I agree. If you have the option of going to the source, that would probably be the safest approach. ________________________________________ From: IBM Mainframe Discussion List <[email protected]> on behalf of Pommier, Rex <[email protected]> Sent: Monday, April 10, 2023 4:48 PM To: [email protected] Subject: Re: TS7700 abandoned volumes questions
Enzo, Knowing nothing about the internal workings of the TS77xx boxes I should probably keep my mouth shut but I don't think this is a good idea. Where does the TS keep metadata on the virtual volumes? Is there a db2 or other database holding pointers to the virtual volumes? Will internal links between the virtual libraries and the physical files (that now don't exist) be broken and cause the entire cluster to drop with internal corruption errors? I would think the safest approach would be to go to the source (i.e. IBM) and get their approach for cleaning this up. My $.01. Rex -----Original Message----- From: IBM Mainframe Discussion List <[email protected]> On Behalf Of Enzo D'Amato Sent: Monday, April 10, 2023 3:04 PM To: [email protected] Subject: [EXTERNAL] Re: TS7700 abandoned volumes questions I don't think this is the "IBM-approved" way of doing things, but the ts7700s use standard FC drive shelves. Have you tried breaking the cluster links, powering down the controller, and then manually mounting the FC shelves on a generic Linux box? If you can do that, you should be able to search them for the actual emulated tape files and erase them. If this works on one node, you can bring the other two down and purge them before bringing the entire grid back up, and since the virtual tapes are not in memory on any of the nodes, you should be good to go. -Enzo Damato ________________________________________ From: IBM Mainframe Discussion List <[email protected]> on behalf of Tom Longfellow <[email protected]> Sent: Sunday, April 9, 2023 9:37 PM To: [email protected] Subject: TS7700 abandoned volumes questions I have a TS7700 Grid of three cluster members. In the past volumes were created for a z/OS system that no longer exists. We have hundreds of tapes in scratch (0012) and private (001F) category. So now, the data is taking up space in my newest grid member because of COPYRFSH activities. What I would like to do is totally remove the existence of these volumes from the Grid. Every standard method I have found via management GUIs fails because these volumes have once left the 'INSERT' status at some time in the past. Everything that implies it might work from Z host to 'EJECT' these tapes require all the infrastructure of RMM, DEVSUP00 changes, and a Tape Volume Catalog (TVC). I do not want to rebuild an entire z/OS LPAR so that it will talk the special DEVSUP language to manipulate these tapes. Nor do I wish to add hundreds of volumes to my tape management system and TVC) just to turn around and delete them again. I really need a way for this GRID to never mention these tapes in any way ever again. One of the prime directives of the TS7700 seems to be 'never delete data until you have no other choice'. For example a 'scratch' tape is still there even after the hold period expires and is still known after storage RECLAIM has happened. Those 'zombie' reclaimed volumes are preserved in perpetuity as you migrate from TS7700 to TS7700. I am trying to Stop the Madness. The 'Default' of 'We shall delete no data before its time' needs to be broken. A full mind wipe for these volumes is in order. I know this defeats the 'feature' of miraculous unexpected recoveries of data that has served its purpose and been honorably discharged but reality does have to play a role here. If I say keep it for 8 days, I do not want it storing data forever and deleted by its own arcane incomprehensible rules. If it is available for miracle unexpected recoveries, there may be some security auditors interested what that equipment is up to. Anybody know a fast and efficient way to accomplish this? ---------------------------------------------------------------------- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to [email protected] with the message: INFO IBM-MAIN ---------------------------------------------------------------------- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to [email protected] with the message: INFO IBM-MAIN ---------------------------------------------------------------------- The information contained in this message is confidential, protected from disclosure and may be legally privileged. If the reader of this message is not the intended recipient or an employee or agent responsible for delivering this message to the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that any disclosure, distribution, copying, or any action taken or action omitted in reliance on it, is strictly prohibited and may be unlawful. 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