Dataset deleted without my notice

km_abdullah · New User Joined: 03 Nov 2008 Posts: 60

Hi,

This could be strange but it happened for the 3rd time for me!!!
My datasets(PS/PDS) are getting deleted without my control. It has a highlevel qualifier with my user id so i believe other users cannot delete it.

Previous two times was a PS file and in JCL i have given the DISP as SHR.
The latest one was a PDS which has some PL/I programs which i created last week and used it till Friday(around 3 days). But to my surprise this morning it disappeared. I tried the recovery option but i get 'BACKUP/DUMP COPY DOES NOT EXIST' message.

I have seen previous posts regarding deletion / recovery but couldn't understand the reason for automatic deletion.

www.ibmmainframes.com/about4945.html
ibmmainframes.com/viewtopic.php?t=3831
www.ibmmainframes.com/about17062.html

Just wanted to know if it is really possible or am i missing anything obvious?

dick scherrer · Posted: Mon Dec 22, 2008 12:58 pm

Hello,

Suggest you talk with your storage administrators. It may have happened that your datasets are created in a storage class that is "cleaned out" periodically (like over the weekend).

Talk with the storage people about how the DATACLAS should be used for your datasets.

If there is still a problem or question after talkinmg with the storage admins, post back here.

Garry Carroll · Posted: Mon Dec 22, 2008 2:24 pm

Hello,

Suggest also you review any jobs you are submitting for accidental DISP=(OLD,DELETE). I saw similar where user modified JCL for temp dataset to reference own PS/PDS and lost the PS/PDS each time the job ran.

Garry.

gcicchet · Posted: Tue Dec 23, 2008 6:47 am

Hi,

check SMF to find out the culprit.

Gerry

abhishek dadhichi · New User Joined: 19 Apr 2007 Posts: 37 Location: Bangalore

Hi Abdullah,

Most of the time its in routine that the sequential datasets are deleted after few days by the storage people.So, please check with them.

Thanks,
Abhishek

Anuj Dhawan · Posted: Tue Dec 23, 2008 4:49 pm

Hi,

This also depends on what Management Class (MGMTCLAS) does the DSNs have. Just to be ensure, create a brand new DSN, in ISPF 3.4 issue an "I" or "S" on the DSN to know the current MGMTCLAS of that DSN. Verify what retention period is allowed to that MGMTCLAS class at your site. Usually, across sites MGMTCLAS can not be overidden, however 'am over it..

Once in production I've created a DSN (it was an "unload" of a table) with MGMTCLAS=TPS035 (this MGMTCLAS is specific to my site) which is meant for retention period of 35 days, but in prodution it was deleted in 3 days, while same work in "Test Region" for 35 days...

, check if such idiots are there at your end also..

km_abdullah · New User Joined: 03 Nov 2008 Posts: 60

Hi all,

Now i too believe that i should have created my datasets under some management class which is periodically 'cleaned' out. I checked with my local technical adviser and he too was of the same opinion. I investigated my old datasets(created in the last 4 months) and all have the same management class.

Moreover my adviser also states that in our shop, management and storage class depends on the dataset name. If the second qualifier is 'xxx' then it sits in some volume and there is a list of such rules maintained. Hence i am convinced that my dataset is deleted because it resided in a temporary volume.

Thanks all for your effort, time and valuable inputs. Happy to know the reason behind dataset disappearance!

Anuj Dhawan · Posted: Tue Dec 23, 2008 7:54 pm

Hi,

Great, so do they allow you to choose the MGMTCLAS of your choice?

dick scherrer · Posted: Tue Dec 23, 2008 8:16 pm

Hi Anuj,

superk · Posted: Tue Dec 23, 2008 8:23 pm

My experience has been that most shops delete datasets where the HLQ is the same as the userid quite regularly, even sometimes daily, with no backups.

Anuj Dhawan · Posted: Tue Dec 23, 2008 8:23 pm

Hi Dick,

At many sites, one cannot override management class attributes via JCL parameters. Though, with SMS, MGMTCLAS overrides the attributes defined in the DATACLAS parameter for the data set but if ACS is tailored correctly, an ACS routine can override the management class that one specify on the MGMTCLAS parameter... I was just curious..ill effect of coming "back".. you know..

Anuj Dhawan · Posted: Tue Dec 23, 2008 8:31 pm

expat · Posted: Tue Dec 23, 2008 8:44 pm

Anuj Dhawan · Posted: Tue Dec 23, 2008 8:51 pm

And Finally the BIG B entered..we are talking about MGMTCLAS/DATACLAS and Expat doesn't have any post so far..not acceptable..

. Was waiting for your comments..