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 Front cover

ABCs of z/OS System

Programming
Volume 3
DFSMS, Data set basics, SMS

Storage management software

and hardware

Catalogs, VSAM, DFSMStvs

Paul Rogers
Redelf Janssen
Andre Otto
Rita Pleus
Alvaro Salla
Valeria Sokal

ibm.com/redbooks
International Technical Support Organization

ABCs of z/OS System Programming Volume 3

March 2010

SG24-6983-03
 Note: Before using this information and the product it supports, read the information in “Notices” on
page ix.

Fourth Edition (March 2010)

This edition applies to Version 1 Release 11 of z/OS (5694-A01) and to subsequent releases and
modifications until otherwise indicated in new editions.

© Copyright International Business Machines Corporation 2010. All rights reserved.

Note to U.S. Government Users Restricted Rights -- Use, duplication or disclosure restricted by GSA ADP Schedule
Contract with IBM Corp.
Contents

Notices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ix
Trademarks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .x

Preface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xi
The team who wrote this book . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xi
Now you can become a published author, too! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xii
Comments welcome. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xii
Stay connected to IBM Redbooks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xiii

Chapter 1. DFSMS introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

1.1 Introduction to DFSMS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
1.2 Data facility storage management subsystem . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
1.3 DFSMSdfp component . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
1.4 DFSMSdss component . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
1.5 DFSMSrmm component . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
1.6 DFSMShsm component . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
1.7 DFSMStvs component . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

Chapter 2. Data set basics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

2.1 Data sets on storage devices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
2.2 Data set name rules . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
2.3 DFSMSdfp data set types . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
2.4 Types of VSAM data sets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
2.5 Non-VSAM data sets. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
2.6 Extended-format data sets and objects. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
2.7 Data set striping . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
2.8 Data set striping with z/OS V1R11 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
2.9 Large format data sets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
2.10 Large format data sets and TSO . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
2.11 IGDSMSxx parmlib member support . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
2.12 z/OS UNIX files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
2.13 Data set specifications for non-VSAM data sets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
2.14 Locating an existing data set. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
2.15 Uncataloged and cataloged data sets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
2.16 Volume table of contents (VTOC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
2.17 VTOC and DSCBs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
2.18 VTOC index structure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
2.19 Initializing a volume using ICKDSF . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50

Chapter 3. Extended access volumes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53

3.1 Traditional DASD capacity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
3.2 Large volumes before z/OS V1R10 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
3.3 zArchitecture data scalability. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
3.4 WLM controlling PAVs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60
3.5 Parallel Access Volumes (PAVs) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62
3.6 HyperPAV feature for DS8000 series . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64
3.7 HyperPAV implementation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65
3.8 Device type 3390 and 3390 Model A . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67
3.9 Extended access volumes (EAV) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69

© Copyright IBM Corp. 2010. All rights reserved. iii

 3.10 Data sets eligible for EAV volumes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71
3.11 EAV volumes and multicylinder units . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73
3.12 Dynamic volume expansion (DVE) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75
3.13 Using dynamic volume expansion. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76
3.14 Command-line interface (DSCLI) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77
3.15 Using Web browser GUI . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78
3.16 Select volume to increase capacity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79
3.17 Increase capacity of volumes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80
3.18 Select capacity increase for volume . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81
3.19 Final capacity increase for volume . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82
3.20 VTOC index with EAV volumes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83
3.21 Device Support FACILITY (ICKDSF) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85
3.22 Update VTOC after volume expansion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87
3.23 Automatic VTOC index rebuild - z/OS V1R11. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89
3.24 Automatic VTOC rebuild with DEVMAN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91
3.25 EAV and IGDSMSxx parmlib member . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93
3.26 IGDSMSxx member BreakPointValue . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95
3.27 New EATTR attribute in z/OS V1R11 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97
3.28 EATTR parameter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99
3.29 EATTR JCL DD statement example . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101
3.30 Migration assistance tracker . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102
3.31 Migration tracker commands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104

Chapter 4. Storage management software . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107

4.1 Overview of DFSMSdfp utilities. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108
4.2 IEBCOMPR utility . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110
4.3 IEBCOPY utility . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112
4.4 IEBCOPY: Copy operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114
4.5 IEBCOPY: Compress operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 116
4.6 IEBGENER utility . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117
4.7 IEBGENER: Adding members to a PDS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119
4.8 IEBGENER: Copying data to tape . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120
4.9 IEHLIST utility . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121
4.10 IEHLIST LISTVTOC output . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 122
4.11 IEHINITT utility . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 123
4.12 IEFBR14 utility . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125
4.13 DFSMSdfp access methods . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 126
4.14 Access method services (IDCAMS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 129
4.15 IDCAMS functional commands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131
4.16 AMS modal commands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 133
4.17 DFSMS Data Collection Facility (DCOLLECT) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 135
4.18 Generation data group (GDG). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 137
4.19 Defining a generation data group . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 139
4.20 Absolute generation and version numbers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 141
4.21 Relative generation numbers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 142
4.22 Partitioned organized (PO) data sets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 143
4.23 PDS data set organization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 144
4.24 Partitioned data set extended (PDSE) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 146
4.25 PDSE enhancements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 148
4.26 PDSE: Conversion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 150
4.27 Program objects in a PDSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 152
4.28 Sequential access methods . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 154
4.29 z/OS V1R9 QSAM - BSAM enhancements. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 156

iv ABCs of z/OS System Programming Volume 3

4.30 Virtual storage access method (VSAM) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 158
4.31 VSAM terminology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 160
4.32 VSAM: Control interval (CI) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 162
4.33 VSAM data set components . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 164
4.34 VSAM key sequenced cluster (KSDS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 166
4.35 VSAM: Processing a KSDS cluster . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 167
4.36 VSAM entry sequenced data set (ESDS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 169
4.37 VSAM: Typical ESDS processing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 170
4.38 VSAM relative record data set (RRDS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 171
4.39 VSAM: Typical RRDS processing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 172
4.40 VSAM linear data set (LDS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 173
4.41 VSAM: Data-in-virtual (DIV) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 174
4.42 VSAM: Mapping a linear data set . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 175
4.43 VSAM resource pool . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 176
4.44 VSAM: Buffering modes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 177
4.45 VSAM: System-managed buffering (SMB) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 179
4.46 VSAM buffering enhancements with z/OS V1R9 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 181
4.47 VSAM SMB enhancement with z/OS V1R11 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 184
4.48 VSAM enhancements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 186
4.49 Data set separation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 187
4.50 Data set separation syntax . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 188
4.51 Data facility sort (DFSORT) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 190
4.52 z/OS Network File System (z/OS NFS). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 192
4.53 DFSMS optimizer (DFSMSopt) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 194
4.54 Data Set Services (DFSMSdss) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 196
4.55 DFSMSdss: Physical and logical processing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 198
4.56 DFSMSdss: Logical processing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 199
4.57 DFSMSdss: Physical processing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 201
4.58 DFSMSdss stand-alone services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 203
4.59 Hierarchical Storage Manager (DFSMShsm) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 204
4.60 DFSMShsm: Availability management . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 205
4.61 DFSMShsm: Space management. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 207
4.62 DFSMShsm: Storage device hierarchy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 209
4.63 ML1 enhancements with z/OS V1R11 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 211
4.64 DFSMShsm z/OS V1R11 enhancements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 213
4.65 ML1 and ML2 volumes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 215
4.66 Data set allocation format and volume pool determination . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 217
4.67 DFSMShsm volume types. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 219
4.68 DFSMShsm: Automatic space management . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 221
4.69 DFSMShsm data set attributes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 223
4.70 RETAINDAYS keyword . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 225
4.71 RETAINDAYS keyword . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 227
4.72 DFSMShsm: Recall processing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 229
4.73 Removable media manager (DFSMSrmm) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 231
4.74 Libraries and locations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 233
4.75 What DFSMSrmm can manage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 234
4.76 Managing libraries and storage locations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 237

Chapter 5. System-managed storage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 239

5.1 Storage management . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 240
5.2 DFSMS and DFSMS environment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 241
5.3 Goals and benefits of system-managed storage. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 242
5.4 Service level objectives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 245

Contents v
 5.5 Implementing SMS policies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 247
5.6 Monitoring SMS policies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 249
5.7 Assigning data to be system-managed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 250
5.8 Using data classes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 251
5.9 Using storage classes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 253
5.10 Using management classes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 255
5.11 Management class functions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 257
5.12 Using storage groups . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 258
5.13 Using aggregate backup and recovery support (ABARS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 260
5.14 Automatic Class Selection (ACS) routines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 262
5.15 SMS configuration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 264
5.16 SMS control data sets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 266
5.17 Implementing DFSMS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 268
5.18 Steps to activate a minimal SMS configuration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 269
5.19 Allocating SMS control data sets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 271
5.20 Defining the SMS base configuration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 273
5.21 Creating ACS routines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 276
5.22 DFSMS setup for z/OS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 278
5.23 Starting SMS and activating a new configuration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 280
5.24 Control SMS processing with operator commands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 282
5.25 Displaying the SMS configuration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 284
5.26 Managing data with a minimal SMS configuration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 285
5.27 Device-independence space allocation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 287
5.28 Developing naming conventions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 289
5.29 Setting the low-level qualifier (LLQ) standards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 291
5.30 Establishing installation standards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 292
5.31 Planning and defining data classes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 293
5.32 Data class attributes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 294
5.33 Use data class ACS routine to enforce standards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 295
5.34 Simplifying JCL use. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 296
5.35 Allocating a data set . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 297
5.36 Creating a VSAM cluster . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 299
5.37 Retention period and expiration date . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 301
5.38 SMS PDSE support. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 302
5.39 Selecting data sets to allocate as PDSEs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 303
5.40 Allocating new PDSEs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 304
5.41 System-managed data types . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 305
5.42 Data types that cannot be system-managed. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 307
5.43 Interactive Storage Management Facility (ISMF) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 309
5.44 ISMF: Product relationships . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 310
5.45 ISMF: What you can do with ISMF . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 312
5.46 ISMF: Accessing ISMF . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 314
5.47 ISMF: Profile option. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 315
5.48 ISMF: Obtaining information about a panel field . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 316
5.49 ISMF: Data set option . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 318
5.50 ISMF: Volume Option . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 319
5.51 ISMF: Management Class option . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 320
5.52 ISMF: Data Class option . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 321
5.53 ISMF: Storage Class option . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 322
5.54 ISMF: List option . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 323

