PRODUCT SHEET

CA Dynam/T Tape Management for z/VSE

CA Dynam®/T Tape
Management for z/VSE

CA Dynam®/T Tape Management for z/VSE (CA Dynam/T) is a tape

library management solution providing a single point of control for
tape processing and tape data set management, establishing and
enforcing processing standards for tape data sets.

Overview
In the mainframe environment, tapes are widely used for data storage and effective
management of these tapes is critical for successful data center operations. Inability to locate
tapes quickly when jobs call for them can cost a corporation both time and money. Data loss due
to human error cannot be tolerated, but maintaining thousands of tapes on and off site while
incorporating newer robotic and large capacity devices can be a daunting task.

Business value
CA Dynam/T helps you manage your tape library by:

 Automatically controlling tape data set usage and retention

 Preventing active tape data sets from being scratched

 Controlling remote site tape movement and retention

CA Dynam/T Tape Management for z/VSE

Features
Managing tapes with CA Dynam/T
From its roots in DOS 360 to its current incarnation as z/VSE, the VSE platform has experienced
phenomenal growth in capabilities. Unfortunately, the tools provided for sequential file
management have not changed over the last forty years. Manual administrative techniques that
were acceptable in a single thread batch operation are not suitable in today’s z/VSE
environment, with hundreds of concurrent tasks.

CA DYNAM/T solves this problem by providing tape management for the z/VSE user. The client
maintains complete control of the system by defining a file’s general characteristics in the
CA Dynam/T catalog. CA Dynam/T will ensure that the proper tape is used at run time and make
sure that data sets are not prematurely erased.

 Ease of maintenance: CA Dynam/T maintains one permanent disk file, enabling the system
to control all tape volumes and data sets that are under CA Dynam/T control. The Catalog is
automatically updated at OPEN and CLOSE to ensure that it is always accurate and up-to-
date. There is only one Catalog for the entire CA Dynam/T system, which is also shared by
CA Dynam®/D Disk Management for z/VSE (CA Dynam/D) and CA Dynam®/FI File
Independence (CA Dynam/FI). You can instruct CA Dynam/T to create a Catalog data set
name for a labeled output data set when it is opened for the first time, eliminating the need
for Catalog maintenance and easing system implementation. At execution time,
CA Dynam/T can modify an existing unlabeled tape DTF to make it a standard labeled tape
DTF, which gives CA Dynam/T control without the need for program modification.

 Increased operator and programmer productivity:

— The Catalog file contains the current status of each tape volume under CA Dynam/T
control. When a scratch tape is needed for an output data set, CA Dynam/T scans all
available tape drives for a controlled volume in scratch status based on the desired
density.

— When an input tape file is opened, CA Dynam/T locates the requested tape volume and
makes the logical unit assignment to the correct tape drive. It can issue a mount
request to a robot or issue VTAPE commands as needed.

— Many installations require the allocation of tapes for temporary use, such as when
creating files of selected records for sorting and printing. You can establish these 'work'
data sets in the catalog.

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CA Dynam/T Tape Management for z/VSE

— Each individual data set may be rotated among as many as 26 different vault locations.
You can specify the desired location for each version of a data set defined to the
catalog.

— You can use production JCL for testing purposes without affecting production data sets.
When an output CLOSE occurs, the test version is cataloged into a special status that
may be accessed only under the test facility. In this way, production JCL may be fully
tested without accidentally creating a new version of a production data set.

 Maximized system resources: CA Dynam/T releases the logical unit assignment to a tape
drive at CLOSE to make the tape drive available for use by the same or any other partition.
Tape drives are assigned only when actually in use. Using alternate tape drive assignments
has long been a problem because two or more tape drives are assigned when only one of
them is actually in use. CA Dynam/T eliminates this problem by automatically making and
releasing tape drive assignments when each volume of a multivolume file is opened or
closed.

 Extended benefits and facilities:

— Data set retention: CA Dynam/T assumes the responsibility of scratching expired

versions of the data sets which the system controls. You have to establish data set
retention characteristics only one time; CA Dynam/T makes sure that the retention
requirements are met.

