It also does depend on the type of VTL. A Luminex MVTi for example, doesn't reclaim until you write to the scratch tape or reinit it.
> -----Original Message----- > From: IBM Mainframe Discussion List [mailto:IBM-MAIN@LISTSERV.UA.EDU] > On Behalf Of Lizette Koehler > Sent: Monday, April 25, 2016 9:53 AM > To: IBM-MAIN@LISTSERV.UA.EDU > Subject: Re: VIRTUAL TAPE PECULIARITY > > Virtual tape processing is the similar to physical tape processing. Only > difference is that virtual tapes are files are on a storage array and the > physical tapes are square boxes you can tote in your hand. > > So you need to determine what are the requirements for a tape to go > scratch. Once that point in time occurs for scratching the tapes, the storage > is reclaimed in the tape storage array. As others have pointed out, the > storage can be reclaimed if the physical storage on the Virtual storage array > for tape happens (95% for example), it will start to reclaim what it can. > > If you have a tape management system like CA1, TLMS, etc.... Then you need > to find out what their requirements are for scratching the tape. It is best > if > the two environments (tape management system and virtual tape system) use > a same point in time to scratch tapes. > > When we first installed our VTS, we had X days for the VTS and Y days for > CA1. Needless to say, we got several issues where the tape looked like it > should be viable but became scratched. We later sync'd the two up to 2 days > for both. > > You also need to know how much physical storage is on the VTS and how > much is being used. Too little physical storage could cause the VTS to start > reclaiming tapes that are scratched more quickly. > > The relationship between your tape, when it gets scratched and when the > virtual tape storage system recovers that data will be unique for your shop. > If > you can contact the group responsible for supporting your virtual tapes, they > can probably give you better answers. > > Things to review > > 1) What is the tape management system (TMS)? > > 2) When does the TMS scratch tapes > > 3) When does the VTS scratch tapes > > 4) How much storage is on the VTS and how much is being used? > > 5) How long do you have after the TMS scratches the tape before the VTS > reclaims the space? > > Next review how your tape dataset is being created. What is the EXPDT or > RETPD for the dataset? Is it long enough? Do you need to extend that > timeframe? > > > Lizette > > > > -----Original Message----- > > From: IBM Mainframe Discussion List [mailto:IBM-MAIN@LISTSERV.UA.EDU] > > On Behalf Of John Dawes > > Sent: Monday, April 25, 2016 9:27 AM > > To: IBM-MAIN@LISTSERV.UA.EDU > > Subject: Re: VIRTUAL TAPE PECULIARITY > > > > Is it safe to say that once a tape goes scratch all the data is deleted? > > > > Also, is the same volume serial number - in this case A15886 - is kept > > and reused? > > > > Please bear with me because I am not very familiar with virtual tape > > processing. > > > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to > lists...@listserv.ua.edu with the message: INFO IBM-MAIN ---------------------------------------------------------------------- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to lists...@listserv.ua.edu with the message: INFO IBM-MAIN