Chapter 6. Catalogs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 325

6.1 Catalogs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 326

vi ABCs of z/OS System Programming Volume 3

6.2 The basic catalog structure (BCS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 328
6.3 The VSAM volume data set (VVDS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 330
6.4 Catalogs by function . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 332
6.5 Using aliases . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 335
6.6 Catalog search order. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 337
6.7 Defining a catalog and its aliases . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 339
6.8 Using multiple catalogs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 342
6.9 Sharing catalogs across systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 343
6.10 Listing a catalog . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 345
6.11 Defining and deleting data sets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 347
6.12 DELETE command enhancement with z/OS V1R11 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 351
6.13 Backup procedures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 353
6.14 Recovery procedures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 355
6.15 Checking the integrity on an ICF structure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 357
6.16 Protecting catalogs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 359
6.17 Merging catalogs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 361
6.18 Splitting a catalog . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 363
6.19 Catalog performance. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 365
6.20 F CATALOG,REPORT,PERFORMANCE command . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 367
6.21 Catalog address space (CAS). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 369
6.22 Working with the catalog address space. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 371
6.23 Fixing temporary catalog problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 373
6.24 Enhanced catalog sharing. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 375

Chapter 7. DFSMS Transactional VSAM Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 377

7.1 VSAM share options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 378
7.2 Base VSAM buffering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 380
7.3 Base VSAM locking. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 382
7.4 CICS function shipping before VSAM RLS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 383
7.5 VSAM record-level sharing introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 384
7.6 VSAM RLS overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 385
7.7 Data set sharing under VSAM RLS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 387
7.8 Buffering under VSAM RLS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 388
7.9 VSAM RLS locking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 390
7.10 VSAM RLS/CICS data set recovery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 392
7.11 Transactional recovery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 394
7.12 The batch window problem . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 395
7.13 VSAM RLS implementation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 396
7.14 Coupling Facility structures for RLS sharing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 397
7.15 Update PARMLIB with VSAM RLS parameters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 400
7.16 Define sharing control data sets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 402
7.17 Update SMS configuration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 405
7.18 Update data sets with log parameters. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 408
7.19 The SMSVSAM address space. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 410
7.20 Interacting with VSAM RLS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 412
7.21 Backup and recovery of CICS VSAM data sets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 415
7.22 Interpreting RLSDATA in an IDCAMS LISTCAT output . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 417
7.23 DFSMStvs introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 419
7.24 Overview of DFSMStvs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 421
7.25 DFSMStvs use of z/OS RRMS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 423
7.26 Atomic updates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 425
7.27 Unit of work and unit of recovery. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 426
7.28 DFSMStvs logging . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 427

Contents vii
 7.29 Accessing a data set with DFSMStvs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 429
7.30 Application considerations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 430
7.31 DFSMStvs logging implementation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 432
7.32 Prepare for logging . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 433
7.33 Update PARMLIB with DFSMStvs parameters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 436
7.34 The DFSMStvs instance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 438
7.35 Interacting with DFSMStvs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 439
7.36 Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 442

Chapter 8. Storage management hardware . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 445

8.1 Overview of DASD types. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 446
8.2 Redundant array of independent disks (RAID) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 448
8.3 Seascape architecture . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 450
8.4 Enterprise Storage Server (ESS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 453
8.5 ESS universal access . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 455
8.6 ESS major components . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 456
8.7 ESS host adapters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 457
8.8 FICON host adapters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 458
8.9 ESS disks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 460
8.10 ESS device adapters. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 462
8.11 SSA loops . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 464
8.12 RAID-10 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 466
8.13 Storage balancing with RAID-10 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 468
8.14 ESS copy services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 469
8.15 ESS performance features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 472
8.16 IBM TotalStorage DS6000 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 474
8.17 IBM TotalStorage DS8000 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 477
8.18 DS8000 hardware overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 479
8.19 Storage systems LPARs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 481
8.20 IBM TotalStorage Resiliency Family . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 483
8.21 TotalStorage Expert product highlights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 485
8.22 Introduction to tape processing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 487
8.23 SL and NL format . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 489
8.24 Tape capacity - tape mount management. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 491
8.25 TotalStorage Enterprise Tape Drive 3592 Model J1A. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 493
8.26 IBM TotalStorage Enterprise Automated Tape Library 3494 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 495
8.27 Introduction to Virtual Tape Server (VTS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 497
8.28 IBM TotalStorage Peer-to-Peer VTS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 499
8.29 Storage area network (SAN) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 501

Related publications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 503

IBM Redbooks publications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 503
Other publications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 503
Online resources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 504
How to get IBM Redbooks publications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 504
Help from IBM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 504

viii ABCs of z/OS System Programming Volume 3

Notices

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© Copyright IBM Corp. 2010. All rights reserved. ix

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x ABCs of z/OS System Programming Volume 3

Preface

The ABCs of z/OS® System Programming is a thirteen-volume collection that provides an

introduction to the z/OS operating system and the hardware architecture. Whether you are a
beginner or an experienced system programmer, the ABCs collection provides the
information that you need to start your research into z/OS and related subjects. The ABCs
collection serves as a powerful technical tool to help you become more familiar with z/OS in
your current environment, or to help you evaluate platforms to consolidate your e-business
applications.

This edition is updated to z/OS Version 1 Release 1.

The contents of the volumes are:

Volume 1: Introduction to z/OS and storage concepts, TSO/E, ISPF, JCL, SDSF, and z/OS
delivery and installation

Volume 2: z/OS implementation and daily maintenance, defining subsystems, JES2 and
JES3, LPA, LNKLST, authorized libraries, Language Environment®, and SMP/E

Volume 3: Introduction to DFSMS, data set basics, storage management hardware and
software, VSAM, System-Managed Storage, catalogs, and DFSMStvs

Volume 4: Communication Server, TCP/IP and VTAM®

Volume 5: Base and Parallel Sysplex®, System Logger, Resource Recovery Services (RRS),
Global Resource Serialization (GRS), z/OS system operations, Automatic Restart
Management (ARM), Geographically Dispersed Parallel Sysplex™ (GPDS)

Volume 6: Introduction to security, RACF®, Digital certificates and PKI, Kerberos,

cryptography and z990 integrated cryptography, zSeries® firewall technologies, LDAP,
Enterprise Identity Mapping (EIM), and firewall technologies

Volume 7: Printing in a z/OS environment, Infoprint Server and Infoprint Central

Volume 8: An introduction to z/OS problem diagnosis

Volume 9: z/OS UNIX® System Services

Volume 10: Introduction to z/Architecture®, zSeries processor design, zSeries connectivity,

LPAR concepts, HCD, and HMC

Volume 11: Capacity planning, performance management, RMF, and SMF

Volume 12: WLM

Volume 13: JES3

The team who wrote this book

This book was produced by a team of specialists from around the world working at the
International Technical Support Organization, Poughkeepsie Center.

© Copyright IBM Corp. 2010. All rights reserved. xi

 Paul Rogers is a Consulting IT Specialist at the International Technical Support
Organization, Poughkeepsie Center and has worked for IBM® for more than 40 years. He
writes extensively and teaches IBM classes worldwide on various aspects of z/OS, JES3,
Infoprint Server, and z/OS UNIX. Before joining the ITSO 20 years ago, Paul worked in the
IBM Installation Support Center (ISC) in Greenford, England, providing OS/390® and JES
support for IBM EMEA and the Washington Systems Center in Gaithersburg, Maryland.

Redelf Janssen is an IT Architect in IBM Global Services ITS in IBM Germany. He holds a
degree in Computer Science from University of Bremen and joined IBM Germany in 1988. His
areas of expertise include IBM zSeries, z/OS and availability management. He has written
IBM Redbooks® publications on OS/390 Releases 3, 4, and 10, and z/OS Release 8.

Andre Otto is a z/OS DFSMS SW service specialist at the EMEA Backoffice team in
Germany. He has 12 years of experience in the DFSMS, VSAM and catalog components.
Andre holds a degree in Computer Science from the Dresden Professional Academy.

Rita Pleus is an IT Architect in IBM Global Services ITS in IBM Germany. She has 21 years
of IT experience in a variety of areas, including systems programming and operations
management. Before joining IBM in 2001, she worked for a German S/390® customer. Rita
holds a degree in Computer Science from the University of Applied Sciences in Dortmund.
Her areas of expertise include z/OS, its subsystems, and systems management.

