Recovering Scratch Status Tapes

Products

• Vtape Virtual Tape System

Issue/Introduction

How to recover scratch tapes from within VTape

Environment

VTape all versions

Resolution

A Virtual Volume that has been scratched can be reactivated if the Backstore Primary or Duplex Tape is still available.

Follow these steps:

1. Look up the Virtual Volume in the tape management system. If the VOLSER has been reused, copy the new data set to another Virtual Volume to free up the VOLSER.
2. After Externalizing the new Virtual Volume, scratch the needed VOLSER in the tape management system and in the Global VCAT. To scratch the VOLSER in the Global VCAT, execute the SVTSUTIL batch command VVE_SCRATCH=volser where volser is the Virtual Volume VOLSER.
3. Look up the physical tape in the tape management system. If the tape has been scratched, return it to active status.
4. Look up the data set records for this physical tape and return the expired Virtual Volume data set to active status.
5. Using the information from the tape management system, customize and execute the sample JCL found in HLQ.CCUUJCL(CATBKSTR) to recatalog the Virtual Volume Backstore Entry (The Dataset format of the backstore tape will be in format:  prefix.VVE.Vvolser.* ):
   Update the tape management system to return the Virtual Volume to active status with the correct application data set name and other information. Ensure that the expiration date is extended to prevent the Virtual Volume from being scratched too soon.
6. Issue the SVTn START RECALL=volser console command to manually Recall the Virtual Volume. 
   The Recall reactivates the Virtual Volume in the Global VCAT and allows the application to read it.

 

Additional Information

Users Guide, Chapter 17, Recovering CA Vtape VTS