We have VSE IMODS in place to issue the VTMOUNT command when we see the request to mount another tape.
We did receive a response to our query though it isn't a complete solution. Thanks for the reply Richard. ____________________ Jim Hughes 603-271-5586 "It is fun to do the impossible." ==>-----Original Message----- ==>From: The IBM z/VM Operating System [mailto:[email protected]] On ==>Behalf Of Schuh, Richard ==>Sent: Thursday, June 18, 2009 11:40 AM ==>To: [email protected] ==>Subject: Re: Trace I/O for a 3490 tape drive ==> ==>The problem is that the operating system does not know how to mount a ==>VTAPE. In the MVS world, there was what was known as a DCB Exit that ==>could be activated at EOV and EOF. It could be taught to determine the ==>type of tape and either do a VTMOUNT (VTAPE) or VMTAPE MOUNT (real tape) ==>at EOV. But that is customer, not vendor, code. I do not know if the same ==>is true in VSE (or even z/OS, for that matter). ==> ==>I have to agree about the black hole. I have gotten replies to neither ==>mail, dumps nor phone calls since the first of May. I wish Rick ==>Bourgeois well and hope that the staff soon learns how to support the ==>products half as well as he did. This has probably been a tough time for ==>them, but they do need to step up and carry the load. ==> ==> ==> ==>Regards, ==>Richard Schuh ==> ==> ==> ==>> -----Original Message----- ==>> From: The IBM z/VM Operating System ==>> [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Hughes, Jim ==>> Sent: Wednesday, June 17, 2009 7:22 PM ==>> To: [email protected] ==>> Subject: Re: Trace I/O for a 3490 tape drive ==>> ==>> When IDCAMS is run in VSE with a real 3490 tape drive and it ==>> reaches EOT, it asks for another tape. Run the same job ==>> again and when either the Library Mdisk assigned to the ==>> virtual tape volume runs out of space or the SIZE limit ==>> assigned to the virtual tape volume is reached, I'd expect ==>> IDCAMS to ask for another tape volume. Instead the IDCAMS job ==>> aborts with Intervention required. ==>> ==>> Same program and different results at EOT. ==>> ==>> I wish the VTAPE support people would talk to us a little ==>> more. They are a black hole at this point. We could really ==>> use VTAPE in our environment too. ==>> ==>> _____________________ ==>> Jim Hughes ==>> x5586 ==>> "It is fun to do the impossible." Quote from Walt Disney ==>> ==>> ________________________________ ==>> ==>> From: The IBM z/VM Operating System on behalf of Schuh, Richard ==>> Sent: Wed 6/17/2009 4:08 PM ==>> To: [email protected] ==>> Subject: Re: Trace I/O for a 3490 tape drive ==>> ==>> ==>> ==>> You will probably find that you must write exit routines to ==>> run in your guest. I do not know the capabilities of VSE ==>> along those lines, but the MVS line, at least at one time, ==>> supported all sorts of different DCB exit routines. At a ==>> former job, we had exit routines that wee used in ==>> applications where it was critical that they be allowed to ==>> continue using another tape. These routines checked to see if ==>> the tape was real or VTAPE, and either issued a VTMOUNT ==>> (VTAPE) or a VMTAPE MOUNT. ==>> ==>> I think that you will find that the VSSI product is true to ==>> the device being simulated. It is probable that the s/w that ==>> interfaces with the device is unaware of VTAPE and tries to ==>> get a real tape mounted at EOT. It is not that the device is ==>> presenting something different to the O/S (not to IDCAMS), it ==>> is that the O/S is unaware that VTAPE is involved. ==>> ==>> The usual EOT indication is, if my memories are current with ==>> today's tape hardware, to present a Unit Exception in the ==>> status. What happens beyond that is purely the business of ==>> the operating system and access method. ==>> ==>> Regards, ==>> Richard Schuh ==>> ==>> ==>> ==>> > -----Original Message----- ==>> > From: The IBM z/VM Operating System ==>> > [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Hughes, Jim ==>> > Sent: Wednesday, June 17, 2009 12:29 PM ==>> > To: [email protected] ==>> > Subject: Re: Trace I/O for a 3490 tape drive ==>> > ==>> > Here is the problem. ==>> > ==>> > We are evaluating VTAPE from VSSI. Our VSE machines get ==>> Intervention ==>> > Required when EOT is sensed when running an IDCAMS backup. ==>> > ==>> > I am want to organize a trace to a real 3490 tape drive so ==>> I can see ==>> > the behavior when a real 3490 presents EOT to IDCAMS. ==>> > ==>> > Then I want to do the same thing using a Virtual tape drive and ==>> > compare the tape commands and interrupts. ==>> > ==>> > If we cannot get beyond this problem with VTAPE, we won't ==>> be able to ==>> > buy the product. The vendor isn't offering much in the way ==>> of support ==>> > so I'm trying to get ahead of the game and give the vendor as much ==>> > information about the nature of the problem as possible. ==>> > ==>> > If you are telling me that I won't see any interrupts or commands ==>> > using TRSOUCE except for a few xSCH commands, then I am on a fool's ==>> > errand. ==>> > ==>> > Since you know what I am trying to do, perhaps you can recommend a ==>> > better method. ==>> > ==>> > Suggestions welcomed. ==>> > ==>> > ____________________ ==>> > Jim Hughes ==>> > 603-271-5586 ==>> > "It is fun to do the impossible." ==>> > ==>> > ==>-----Original Message----- ==>> > ==>From: The IBM z/VM Operating System ==>> > [mailto:[email protected]] On ==>Behalf Of Alan Altmark ==>> > ==>Sent: Wednesday, June 17, 2009 2:25 PM ==>> > ==>To: [email protected] ==>> > ==>Subject: Re: Trace I/O for a 3490 tape drive ==> ==>On ==>> Wednesday, ==>> > 06/17/2009 at 12:58 EDT, "Hughes, Jim" ==>> > ==><[email protected]> wrote: ==>> > ==>> I?d like to trace all i/o, interrupts, etc for a 3490 ==>> tape drive. ==>> > ==>... ==>> > ==>> My trace command is: ==>> > ==>> CP TRACE IO 181 CCW INS INT BOTH RUN ==>> ==>> I?ve used ==>> > various other combinations of TRACE SIO and TRACE SSSCH and ==>etc? ==>> > ==>> with no happiness. ==>> > ==>> ==>> > ==>> I can get the TSCH and SSCH commands to appear and ==>> nothing else. ==>> > ==>> ==>> > ==>> What can I do to get ALL the tape i/o for address 181 ==>> to show up? ==>> > ==> ==>> > ==>What other I/O were you expecting? If the guest is in a ==>> TSCH loop, ==>> > it ==>typically won't get I/O interrupts. They will be ==>> drained by the ==>> > TSCH. ==>> > ==> ==>> > ==>Alan Altmark ==>> > ==>z/VM Development ==>> > ==>IBM Endicott ==>> > ==>>