Alvaro Salla is an IBM retiree who worked for IBM for more than 30 years in large systems.
He has co-authored many IBM Redbooks publications and spent many years teaching S/360
to S/390. He has a degree in Chemical Engineering from the University of Sao Paulo, Brazil.

Valeria Sokal is an MVS system programmer at an IBM customer. She has 16 years of
experience as a mainframe systems programmer.

The fourth edition was updated by Paul Rogers.

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Preface xiii
xiv ABCs of z/OS System Programming Volume 3
 1

Chapter 1. DFSMS introduction

This chapter gives a brief overview of the Data Facility Storage Management Subsystem
(DFSMS) and its primary functions in the z/OS operating system. DFSMS comprises a suite
of related data and storage management products for the z/OS system. DFSMS is now an
integral element of the z/OS operating system.

DFSMS is an operating environment that helps automate and centralize the management of
storage based on the policies that your installation defines for availability, performance,
space, and security.

The heart of DFSMS is the Storage Management Subsystem (SMS). Using SMS, the storage
administrator defines policies that automate the management of storage and hardware
devices. These policies describe data allocation characteristics, performance and availability
goals, backup and retention requirements, and storage requirements for the system.

DFSMS is an exclusive element of the z/OS operating system and is a software suite that
automatically manages data from creation to expiration.

DFSMSdfp is a base element of z/OS. DFSMSdfp is automatically included with z/OS.

DFSMSdfp performs the essential data, storage, and device management functions of the
system. DFSMSdfp and DFSMShsm provide disaster recovery functions such as Advanced
Copy Services and aggregate backup and recovery support (ABARS).

The other elements of DFSMS—DFSMSdss, DFSMShsm, DFSMSrmm, and

DFSMStvs—are optional features that complement DFSMSdfp to provide a fully integrated
approach to data and storage management. In a system-managed storage environment,
DFSMS automates and centralizes storage management based on the policies that your
installation defines for availability, performance, space, and security. With the optional
features enabled, you can take full advantage of all the functions that DFSMS offers.

© Copyright IBM Corp. 2010. All rights reserved. 1

1.1 Introduction to DFSMS

IBM 3494

Tape Library dsname.f.data Tape

Data Set
DASD
System Programmer

Figure 1-1 Introduction to data management

Understanding DFSMS
Data management is the part of the operating system that organizes, identifies, stores,
catalogs, and retrieves all the data information (including programs) that your installation
uses. DFSMS is an exclusive element of the z/OS operating system. DFSMS is a software
suite that automatically manages data from creation to expiration.

DFSMSdfp helps you store and catalog information about DASD, optical, and tape devices so
that it can be quickly identified and retrieved from the system. DFSMSdfp provides access to
both record- and stream-oriented data in the z/OS environment. The z/OS operating system
enables you to efficiently manage e-business workloads and enterprise transactions 24 hours
a day. DFSMSdfp is automatically included with z/OS. It performs the essential data, storage,
and device management functions of the system.

Systems programmer
As a systems programmer, you can use DFSMS data management to:
򐂰 Allocate space on DASD and optical volumes
򐂰 Automatically locate cataloged data sets
򐂰 Control access to data
򐂰 Transfer data between the application program and the medium
򐂰 Mount magnetic tape volumes in the drive

2 ABCs of z/OS System Programming Volume 3

1.2 Data facility storage management subsystem

NFS

IBM workstations
IBM System z

dfp
tvs NFS
Storage dss DFSMS
Hierarchy
rmm
hsm

P690

Figure 1-2 Data Facility Storage Management Subsystem

DFSMS components
DFSMS is an exclusive element of the z/OS operating system. DFSMS is a software suite
that automatically manages data from creation to expiration. The following elements comprise
DFSMS:
򐂰 DFSMSdfp, a base element of z/OS
򐂰 DFSMSdss, an optional feature of z/OS
򐂰 DFSMShsm, an optional feature of z/OS
򐂰 DFSMSrmm, an optional feature of z/OS
򐂰 DFSMStvs, an optional feature of z/OS
DFSMSdfp Provides storage, data, program, and device management. It is comprised of
components such as access methods, OPEN/CLOSE/EOV routines, catalog
management, DADSM (DASD space control), utilities, IDCAMS, SMS, NFS,
ISMF, and other functions.
DFSMSdss Provides data movement, copy, backup, and space management functions.
DFSMShsm Provides backup, recovery, migration, and space management functions. It
invokes DFSMSdss for certain of its functions.
DFSMSrmm Provides management functions for removable media such as tape cartridges
and optical media.
DFSMStvs Enables batch jobs and CICS® online transactions to update shared VSAM
data sets concurrently.

Chapter 1. DFSMS introduction 3

 Network File System
The Network File System (NFS) is a distributed file system that enables users to access UNIX
files and directories that are located on remote computers as though they were local. NFS is
independent of machine types, operating systems, and network architectures.

Importance of DFSMS elements

The z/OS operating system enables you to efficiently manage e-business workloads and
enterprise transactions 24 hours a day. DFSMSdfp is automatically included with z/OS.
DFSMSdfp performs the essential data, storage, and device management functions of the
system. DFSMSdfp and DFSMShsm provide disaster recovery functions such as Advanced
Copy Services and aggregate backup and recovery support (ABARS).

The other elements of DFSMS—DFSMSdss, DFSMShsm, DFSMSrmm, and

DFSMStvs—complement DFSMSdfp to provide a fully-integrated approach to data and
storage management. In a system-managed storage environment, DFSMS automates and
centralizes storage management based on the policies that your installation defines for
availability, performance, space, and security. With these optional features enabled, you can
take full advantage of all the functions that DFSMS offers.

4 ABCs of z/OS System Programming Volume 3

1.3 DFSMSdfp component

DFSMSdfp provides the following functions:

Managing storage
Managing data
Using access methods, commands, and utilities
Managing devices
Tape mount management
Distributed data access
Advanced copy services
Object access method (OAM)

Figure 1-3 DFSMSdfp functions

DFSMSdfp component
DFSMSdfp provides storage, data, program, and device management. It is comprised of
components such as access methods, OPEN/CLOSE/EOV routines, catalog management,
DADSM (DASD space control), utilities, IDCAMS, SMS, NFS, ISMF, and other functions.

Managing storage
The storage management subsystem (SMS) is a DFSMSdfp facility designed for automating
and centralizing storage management. SMS automatically assigns attributes to new data
when that data is created. SMS automatically controls system storage and assigns data to
the appropriate storage device. ISMF panels allow you to specify these data attributes.

For more information about ISMF, see 5.43, “Interactive Storage Management Facility (ISMF)”
on page 309.

Managing data
DFSMSdfp organizes, identifies, stores, catalogs, shares, and retrieves all the data that your
installation uses. You can store data on DASD, magnetic tape volumes, or optical volumes.
Using data management, you can complete the following tasks:
򐂰 Allocate space on DASD and optical volumes
򐂰 Automatically locate cataloged data sets
򐂰 Control access to data
򐂰 Transfer data between the application program and the medium
򐂰 Mount magnetic tape volumes in the drive

Chapter 1. DFSMS introduction 5

 Using access methods, commands, and utilities
DFSMSdfp manages the organization and storage of data in the z/OS environment. You can
use access methods with macro instructions to organize and process a data set or object.
Access method services commands manage data sets, volumes, and catalogs. Utilities
perform tasks such as copying and moving data. You can use system commands to display
and set SMS configuration parameters, use DFSMSdfp callable services to write advanced
application programs, and use installation exits to customize DFSMS.

Managing devices with DFSMSdfp

You need to use the Hardware Configuration Definition (HCD) to define I/O devices to the
operating system, and to control these devices. DFSMS manages DASD, storage control
units, magnetic tape devices, optical devices, and printers. You can use DFSMS functions to
manage many device types, but most functions apply specifically to one type or one family of
devices.

Tape mount management

Tape mount management is a methodology for improving tape usage and reducing tape
costs. This methodology involves intercepting selected tape data set allocations through the
SMS automatic class selection (ACS) routines and redirecting them to a direct access storage
device (DASD) buffer. Once on DASD, you can migrate these data sets to a single tape or
small set of tapes, thereby reducing the overhead associated with multiple tape mounts.

Distributed data access with DFSMSdfp

In the distributed computing environment, applications must often access data residing on
other computers in a network. Often, the most effective data access services occur when
applications can access remote data as though it were local data.

Distributed FileManager/MVS is a DFSMSdfp client/server product that enables remote

clients in a network to access data on z/OS systems. Distributed FileManager/MVS provides
workstations with access to z/OS data. Users and applications on heterogeneous client
computers in your network can take advantage of system-managed storage on z/OS, data
sharing, and data security with RACF.

z/OS UNIX System Services (z/OS UNIX) provides the command interface that interactive
UNIX users can use. z/OS UNIX allows z/OS programs to directly access UNIX data.

Advanced copy services

Advanced copy services includes remote and point-in-time copy functions that provide
backup and recovery of data. When used before a disaster occurs, Advanced Copy Services
provides rapid backup of critical data with minimal impact to business applications. If a
disaster occurs to your data center, Advanced Copy Services provides rapid recovery of
critical data.

