Choose your selection method: CATDSN vs. ALLDSN

There are two basic ways you select the data sets to be copied. You must choose one or the other, and cannot use both in the same FATSCOPY job. You can select either by data set name or mask or by volume serial. Pick a method based on how you want to specify which data sets should be selected.

Selecting by data set name or mask is a “CATDSN” selection. To use this method, all data sets that you want to select must be cataloged in the z/OS catalog. Choose this one if you know the names or pattern of data set names (such as “all data sets whose names start with JAT.DAILY.”) of the cataloged data sets you want to select.

Selecting by volume serial (or range of volumes) is an “ALLDSN” selection. In this method, FATSCOPY queries your tape management system to find all of the files on the volumes you specify. These data sets do not need to be cataloged in the z/OS catalog. Choose this one if you know which specific volumes contain the data sets you want to select.

For migrations from one tape system to another, most customers select their data sets by volume or volume range, so ALLDSN is the most common method used.

An “image copy” is a special type of copy where an exact bit-for-bit copy, including the volume serial, is made on the output tape. A common use for an image copy is when you are copying files that are recorded in an external data base, and the data base records the volser and file sequence number for each file it controls. OAM datasets can be copied with an image copy without requiring updates to its data base. If you want to make an image copy, you must use an ALLDSN selection.

After you start the selection process, you will be able to further modify the selections and specify exclusion criteria to limit what gets selected. For example,

• You can specify that you want to copy all data sets whose names start with JAT.DAILY, but only those which were created more than 7 days ago. Or,
• You can specify that you want to copy volume PRD009, except for those files on that volume which expire before March 1, 2014.

Q: Do you want to select by data set name or mask, or by volume serial?

Select by data set name or mask – click here for CATDSN selections.

Select by volume serial – click here for ALLDSN selections.