ERROR: "MENG0004 VSAM access error. RTNCD=8, REASON=108" saving a table in TPXADMIN

Products

• TPX - Session Management
• Vman Session Management for z/OS

Issue/Introduction

I get message 'MENG0004 VSAM access error. RTNCD=8, REASON=108' when trying to save a table in TPXADMIN.

Environment

TPX® Session Management for z/OS

Cause

RTNCD=8, REASON=108 (x'6C') means that TPX tries to write a record to ADMIN1 or ADMIN2 which exceeds the maximum allowed record size of the cluster.

This can happen if you define a lot of profiles to a user or you add a lot of virtual terminal masking rules to a table entry. The record will become larger as the defined cluster allows.

Resolution

You can simply redefine the TPX ADMIN files with a bigger maximum record size. There is no limit within TPX. The hard limitation here is due to VSAM's record size limit of 32k for non-spanned files. (TPX must use non-spanned.)

ADMIN1 is involved if you are adding/updating

• The virtual terminal mask table
• The terminal options table

You may need to REORG your ADMIN1 file with a bigger maximum RECORDSIZE.

The delivered maximum record size for ADMIN1 is 8000 bytes.

ADMIN2 is involved if you are adding/updating

• User's profile lists

You may need to REORG your ADMIN2 file with a bigger maximum RECORDSIZE.

The delivered maximum record size for ADMIN2 is 2000 bytes.

NOTE: If you are approaching the maximum record size in VSAM, then it may be prudent to review your usage of the table in question because there is no other alternative within TPX to exceed the hard VSAM limit of 32K. For example, with the Masking Rules Table, is it possible to divide the Masking Rules Table Entry into two or more entries?  If you have many one to one masking rules, can you implement better masking or wildcards into the rules?

In summary, your options when this error occurs are:

• Delete or consolidate existing table entry items so that you can add new items
• Define the VSAM file with a larger maximum RECORDSIZE
• Use a new table entry for the additions, if possible
• Review overall usage of the table entry. For example: Can the table entry be divided into multiple smaller table entries? Can any VT masks be merged?

Additional Information

The help panels for the virtual terminal masking rules table (HEN0152D) include an excellent example describing masking and wildcards.