Object access method

Object access method (OAM) provides storage, retrieval, and storage hierarchy management
for objects. OAM also manages storage and retrieval for tape volumes that are contained in
system-managed libraries.

6 ABCs of z/OS System Programming Volume 3

1.4 DFSMSdss component

DFSMSdss provides the following functions:

Data movement and replication
Space management
Data backup and recovery
Data set and volume conversion
Distributed data management
FlashCopy feature with Enterprise Storage Server
(ESS)
SnapShot feature with RAMAC Virtual Array (RVA)

Concurrent copy
Figure 1-4 DFSMSdss functions

DFSMSdss component
DFSMSdss is the primary data mover for DFSMS. DFSMSdss copies and moves data to help
manage storage, data, and space more efficiently. It can efficiently move multiple data sets
from old to new DASD. The data movement capability that is provided by DFSMSdss is useful
for many other operations, as well. You can use DFSMSdss to perform the following tasks.

Data movement and replication

DFSMSdss lets you move or copy data between volumes of like and unlike device types. If
you create a backup in DFSMSdss, you can copy a backup copy of data. DFSMSdss also can
produce multiple backup copies during a dump operation.

Space management
DFSMSdss can reduce or eliminate DASD free-space fragmentation.

Data backup and recovery

DFSMSdss provides you with host system backup and recovery functions at both the data set
and volume levels. It also includes a stand-alone restore program that you can run without a
host operating system.

Data set and volume conversion

DFSMSdss can convert your data sets and volumes to system-managed storage. It can also
return your data to a non-system-managed state as part of a recovery procedure.

Chapter 1. DFSMS introduction 7

 Distributed data management
DFSMSdss saves distributed data management (DDM) attributes that are associated with a
specific data set and preserves those attributes during copy and move operations.
DFSMSdss also offers the FlashCopy® feature with Enterprise Storage Server® (ESS) and
the SnapShot feature with RAMAC Virtual Array (RVA). FlashCopy and SnapShot function
automatically, work much faster than traditional data movement methods, and are well-suited
for handling large amounts of data.

Concurrent copy
When it is used with supporting hardware, DFSMSdss also provides concurrent copy
capability. Concurrent copy lets you copy or back up data while that data is being used. The
user or application program determines when to start the processing, and the data is copied
as though no updates have occurred.

8 ABCs of z/OS System Programming Volume 3

1.5 DFSMSrmm component

DFSMSdmm provides the following functions:

Library management
Shelf management
Volume management
Data set management

Figure 1-5 DFSMSrmm functions

DFSMSrmm component
DFSMSrmm manages your removable media resources, including tape cartridges and reels.
It provides the following functions.

Library management
You can create tape libraries, or collections of tape media associated with tape drives, to
balance the work of your tape drives and help the operators that use them.

DFSMSrmm can manage the following devices:

򐂰 A removable media library, which incorporates all other libraries, such as:
– System-managed manual tape libraries.
– System-managed automated tape libraries. Examples of automated tape libraries
include:
• IBM TotalStorage®
• Enterprise Automated Tape Library (3494)
• IBM TotalStorage Virtual Tape Servers (VTS)
򐂰 Non-system-managed or traditional tape libraries, including automated libraries such as a
library under Basic Tape Library Support (BTLS) control.

Chapter 1. DFSMS introduction 9

 Shelf management
DFSMSrmm groups information about removable media by shelves into a central online
inventory, and keeps track of the volumes residing on those shelves. DFSMSrmm can
manage the shelf space that you define in your removable media library and in your storage
locations.

Volume management
DFSMSrmm manages the movement and retention of tape volumes throughout their life
cycle.

Data set management

DFSMSrmm records information about the data sets on tape volumes. DFSMSrmm uses the
data set information to validate volumes and to control the retention and movement of those
data sets.

10 ABCs of z/OS System Programming Volume 3

1.6 DFSMShsm component

DFSMShsm provides the following functions:

Storage management

Space management

Tape mount management

Availability management

Figure 1-6 DFSMShsm functions

DFSMShsm component
DFSMShsm complements DFSMSdss to provide the following functions.

Storage management
DFSMShsm provides automatic DASD storage management, thus relieving users from
manual storage management tasks.

Space management
DFSMShsm improves DASD space usage by keeping only active data on fast-access storage
devices. It automatically frees space on user volumes by deleting eligible data sets, releasing
overallocated space, and moving low-activity data to lower cost-per-byte devices, even if the
job did not request tape.

Tape mount management

DFSMShsm can write multiple output data sets to a single tape, making it a useful tool for
implementing tape mount management under SMS. When you redirect tape data set
allocations to DASD, DFSMShsm can move those data sets to tape, as a group, during
interval migration. This methodology greatly reduces the number of tape mounts on the
system. DFSMShsm uses a single-file format, which improves your tape usage and search
capabilities.

Chapter 1. DFSMS introduction 11

 Availability management
DFSMShsm backs up your data, automatically or by command, to ensure availability if
accidental loss of the data sets or physical loss of volumes occurs. DFSMShsm also allows
the storage administrator to copy backup and migration tapes, and to specify that copies be
made in parallel with the original. You can store the copies onsite as protection from media
damage, or offsite as protection from site damage. DFSMShsm also provides disaster backup
and recovery for user-defined groups of data sets (aggregates) so that you can restore critical
applications at the same location or at an offsite location.

Attention: You must also have DFSMSdss to use the DFSMShsm functions.

12 ABCs of z/OS System Programming Volume 3

1.7 DFSMStvs component

Provide transactional recovery within VSAM

RLS allows batch sharing of recoverable data sets
for read
RLS provides locking and buffer coherency
CICS provides logging and two-phase commit
protocols
Transactional VSAM allows batch sharing of
recoverable data sets for update
Logging provided using the System Logger
Two-phase commit and backout using Recoverable
Resource Management Services (RRMS)

Figure 1-7 DFSMStvs functions

DFSMStvs component
DFSMS Transactional VSAM Services (DFSMStvs) allows you to share VSAM data sets
across CICS, batch, and object-oriented applications on z/OS or distributed systems.
DFSMStvs enables concurrent shared updates of recoverable VSAM data sets by CICS
transactions and multiple batch applications. DFSMStvs enables 24-hour availability of CICS
and batch applications.

VSAM record-level sharing (RLS)

With VSAM RLS, multiple CICS systems can directly access a shared VSAM data set,
eliminating the need to ship functions between the application-owning regions and file-owning
regions. CICS provides the logging, commit, and backout functions for VSAM recoverable
data sets. VSAM RLS provides record-level serialization and cross-system caching. CICSVR
provides a forward recovery utility.

DFSMStvs is built on top of VSAM record-level sharing (RLS), which permits sharing of
recoverable VSAM data sets at the record level. Different applications often need to share
VSAM data sets. Sometimes the applications need only to read the data set. Sometimes an
application needs to update a data set while other applications are reading it. The most
complex case of sharing a VSAM data set is when multiple applications need to update the
data set and all require complete data integrity.

Transaction processing provides functions that coordinate work flow and the processing of
individual tasks for the same data sets. VSAM record-level sharing and DFSMStvs provide

Chapter 1. DFSMS introduction 13

 key functions that enable multiple batch update jobs to run concurrently with CICS access to
the same data sets, while maintaining integrity and recoverability.

Recoverable resource management services (RRMS)

RRMS is part of the operating system and comprises registration services, context services,
and recoverable resource services (RRS). RRMS provides the context and unit of recovery
management under which DFSMStvs participates as a recoverable resource manager.

14 ABCs of z/OS System Programming Volume 3

 2

Chapter 2. Data set basics

A data set is a collection of logically related data; it can be a source program, a library of
macros, or a file of data records used by a processing program. Data records (also called
logical records) are the basic unit of information used by a processing program. By placing
your data into volumes of organized data sets, you can save and process the data efficiently.
You can also print the contents of a data set, or display the contents on a terminal.

You can store data on secondary storage devices, such as:

򐂰 A direct access storage device (DASD)
The term DASD applies to disks or to a large amount of magnetic storage media on which
a computer stores data. A volume is a standard unit of secondary storage. You can store
all types of data sets on DASD.
Each block of data on a DASD volume has a distinct location and a unique address, thus
making it possible to find any record without extensive searching. You can store and
retrieve records either directly or sequentially. Use DASD volumes for storing data and
executable programs, including the operating system itself, and for temporary working
storage. You can use one DASD volume for many separate data sets, and reallocate or
reuse space on the volume.
򐂰 A magnetic tape volume
Only sequential data sets can be stored on magnetic tape. Mountable tape volumes can
reside in an automated tape library. For information about magnetic tape volumes, see
z/OS DFSMS: Using Magnetic Tapes, SC26-7412. You can also direct a sequential data
set to or from spool, a UNIX file, a TSO/E terminal, a unit record device, virtual I/O (VIO),
or a dummy data set.

The Storage Management Subsystem (SMS) is an operating environment that automates the
management of storage. Storage management uses the values provided at allocation time to
determine, for example, on which volume to place your data set, and how many tracks to
allocate for it. Storage management also manages tape data sets on mountable volumes that
reside in an automated tape library. With SMS, users can allocate data sets more easily.

The data sets allocated through SMS are called system-managed data sets or SMS-managed
data sets.

© Copyright IBM Corp. 2010. All rights reserved. 15

 An access method is a DFSMSdfp component that defines the technique that is used to store
and retrieve data. Access methods have their own data set structures to organize data,
macros to define and process data sets, and utility programs to process data sets.

