Mainframe FAQs
Product FAQs
QuickRef ..Online Reference Database For Many Mainframe Systems
CICS
Q.What does CICS stand for?
IAM
Q.What is IAM (Innovation Access Method) and why is it better than VSAM?
Q.How do I reorganize (REORG) an IAM file?
TSO
Q.What will the Partition Data Sets (PDS) utility do for me in TSO?
ROSCOE
Q.How often are ROSCOE libraries backed up?
Miscellaneous
Q.Who do I contact for Mainframe questions or problems?
Q.Where is mainframe systems documentation?
Q.What datasets are archived from disk and how long are they kept?
Q.How do I know which archived data sets are about to expire?
Q.How can an archived dataset be restored?
Q.How often and what retention are full volume backups done?
Q.How much SPACE to specify in JCL for a "new" dataset?
Q.Where are
the naming standards?
Q.Is it a
Mainframe Systems problem or a Network Systems problem?
Q.How can I back up a data set and restore it if necessary?
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Q. Who do I contact for Mainframe questions or problems?
A. For questions email mainframe-systems@virginia.edu . For problems during
work hours call the appropriate person from the "Call List" web page.
After hours call down the rotating "Call List" (Mainframe Systems Staff
list at the bottom of the web page.
http://www.itc.virginia.edu/mss/mvs-calllist.html
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Q. Where is mainframe systems documentation?
A. QuickRef: enter QW in ROSCOE (command area) and in TSO (option area) and manuals available here:
Manuals
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Q. What datasets are archived from disk and how long are they kept?
A.The archiving job runs when needed, selecting disk datasets that have not been accessed for various time periods. The selected datasets are moved to cartridges with a retention period of 2 years.
The default selection criteria is 60 days of inactivity, with the following exceptions:
- A43UF.** datasets - 120 days
- A91UF.** datasets - 120 days
- Q20*.** datasets - 180 days
- Z03%F.** datasets - 180 days
- Z21%F.** datasets - 180 days
- "TF" datasets - 21 days
- "UF" datasets - 45 days
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Q. How do I know which archived data sets are about to expire?
A. Expired archived data sets are purged monthly. To see a list of expiring data sets due to be purged, browse the data set Z03AF.ARCHIVE.PURGE.FORECAST.
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Q. How can an archived dataset be restored?
A. Enter AQR in the ROSCOE command area and follow the instructions.
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Q. How often and what retention are full volume backups done?
A. Full pack backups are taken every Saturday evening and are kept for
three weeks. All but the most recent set are kept off-site
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Q. What is IAM (Innovation Access Method) and why is it better than VSAM?
A. IAM is an very efficient file access method that can:
- reduce batch run times by 30-50%
- improve online response time by 30-50%
- reduce dasd usage by 30-50%
Click here for specific dasd reduction statistics.
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Q. How do I reorganize (REORG) an IAM file?
A. Click here
for JCL to reorganize (REORG) an IAM file.
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Q. How much SPACE to specify in JCL for a "new" dataset?
A. Click here for an example.
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Q. Where are the
naming standards?
A. Click here for the CSD Operations page.
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Q. Is it a
Mainframe Systems problem or a Network Systems problem?
A. It depends on where the
problem is occuring. If no applications on the Mainframe can be
accessed, then it probably is a Network Systems problem. If some
applications on the Mainframe can be accessed while others are not
available, then it probably is a Mainframe Systems problem.
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Q. What does CICS stand for?
A. Customer Information Control System
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Q. What will the PDS utility do for me in TSO?
A. PDS offers numberous tools for working with PDS datasets. To invoke
enter TSO PDS. Two of the most useful tools are displaying a load
modules history and expanding the directory blocks. Limited help is
available by entering HELP on the command line.
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Q. How often are ROSCOE libraries backed up?
A. Backups are taken Monday thru Saturday at 1 am. Since ROSCOE must be
shutdown to be backed up, the backup may be delayed on 'heavy'
production nights.
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Q. How can I back up a data set and restore it if necessary?
A. Click here for an example of how to back up and restore a single data set.
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