— TLBL extensions: CA Dynam/T offers extensions to the standard TLBL statement,

providing greater flexibility and control. Use these extensions to request specific
versions or volumes of a specific data set and to control tape positioning at CLOSE.

— Multifile multivolume support: CA Dynam/T controls each file on a multifile volume or

set of volumes. Once the data sets have been established in the Catalog, their control is
automatic. The system also provides automatic, controlled positioning of these
multifile volumes. There is no restriction on the number of volumes on which such data
sets may reside.

— Partition variable data sets: Data set names are dynamically altered at OPEN time if the
first two characters contain ‘==’. These characters are replaced by the two characters of
the partition ID to provide unique data set names for general use work data sets.

— Automatic multifile data sets: At output OPEN time, this feature generates new data
sets in the Catalog based upon a base data set defined with a special automatic,
multifile option. This permits easy use of tape volumes for multifile backups without
JCL changes.

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CA Dynam/T Tape Management for z/VSE

 Reporting and utilities

— Audit trail reporting: The Audit system retains information about all tape file usage as
well as exceptional operator responses that might affect Catalog status or data set
usage. The Audit system report writer provides a flexible method of generating user-
described reports. This same Audit system is used by CA Dynam/FI to report on file
independence activity and by CA Dynam/D to report on disk data set activity.

— Batch access module: CA Dynam/T produces a batch read-only subroutine, which is

callable from user-written programs. This enables either random or sequential access
to Catalog information.

— Tape-to-tape copy facility: The program TDYNCOPY can copy files from tape to tape.
The files may be either labeled or unlabeled, multivolume files or multifile volumes.
Input files may be concatenated as one output file.

— Pull list utility: Based upon user-supplied parameter statements, the program TDYNLIST
generates a listing of all tapes needed to run a given application or system. These static
parameter statements inform TDYNLIST which data sets are needed. TDYNLIST then
accesses the Catalog files to determine which volume serial numbers will be required
and how many scratch tapes will be needed.

Delivery approach
CA Services provides a portfolio of mainframe services delivered through CA Technologies
internal staff and a network of established partners chosen to help you achieve a successful
deployment and get the desired business results as quickly as possible. Our standard service
offerings are designed to speed deployment and accelerate the learning curve for your staff.
CA Technologies field-proven mainframe best practices and training help you lower risk, improve
use/adoption and ultimately align the product configuration to your business requirements.

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CA Dynam/T Tape Management for z/VSE

Benefits
The powerful features of CA Dynam/T provide many benefits for the IT staff:

 Data integrity is assured because files are not scratched prematurely. Reruns associated
with overwritten files or incorrect input are eliminated. As operational errors decline, the
image of the IT department will improve.

 Optimization features improve hardware efficiency. Greater throughput can be achieved

without changes in hardware, allowing clients to postpone or bypass planned hardware
upgrades.

 Automation of routine tasks gives IT professionals more time to focus on productive work,
improving morale and reducing labor costs.

The CA Technologies advantage

CA Dynam/T for z/VSE provides comprehensive tape management for your z/VSE environment
and is part of an extensive solution set from CA Technologies that provides security, automation,
performance management, scheduling, storage management, database technology, application
development and reporting for the z/VSE platform. These solutions help you manage, protect
and optimize your z/VSE systems with maximum efficiency.

z/VSE is built on a proud heritage of ongoing refinement and innovation that spans four decades.
CA Technologies is committed to protecting and extending your z/VSE investment by continuing
to develop and enhance our z/VSE solutions. CA Technologies has 30 years of recognized
expertise in robust, reliable, scalable, and secure enterprise-class management software for
multiple IT environments — from mainframe and distributed, to virtual and cloud. The majority
of the Global Fortune 500 rely on CA Technologies to manage their evolving IT ecosystems. For
additional information, visit CA Technologies at ca.com.

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to their respective companies. DB2, IMS, CICS, COBOL, PL/I and z/OS are trademarks of International Business Machines
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assumes no responsibility for the accuracy or completeness of the information. To the extent permitted by applicable law,
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merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, or non-infringement. In no event will CA be liable for any loss or damage,
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direct or indirect, from the use of this document, including, without limitation, lost profits, business interruption, goodwill
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