Access methods are identified primarily by the way that they organize the data in the data set.
For example, use the basic sequential access method (BSAM) or queued sequential access
method (QSAM) with sequential data sets. However, there are times when an access method
identified with one organization can be used to process a data set organized in another
manner. For example, a sequential data set (not extended-format data set) created using
BSAM can be processed by the basic direct access method (BDAM), and vice versa. Another
example is UNIX files, which you can process using BSAM, QSAM, basic partitioned access
method (BPAM), or virtual storage access method (VSAM).

This chapter describes various data set basics:

򐂰 Data set name rules
򐂰 Data set characteristics
򐂰 Locating a data set
򐂰 Volume table of contents (VTOC)
򐂰 Initializing a volume

16 ABCs of z/OS System Programming Volume 3

2.1 Data sets on storage devices

DASD volume Tape volume

DATASET.SEQ1
DATASET.SEQ DATASET.SEQ2
DATASET.PDS DATASET.SEQ3
DATASET.VSAM

VOLSER=DASD01 VOLSER=SL0001

Figure 2-1 Data sets on volumes

MVS data sets

An MVS data set is a collection of logically related data records stored on one volume or a set
of volumes. A data set can be, for example, a source program, a library of macros, or a file of
data records used by a processing program. You can print a data set or display it on a
terminal. The logical record is the basic unit of information used by a processing program.

Note: As an exception, the z/OS UNIX services component supports Hierarchical File
System (HFS) data sets, where the collection is of bytes and there is not the concept of
logically related data records.

Storage devices
Data can be stored on a magnetic direct access storage device (DASD), magnetic tape
volume, or optical media. As mentioned previously, the term DASD applies to disks or
simulated equivalents of disks. All types of data sets can be stored on DASD, but only
sequential data sets can be stored on magnetic tape. The types of data sets are described in
2.3, “DFSMSdfp data set types” on page 20.

DASD volumes
Each block of data on a DASD volume has a distinct location and a unique address, making it
possible to find any record without extensive searching. You can store and retrieve records
either directly or sequentially. Use DASD volumes for storing data and executable programs,

Chapter 2. Data set basics 17

 including the operating system itself, and for temporary working storage. You can use one
DASD volume for many separate data sets, and reallocate or reuse space on the volume.

The following sections discuss the logical attributes of a data set, which are specified at data
set creation time in:
򐂰 DCB/ACB control blocks in the application program
򐂰 DD cards (explicitly, or through the Data Class (DC) option with DFSMS)
򐂰 In an ACS Data Class (DC) routine (overridden by a DD card)

After the creation, such attributes are kept in catalogs and VTOCs.

18 ABCs of z/OS System Programming Volume 3

2.2 Data set name rules

HARRY.FILE.EXAMPLE.DATA

1º 2º 3º 4º

HLQ LLQ

Figure 2-2 Data set name rules

Data set naming rules

Whenever you allocate a new data set, you (or MVS) must give the data set a unique name.
Usually, the data set name is given as the DSNAME keyword in JCL.

A data set name can be one name segment, or a series of joined name segments. Each
name segment represents a level of qualification. For example, the data set name
HARRY.FILE.EXAMPLE.DATA is composed of four name segments. The first name on the left
is called the high-level qualifier (HLQ), the last name on the right is the lowest-level qualifier
(LLQ).

Each name segment (qualifier) is 1 to 8 characters, the first of which must be alphabetic (A to
Z) or national (# @ $). The remaining seven characters are either alphabetic, numeric (0 - 9),
national, a hyphen (-). Name segments are separated by a period (.).

Note: Including all name segments and periods, the length of the data set name must not
exceed 44 characters. Thus, a maximum of 22 name segments can make up a data set
name.

Chapter 2. Data set basics 19

2.3 DFSMSdfp data set types

Data set types supported

VSAM data sets
Non-VSAM data sets
Extended-format data sets
Large format data sets
Basic format data sets
Objects
z/OS UNIX files
Virtual input/output data sets

Figure 2-3 DFSMSdfp data set types supported

DFSMSdfp data set types

The data organization that you choose depends on your applications and the operating
environment. z/OS allows you to use temporary or permanent data sets, and to use several
ways to organize files for data to be stored on magnetic media, as described here.

VSAM data sets

VSAM data sets are formatted differently than non-VSAM data sets. Except for linear data
sets, VSAM data sets are collections of records, grouped into control intervals. The control
interval is a fixed area of storage space in which VSAM stores records. The control intervals
are grouped into contiguous areas of storage called control areas. To access VSAM data
sets, use the VSAM access method. See also 2.4, “Types of VSAM data sets” on page 22.

Non-VSAM data sets

Non-VSAM data sets are collections of fixed-length or variable-length records, grouped into
blocks, but not in control intervals. To access non-VSAM data sets, use BSAM, QSAM, or
BPAM. See also 2.5, “Non-VSAM data sets” on page 23.

Extended-format data sets

You can create both sequential and VSAM data sets in extended format on system-managed
DASD; this implies a 32-bye suffix at each physical record. See also 2.6, “Extended-format
data sets and objects” on page 25.

20 ABCs of z/OS System Programming Volume 3

Large format data sets
Large format data sets are sequential data sets that can grow beyond the size limit of 65 535
tracks (4369 cylinders) per volume that applies to other sequential data sets. Large format
data sets can be system-managed or not. They can be accessed using QSAM, BSAM, or
EXCP.

Large format data sets reduce the need to use multiple volumes for single data sets,
especially very large ones such as spool data sets, dumps, logs, and traces. Unlike
extended-format data sets, which also support greater than 65 535 tracks per volume, large
format data sets are compatible with EXCP and do not need to be SMS-managed.

You can allocate a large format data set using the DSNTYPE=LARGE parameter on the DD
statement, dynamic allocation (SVC 99), TSO/E ALLOCATE, or the access method services
ALLOCATE command.

Basic format data sets

Basic format data sets are sequential data sets that are specified as neither extended-format
nor large-format. Basic format data sets have a size limit of 65 535 tracks (4369 cylinders) per
volume. They can be system-managed or not, and can be accessed using QSAM, BSAM, or
EXCP.

You can allocate a basic format data set using the DSNTYPE=BASIC parameter on the DD
statement, dynamic allocation (SVC 99), TSO/E ALLOCATE, or the access method services
ALLOCATE command, or the data class. If no DSNTYPE value is specified from any of these
sources, then its default is BASIC.

Objects
Objects are named streams of bytes that have no specific format or record orientation. Use
the object access method (OAM) to store, access, and manage object data. You can use any
type of data in an object because OAM does not recognize the content, format, or structure of
the data. For example, an object can be a scanned image of a document, an engineering
drawing, or a digital video. OAM objects are stored either on DASD in a DB2® database, or
on an optical drive, or on an optical or tape storage volume.

The storage administrator assigns objects to object storage groups and object backup
storage groups. The object storage groups direct the objects to specific DASD, optical, or tape
devices, depending on their performance requirements. You can have one primary copy of an
object and up to two backup copies of an object. A Parallel Sysplex allows you to access
objects from all instances of OAM and from optical hardware within the sysplex.

z/OS UNIX files

z/OS UNIX System Services (z/OS UNIX) enables applications and even z/OS to access
UNIX files. Also UNIX applications also can access z/OS data sets. You can use the
hierarchical file system (HFS), z/OS Network File System (z/OS NFS), zSeries File System
(zFS), and temporary file system (TFS) with z/OS UNIX. You can use the BSAM, QSAM,
BPAM, and VSAM access methods to access data in UNIX files and directories. z/OS UNIX
files are byte-oriented, similar to objects.

Chapter 2. Data set basics 21

2.4 Types of VSAM data sets

Types of VSAM data sets

Key-sequenced data set (KSDS)

Entry-sequenced data set (ESDS)

Relative-record data set (RRDS)

Variable relative-record data set (VRRDS)

Linear data set (LDS)

Figure 2-4 VSAM data set types

VSAM data sets

VSAM arranges records by an index key, by a relative byte address, or by a relative record
number. VSAM data sets are cataloged for easy retrieval.

Key-sequenced data set (KSDS)

A KSDS VSAM data set contains records in order by a key field and can be accessed by the
key or by a relative byte address. The key contains a unique value, such as an employee
number or part number.

Entry-sequenced data set (ESDS)

An ESDS VSAM data set contains records in the order in which they were entered and can
only be accessed by relative byte address. An ESDS is similar to a sequential data set.

Relative-record data set (RRDS)

An RRDS VSAM data set contains records in order by relative-record number and can only
be accessed by this number. Relative records can be fixed length or variable length. VRRDS
is a type of RRDS where the logical records can be variable.

Linear data set (LDS)

An LDS VSAM data set contains data that can be accessed as byte-addressable strings in
virtual storage. A linear data set does not have imbedded control information that other VSAM
data sets hold.

