On Mon, Nov 10, 2014 at 3:16 PM, Ken Smith <[email protected]> wrote:
> Anyone out there sharing tape devices outside of a Sysplex?
>
> I'd like to share stand-alone 3590, TS3500 Automated Tape Library (SMS
> managed), and/or a VTS.
>
> CA-1 is tape product. Seems they support their tape DB's shared with
> reserve/release when separated by volume properly.
>
I've done that in the _past_, but not recently. Ask CA to confirm?
>
> Sharing ATL would require sharing VOLCAT's which seems supported. Not
> clear if GRS required for serialization of VOLCAT or if reserve/release is
> sufficient. Does GRS require Sysplex or will CTC work?
GRS requires a Sysplex and cannot span outside its one and only Sysplex.
But, you can create a _Basic_ Sysplex using just CTCs. We have. Use of CA'
MIM Integrity can extend GRS type processing across Sysplex boundaries,
and even include Monoplex systems.
> OAM planning says
> systems should be in the same SMSPlex but I haven't seen that term fully
> defined (same ACDS / SCDS?)
>
Yes, an SMSPlex shares the ACDS/SCDS. And it is a _subset_ of the Sysplex.
I.e. a Sysplex can contain multiple SMSPlexes, but an SMSPlex needs to be
wholly contained in a single Sysplex.
> Autoswitch seems to require sysplex. Manual varying wouldn't be horrible
> if all else works.
>
Autoswitch does require a sysplex. If you don't create the tapes as
autoswitch, then manual VARY commands should work. I've done it many times
in the past. This assumes you still have humans operators. We don't. "Too
expensive!"
>
> Thanks for any advice (other than getting a CF, which I see the value of
> but not the guys with the $).
>
We have the same $$$ problem. But we have CTCs, and that is sufficient for
a _Basic_ Sysplex. And that is what we have. That allows a lot of the
Sysplex advantages such as JESPlex (shared SPOOL), GRSPlex, SMSPlex, and
autoswitch tapes. You can even use the sysplex communications to have
applications (usually vendor stuff) "talk" across the systems in the
Sysplex. As opposed to, say, TCPIP or shared DASD files. Oh, and how could
I forget that even with a Basic Sysplex, you can use shared UNIX
filesystems so that you can share data, such as UNIX ${HOME} directories,
HTTP (Web) server files, and other "stuff".
Our COUPLxx member of PARMLIB to do a Basic Sysplex over CTCs looks like:
COUPLE SYSPLEX(&SYSPLEX.)
PCOUPLE(SYS1.PLEX&SYSPLEX..XCFCDS01)
ACOUPLE(SYS1.PLEX&SYSPLEX..XCFCDS02)
PATHIN DEVICE(F46)
PATHOUT DEVICE(F47)
DATA TYPE(WLM)
PCOUPLE(SYS1.PLEX&SYSPLEX..WLMCDS01)
ACOUPLE(SYS1.PLEX&SYSPLEX..WLMCDS02)
DATA TYPE(LOGR)
PCOUPLE(SYS1.PLEX&SYSPLEX..LOGRCD01)
ACOUPLE(SYS1.PLEX&SYSPLEX..LOGRCD02)
DATA TYPE(BPXMCDS)
PCOUPLE(SYS1.PLEX&SYSPLEX..BPXCDS01)
ACOUPLE(SYS1.PLEX&SYSPLEX..BPXCDS02)
the PATHIN and PATHOUT values define the input and output CTCs. Of course,
the other end reverses those addresses because the CTCs are used as a "one
way" communication channels. So you need a "sender" and a "receiver" on
each end, cross connected.
>
> Ken Smith
> State of Maryland
>
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--
The temperature of the aqueous content of an unremittingly ogled
culinary vessel will not achieve 100 degrees on the Celsius scale.
Maranatha! <><
John McKown
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