPCSTLIB
//         INCLUDE MEMBER=IPCDDOUT
//VLSFILE  DD DSN=YOUR.VLS.LIB,DISP=(,CATLG,DELETE),
//            UNIT=3390,VOL=SER=DASD04,
//            DSORG=DA,SPACE=(CYL,(2000))
//SYSIN    DD  *
 FORMAT BLKSIZE=4000,NAMELEN=24,LIBFMT=F
/*

Additional Information:

For more information on handling VLS files, please refer to the following documentation:
CA IPC version 15.1 DocOps: Using Inter-Product Components (IPC) > Maintaining the CA IPC System > VLS Utility (VLSUTIL)
CA IPC version 15.0 DocOps: Using Inter-Product Components (IPC) > Maintaining the CA IPC System > VLS Utility (VLSUTIL)
CA IPC version 14.02 Implementation Guide, in the section, "Maintenance › VLS Utility (VLSUTIL)"

As always, please contact CA Technologies support for CA Datacom if you have further questions.