22 ABCs of z/OS System Programming Volume 3

2.5 Non-VSAM data sets

DSORG specifies the organization of the data set as:

Physical sequential (PS)
Partitioned (PO)
Direct (DA)
PO.DATA.SET
DIRECTORY A B SEQ.DATA.SET1
C
A B MEMBERS SEQ.DATA.SET2

Partitioned Organized
Physical Sequential
(PDS and PDSE)

Figure 2-5 Types of non-VSAM data sets

Data set organization (DSORG)

DSORG specifies the organization of the data set as physical sequential (PS), partitioned
(PO), or direct (DA). If the data set is processed using absolute rather than relative
addresses, you must mark it as unmovable by adding a U to the DSORG parameter (for
example, by coding DSORG=PSU). You must specify the data set organization in the DCB
macro. In addition:
򐂰 When creating a direct data set, the DSORG in the DCB macro must specify PS or PSU
and the DD statement must specify DA or DAU.
򐂰 PS is for sequential and extended format DSNTYPE.
򐂰 PO is the data set organization for both PDSEs and PDSs. DSNTYPE is used to
distinguish between PDSEs and PDSs.

Non-VSAM data sets

Non-VSAM data sets are collections of fixed-length or variable-length records grouped into
physical blocks (a set of logical records). To access non-VSAM data sets, an application can
use BSAM, QSAM, or BPAM. There are several types of non-VSAM data sets, as follows:

Physical sequential data set (PS)

Sequential data sets contain logical records that are stored in physical order. New records are
appended to the end of the data set. You can specify a sequential data set in extended format
or not.

Chapter 2. Data set basics 23

 Partitioned data set (PDS)
Partitioned data sets contain a directory of sequentially organized members, each of which
can contain a program or data. After opening the data set, you can retrieve any individual
member without searching the entire data set.

Partitioned data set extended (PDSE)

Partitioned data sets extended contain an indexed, expandable directory of sequentially
organized members, each of which can contain a program or data. You can use a PDSE
instead of a PDS. The main advantage of using a PDSE over a PDS is that a PDSE
automatically reclaims the space released by a previous member deletion, without the need
for a reorganization.

24 ABCs of z/OS System Programming Volume 3

2.6 Extended-format data sets and objects

An extended-format data set supports the following

options:

Compression

Data striping

Extended-addressability

Objects

Use object access method (OAM)

Storage administrator assigns objects

Figure 2-6 Types of extended-format data sets

Extended-format data sets

While sequential data sets have a maximum of 16 extents on each volume, extended-format
sequential data sets have a maximum of 123 extents on each volume. Each extended-format
sequential data set can have a maximum of 59 volumes, so an extended-format sequential
data set can have a maximum of 7257 extents (123 times 59).

An extended-format data set can occupy any number of tracks. On a volume that has more
than 65,535 tracks, a sequential data set cannot occupy more than 65,535 tracks.

An extended-format, striped sequential data set can contain up to 4 GB blocks. The maximum
size of each block is 32 760 bytes.

An extended-format data set supports the following additional functions:

򐂰 Compression, which reduces the space for storing data and improves I/O, caching, and
buffering performance.
򐂰 Data striping, which in a sequential processing environment distributes data for one data
set across multiple SMS-managed DASD volumes, improving I/O performance and
reducing the batch window. For example, a data set with 6 stripes is distributed originally
across 6 volumes.
Large data sets with high sequential I/O activity are the best candidates for striped data
sets. Data sets defined as extended-format sequential must be accessed using BSAM or
QSAM, and not EXCP (means no access method is used) or BDAM.

Chapter 2. Data set basics 25

 򐂰 Extended-addressability, which enables you to create a VSAM data set that is larger than
4 GB.

System-managed DASD
You can allocate both sequential and VSAM data sets in extended format on a
system-managed DASD. Extended-format VSAM data sets also allow you to release partial
unused space and to use system-managed buffering (SMB, a fast buffer pool management
technique) for VSAM batch programs. You can select whether to use the primary or
secondary space amount when extending VSAM data sets to multiple volumes.

Objects
Objects are named streams of bytes that have no specific format or record orientation. Use
the object access method (OAM) to store, access, and manage object data. You can use any
type of data in an object because OAM does not recognize the content, format, or structure of
the data. For example, an object can be a scanned image of a document, an engineering
drawing, or a digital video. OAM objects are stored either on DASD in a DB2 database, or on
an optical drive, or on a tape storage volume.

The storage administrator assigns objects to object storage groups and object backup
storage groups. The object storage groups direct the objects to specific DASD, optical, or tape
devices, depending on their performance requirements. You can have one primary copy of an
object, and up to two backup copies of an object.

26 ABCs of z/OS System Programming Volume 3

2.7 Data set striping

Striping is a software implementation that distributes

sequential data sets across multiple 3390 volumes

Data sets across multiple SMS-managed DASD volumes

Improves I/O performance

For example, a data set with 28 stripes is distributed

across 28 volumes and therefore 28 parallel I/Os

All striped data sets must be extended-format data sets

Physical sequential and VSAM data sets

Defining using data class and storage groups

Figure 2-7 Data set striping

Data striping
Sequential data striping can be used for physical sequential data sets that cause I/O
bottlenecks for critical applications. Sequential data striping uses extended-format sequential
data sets that SMS can allocate over multiple volumes, preferably on separate channel paths
and control units, to improve performance. These data sets must reside on 3390 volumes that
are located on the IBM DS8000®.

Sequential data striping can reduce the processing time required for long-running batch jobs
that process large, physical sequential data sets. Smaller sequential data sets can also
benefit because of DFSMS's improved buffer management for QSAM and BSAM access
methods for striped extended-format sequential data sets.

A stripe in DFSMS is the portion of a striped data set, such as an extended format data set,
that resides on one volume. The records in that portion are not always logically consecutive.
The system distributes records among the stripes such that the volumes can be read from or
written to simultaneously to gain better performance. Whether it is striped is not apparent to
the application program. Data striping distributes data for one data set across multiple
SMS-managed DASD volumes, which improves I/O performance and reduces the batch
window. For example, a data set with 28 stripes is distributed across 28 volumes.

Extended-format data sets

You can write striped extended-format sequential data sets with the maximum physical block
size for the data set plus control information required by the access method. The access

Chapter 2. Data set basics 27

 method writes data on the first volume selected until a track is filled. The next physical blocks
are written on the second volume selected until a track is filled, continuing until all volumes
selected have been used or no more data exists. Data is written again to selected volumes in
this way until the data set has been created. A maximum of 59 stripes can be allocated for a
data set. For striped data sets, the maximum number of extents on a volume is 123.

Physical sequential and VSAM data sets

The sustained data rate (SDR) has an effect only for extended-format data sets. Striping
allows you to spread data across DASD volumes and controllers. The number of stripes is the
number of volumes on which the data set is initially allocated. Striped data sets must be
system-managed and must be in an extended format. When no volumes that use striping are
available, the data set is allocated as nonstriped with EXT=P specified in the data class; the
allocation fails if EXT=R is specified in the data class.

Physical sequential data sets cannot be extended if none of the stripes can be extended. For
VSAM data sets, each stripe can be extended to an available candidate volume if extensions
fail on the current volume.

Data classes
Data class attributes define space and data characteristics of data sets that are normally
specified on JCL DD statements, TSO/E ALLOCATE commands, access method services
(IDCAMS) DEFINE commands, dynamic allocation requests, and ISPF/PDF panels. You can
use data class to allocate sequential and VSAM data sets in extended format for the benefits
of compression (sequential and VSAM KSDS), striping, and large data set sizes (VSAM).

Storage groups
SMS calculates the average preference weight of each storage group using the preference
weights of the volumes that will be selected if the storage group is selected for allocation.
Then, SMS selects the storage group that contains at least as many primary volumes as the
stripe count and has the highest average weight. If there are no storage groups that meet
these criteria, the storage group with the largest number of primary volumes is selected. If
multiple storage groups have the largest number of primary volumes, the one with the highest
average weight is selected. If there are still multiple storage groups that meet the selection
criteria, SMS selects one at random.

For striped data sets, ensure that there are a sufficient number of separate paths to DASD
volumes in the storage group to allow each stripe to be accessible through a separate path.
The maximum number of stripes for physical sequential (PS) data sets is 59. For VSAM data
sets, the maximum number of stripes is 16. Only sequential or VSAM data sets can be
striped.

28 ABCs of z/OS System Programming Volume 3

2.8 Data set striping with z/OS V1R11

Allow striping volume selection to support all current and

future volume preference attributes specified in SMS
constructs
Allow volumes that are above high allocation threshold to be
eligible for selection as secondary volumes
Prefer enabled volumes over quiesced volumes
Prefer normal storage groups over overflow storage groups
Support data set separation function
Support multi-tiered storage group function that honors
storage group sequence derived by ACS
Support availability, accessibility, PAV and other volume
preference attributes that are used in non-striping volume
selection

Figure 2-8 z/OS V1R11 improvements for data set striping

Striping volume selection

Striping volume selection is very similar to conventional volume selection. Volumes that are
eligible for selection are classified as primary and secondary, and assigned a volume
preference weight, based on preference attributes.

Note: This support is invoked when allocating a new striped data set. Volumes are ranked
by preference weight from each individual controller. This support selects the most
preferred storage group that meets or closely meets the target stripe count. This allows
selection from the most preferred volume from individual controllers to meet the stripe
count (try to spread stripes across controllers).

Automatically activate the fast volume selection function to avoid overutilizing system
resources.

High allocation threshold

With V1R11, volumes that have sufficient space for the allocation amount without exceeding
the storage group HIGH THRESHOLD value are eligible for selection as secondary volumes.
Volumes that do not meet all the criteria for the primary volume list are placed on the
secondary list. In z/OS V1R11, the SMS striping volume selection enhancement will try to
make striping allocation function for both VSAM and non-VSAM as close as possible to the
conventional volume selection.

Chapter 2. Data set basics 29

 SMS calculates the average preference weight of each storage group using the preference
weights of the volumes that will be selected if the storage group is selected for allocation.
Then, SMS selects the storage group that contains at least as many primary volumes as the
stripe count and has the highest average weight. If there are no storage groups that meet
these criteria, the storage group with the largest number of primary volumes is selected. If
multiple storage groups have the largest number of primary volumes, the one with the highest
average weight is selected. If there are still multiple storage groups that meet the selection
criteria, SMS selects one at random.

Storage group support

Normal storage groups are preferred over overflow storage groups. The storage group
sequence order as specified in the ACS storage group selection routines is supported when a
multi-tiered storage group is requested in the storage class.

After selecting a storage group, SMS selects volumes by their preference weight. Primary
volumes are preferred over secondary volumes because they have a higher preference
weight. Secondary volumes are selected when there is an insufficient number of primary
volumes. If there are multiple volumes with the same preference weight, SMS selects one of
the volumes at random.

Data set separation

Data set separation allows you to designate groups of data sets in which all SMS-managed
data sets within a group are kept separate, on the physical control unit (PCU) level or the
volume level, from all the other data sets in the same group. To use data set separation, you
must create a data set separation profile and specify the name of the profile to the base
configuration. During allocation, SMS attempts to separate the data sets listed in the profile. A
data set separation profile contains at least one data set separation group. Each data set
separation group specifies whether separation is at the PCU or volume level, whether it is
required or preferred, and includes a list of data set names to be separated from each other
during allocation.

Volume preference
Volume preference attributes, such as availability, accessibility, and PAV capability are
supported.

Fast volume selection is supported, regardless of the current specification of the

FAST_VOLSEL parameter. SMS will reject the candidate volumes that do not have sufficient
free space for the stripe when 100 volumes have already been rejected by DADSM for
insufficient space. This is to prevent the striping allocation from overusing the system
resources, because an iteration of volume reselection can consume significant overhead
when there are a large number of candidate volumes.

30 ABCs of z/OS System Programming Volume 3

2.9 Large format data sets

Figure 2-9 Allocating a data set with ISPF option 3.2

Large format data sets

Defining large format data sets was introduced with z/OS V1R7. Large format data sets are
physical sequential data sets, with generally the same characteristics as other non-extended
format sequential data sets, but with the capability to grow beyond the basic format size limit
of 65,535 tracks on each volume. (This is about 3,500,000,000 bytes, depending on the block
size.) Large format data sets reduce the need to use multiple volumes for single data sets,
especially very large ones such as spool data sets, dumps, logs, and traces. Unlike
extended-format data sets, which also support greater than 65,535 tracks per volume, large
format data sets are compatible with EXCP and do not need to be SMS-managed.

Data sets defined as large format must be accessed using QSAM, BSAM, or EXCP.

Large format data sets have a maximum of 16 extents on each volume. Each large format
data set can have a maximum of 59 volumes. Therefore, a large format data set can have a
maximum of 944 extents (16 times 59).

A large format data set can occupy any number of tracks, without the limit of 65,535 tracks
per volume. The minimum size limit for a large format data set is the same as for other
sequential data sets that contain data: one track, which is about 56,000 bytes. Primary and
secondary space can both exceed 65,535 tracks per volume.

Large format data sets can be on SMS-managed DASD or non-SMS-managed DASD.

Chapter 2. Data set basics 31

 Restriction: The following types of data sets cannot be allocated as large format data
sets:
򐂰 PDS, PDSE, and direct data sets
򐂰 Virtual I/O data sets, password data sets, and system dump data sets

Allocating data sets

To process an already existing data set, first allocate it (establish a logical link with it and your
program), then access the data using macros in Assembler or HLL statements to activate the
access method that you have chosen. The allocation of a data set means either or both of two
things:
򐂰 To set aside (create) space for a new data set on a disk or tape
򐂰 To establish a logical link between a job step (your program) and any data set using JCL

Figure 2-9 on page 31 shows the creation of a data set using ISPF panel 3.2. Other ways to
create a data set are as follows:
򐂰 Access method services
You can define VSAM data sets and establish catalogs by using a multifunction services
program called access method services.
򐂰 TSO ALLOCATE command
You can issue the ALLOCATE command of TSO/E to define VSAM and non-VSAM data
sets.
򐂰 Using JCL
Any data set can be defined directly with JCL by specifying DSNTYPE=LARGE on the DD
statement.

Basic format data sets

Basic format data sets are sequential data sets that are specified as neither extended-format
nor large-format. Basic format data sets have a size limit of 65,535 tracks (4,369 cylinders)
per volume. Basic format data sets can be system-managed or not. They can be accessed
using QSAM, BSAM, or EXCP.

You can allocate a basic format data set using the DSNTYPE=BASIC parameter on the DD
statement, dynamic allocation (SVC 99), TSO/E ALLOCATE or the access method services
ALLOCATE command, or the data class. If no DSNTYPE value is specified from any of these
sources, then its default is BASIC.

Virtual input/output data sets

You can manage temporary data sets with a function called virtual input/output (VIO). VIO
uses DASD space and system I/O more efficiently than other temporary data sets.

You can use the BPAM, BSAM, QSAM, BDAM, and EXCP access methods with VIO data
sets. SMS can direct SMS-managed temporary data sets to VIO storage groups.

32 ABCs of z/OS System Programming Volume 3

2.10 Large format data sets and TSO

There are three types of sequential data sets:

Basic format: A traditional data set existing prior to V1R7
that cannot grow beyond 64 K tracks per volume
Large format: A data set (introduced in V1R7) that has
the capability to grow beyond 64 K tracks
Extended format: An extended format data set that must
be DFSMS-managed
With z/OS V1R9:
Updates to the following commands and service ensure
that each can handle large format data sets:
TSO TRANSMIT, RECEIVE
PRINTDS
REXX LISTDSI function
CLIST LISTDSI statement
REXX EXECIO command
CLIST OPENFILE/GETFILE/PUTFILE I/O processing

Figure 2-10 Large format data set enhancement with z/OS V1R9

Sequential data sets

There are three types of sequential data sets, as follows:
Basic format A traditional data set, as existed prior to z/OS V1.7. These data sets
cannot grow beyond 64 K tracks per volume.
Large format A data set (introduced in z/OS v1.7) that has the capability to grow
beyond 64 K tracks but can be very small. The significance is that after
being defined as a large format data set, it can grow to over 64 K tracks
without further intervention. The maximum size is x’FFFFFE’ or
approximately 16 M tracks per volume.
Extended format An extended format data set that must be DFSMS-managed. This
means that it must have a storage class. These data sets can be
striped, and can grow up to x’FFFFFFFE’ tracks per volume.

Using large format data sets with z/OS V1R9

These enhancements are internal, and remove the restriction in z/OS V1R7 and z/OS V1R8
that prevented use of large format data sets.

Updates have been made to the following commands and service to ensure that each can
handle large format data sets:
򐂰 TSO TRANSMIT, RECEIVE
򐂰 PRINTDS

Chapter 2. Data set basics 33

 򐂰 REXX LISTDSI function
򐂰 CLIST LISTDSI statement
򐂰 REXX EXECIO command
򐂰 CLIST OPENFILE/GETFILE/PUTFILE I/O processing

Restriction: Types of data sets that cannot be allocated as large format data sets are:
򐂰 PDS, PDSE, and direct data sets
򐂰 Virtual I/O data sets, password data sets, and system dump data sets

34 ABCs of z/OS System Programming Volume 3

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Hussars—who had fallen back from Norwich—together with some of the
local Yeomanry, moved out by the Tolleshunt d’Arcy and Great Totham
roads, and drove in their patrols with some loss. At Tiptree Heath there was
a sharp cavalry engagement between our red Lancers and several squadrons
of a sky-blue hussar regiment. Our people routed them, but in the pursuit
that followed would have fared badly, as they fell in with the four
remaining squadrons supported by another complete regiment, had it not
been for the opportune arrival of the Household Cavalry Brigade, which
had moved north-east from Danbury to co-operate. This completely
changed the aspect of affairs. The Germans were soundly beaten, with the
loss of a large number of prisoners, and galloped back to Maldon in
confusion. In the meantime the 2nd King’s Own Royal Lancaster Regiment
and the 5th Battery R.F. Artillery had been sent down to Witham by train,
whence they marched up to the high ground near Wickham Bishops. They
and the Yeomanry were left there in a position to cover the main London
road and the Great Eastern Railway, and at the same time threaten any
movement of the enemy by the Great Totham road. When the news of our
success reached Colchester soon after midday, we were all very jubilant. In
fact, I fear that a great many people spent the afternoon in a species of
fool’s paradise. And when towards the evening the announcement of our
splendid victory at Royston was posted up on the red walls of the fine town
hall, and outside the Cups, there was an incipient outbreak of that un-
English excitement known as ‘Mafficking.’ Gangs of youths paraded the
High Street, Head Street, and the principal thoroughfares, shouting, yelling,
and hustling passers-by, and even respectable members of society seemed
bitten by the desire to throw up their hats and make idiots of themselves.
“The hotels, the Lamb, the Red Lion, and other places, did a roaring
trade, and altogether the town was more or less demoralised. But all this
exultation was fated to be but short-lived, even though the Mayor appeared
on the balcony of the town hall and addressed the crowd, while the latest
news was posted outside the offices of the Essex Telegraph, opposite the
post-office. The wind was in the north, and about 5.45 in the afternoon the
sound of a heavy explosion was heard from the direction of Manningtree. I
was in the Cups Hotel at the time arranging for an early dinner, and ran out
into the street. As I emerged from the archway of the hotel I distinctly heard
a second detonation from the same direction. A sudden silence, ominous
and unnatural, seemed to fall on the yelping jingoes in the street, in the
midst of which the rumble of yet another explosion rolled down on the
wind, this time from a more westerly direction. Men asked their neighbours
breathlessly as to what all this portended. I myself knew no more than the
most ignorant of the crowd, till in an officer who rushed hastily by me in
Head Street, on his way into the hotel, I recognised my friend Captain
Burton, of the Artillery.
“I buttonholed him at once.
“ ‘Do I know what those explosions were?’ repeated he in answer to my
inquiry. ‘Well, I don’t know, but I’m open to bet you five to one that it’s the
sappers blowing up the bridges over the Stour at Manningtree and Stratford
St. Mary.’
“ ‘Then the Germans will have arrived there?’ I queried.
“ ‘Most probably. And look here,’ he continued, taking me aside by the
arm, and lowering his voice, ‘you take my tip. We shall be out of this to-
night. So you’d best pack up your traps and get into marching order.’
“ ‘Do you know this?’ said I.
“ ‘Not officially, or I shouldn’t tell you anything about it. But I can put
two and two together. We all knew that the General wouldn’t be fool
enough to try and defend an open town of this size with such a small
garrison against a whole army corps, or perhaps more. It would serve no
good purpose, and expose the place to destruction and bring all sorts of
disaster on the civil population. You could have seen that for yourself, for
no attempt whatever has been made to erect defences of any kind, neither
have we received any reinforcements at all. If they had meant to defend it
they would certainly have contrived to send us some Volunteers and guns at
any rate. No, the few troops we have here have done their best in assisting
the Danbury Force against the Saxons, and are much too valuable to be left
here to be cut off without being able to do much to check the advance of the
enemy. If we had been going to try anything of that kind, we should have
now been holding the line of the river Stour; but I know we have only small
detachments at the various bridges, sufficient only to drive off the enemy’s
cavalry patrols. By now, having blown up the bridges, I expect they are
falling back as fast as they can get. Besides, look here,’ he added, ‘what do
you think that battalion was sent to Wickham Bishops for this morning?’
“I told him my theories as set forth above.
 “ ‘Oh yes, that’s all right,’ he answered. ‘But you may bet your boots
that there’s more in it than that. In my opinion, the General has had orders
to clear out as soon as the enemy are preparing to cross the Stour, and the
Lancasters are planted there to protect our left flank from an attack from
Maldon while we are retreating on Chelmsford.’
“ ‘But we might fall back on Braintree?’ I hazarded.
“ ‘Don’t you believe it. We’re not wanted there—at least, I mean, not so
much as elsewhere. Where we shall come in is to help to fill the gap
between Braintree and Danbury. I think, myself, we might just as well have
done it before. We have been sending back stores by rail for the last two
days. Well, goodbye,’ he said, holding out his hand. ‘Keep all this to
yourself, and mark my words, we’ll be off at dusk.’
“Away he went, and convinced that his prognostications were correct—
as, indeed, in the main they proved—I hastened to eat my dinner, pay my
bill, and get my portmanteau packed and stowed away in my motor. As
soon as the evening began to close in I started and made for the barracks,
going easy. The streets were still full of people, but they were very quiet,
and mostly talking together in scattered groups. A shadow seemed to have
fallen on the jubilant crowd of the afternoon, though, as far as I could
ascertain, there were no definite rumours of the departure of the troops and
the close advent of the enemy. Turning out of the main street, I had a very
narrow escape of running over a drunken man. Indeed, I regret to say that
there were a good many intoxicated people about, who had celebrated the
day’s victory ‘not wisely but too well.’
“When I arrived at the barracks, I saw at once that there was something
in the wind, for there was a great coming and going of orderlies; all the men
I could see were in marching order, and the Volunteers, who had been
encamped on the drill-ground since the outbreak of hostilities, were falling
in, surrounded by an agitated crowd of their relations and friends. I pulled
up alongside the barrack railings, and determined to watch the progress of
events. I had not long to wait. In about ten minutes a bugle sounded, and the
scattered assemblage of men on the barrack-square closed together and
solidified into a series of quarter columns. At the same time, the Volunteer
battalion moved across from the other side of the road and joined the
Regular troops. I heard a sharp clatter and jingling behind me, and looking
round, saw the General and his staff with a squad of cavalry canter up the
road. They turned into the barrack gate, greeted by a sharp word of
command and the rattle of arms from the assembled battalions. As far as I
could make out, the General made them some kind of address, after which I
heard another word of command, upon which the regiment nearest to the
gate formed fours and marched out.
“It was the 2nd Dorsetshire. I watched anxiously to see which way they
turned. As I more than expected, they turned in the direction of the London
road. My friend had been right so far, but till the troops arrived at Mark’s
Tey, where the road forked, I could not be certain whether they were going
towards Braintree or Chelmsford. The Volunteers followed; then the
Leicestershires, then a long train of artillery, field batteries, big 4.7 guns,
and howitzers. The King’s Own Scottish Borderers formed the rearguard.
With them marched the General and his staff. I saw no cavalry. I discovered
afterwards that the General, foreseeing that a retirement was imminent, had
ordered the 16th Lancers and the 7th Hussars, after their successful morning
performance, to remain till further orders at Kelvedon and Tiptree
respectively, so that their horses were resting during the afternoon.
“During the night march the former came back and formed a screen
behind the retiring column, while the latter were in a position to observe
and check any movement northwards that might be made by the Saxons, at
the same time protecting its flank and rear from a possible advance by the
cavalry of Von Kronhelm’s Army, should they succeed in crossing the river
Stour soon enough to be able to press after us in pursuit by either of the two
eastern roads leading from Colchester to Maldon. After the last of the
departing soldiers had tramped away into the gathering darkness through
the mud, which after yesterday’s downpour still lay thick upon the roads, I
bethought me that I might as well run down to the railway station to see if
anything was going on there. I was just in time.
“The electric lights disclosed a bustling scene as the last of the
ammunition and a certain proportion of stores were being hurried into a
long train that stood with steam up ready to be off. The police allowed none
of the general public to enter the station, but my correspondent’s pass
obtained me admission to the departure platform. There I saw several
detachments of the Royal Engineers, the Mounted Infantry—minus their
horses, which had been already sent on—and some of the Leicestershire
Regiment. Many of the men had their arms, legs, or heads bandaged, and
bore evident traces of having been in action. I got into conversation with a
colour-sergeant of the Engineers, and learned these were the detachments
who had been stationed at the bridges over the Stour. It appears that there
was some sharp skirmishing with the German advanced troops before the
officers in command had decided that they were in sufficient force to justify
them in blowing up the bridges. In fact, at the one at which my informant
was stationed, and that the most important one of all, over which the main
road from Ipswich passed at Stratford St. Mary, the officer in charge
delayed just too long, so that a party of the enemy’s cavalry actually
secured the bridge, and succeeded in cutting the wires leading to the
charges which had been placed in readiness to blow it up. Luckily, the
various detachments present rose like one man to the occasion, and despite
a heavy fire, hurled themselves upon the intruders with the bayonet with
such determination and impetus that the bridge was swept clear in a
moment. The wires were reconnected, and the bridge cleared of our men
just as the Germans, reinforced by several of their supporting squadrons,
who had come up at a gallop, dashed upon it in pursuit. The firing key was
pressed at this critical moment, and, with a stunning report, a whole troop
was blown into the air, the remaining horses, mad with fright, stampeding
despite all that their riders could do. The road was cut, and the German
advance temporarily checked, while the British detachment made off as fast
as it could for Colchester.

NOTICE.
CONCERNING WOUNDED BRITISH SOLDIERS.
In compliance with an order of the Commander-in-Chief of the German
Imperial Army, the Governor-General of East Anglia decrees as follows:—
(1) Every inhabitant of the counties of Norfolk, Suffolk, Essex,
Cambridge, Lincolnshire, Yorkshire, Nottingham, Derby, Leicester,
Northampton, Rutland, Huntingdon, and Hertford, who gives asylum to or
lodges one or more ill or wounded British soldier, is obliged to make a
declaration to the mayor of the town or to the local police within 24 hours,
stating name, grade, place of birth, and nature of illness or injury.
 Every change of domicile of the wounded is also to be notified within
24 hours.
In absence of masters, servants are ordered to make the necessary
declarations.
The same order applies to the directors of hospitals, surgeries, or
ambulance stations, who receive the British wounded within our
jurisdiction.
(2) All mayors are ordered to prepare lists of the British wounded,
showing the number, with their names, grade, and place of birth in each
district.
(3) The mayor, or the superintendent of police, must send on the 1st and
15th of each month a copy of his lists to the headquarters of the
Commander-in-Chief. The first list must be sent on the 15th September.
(4) Any person failing to comply with this order will, in addition to
being placed under arrest for harbouring British troops, be fined a sum not
exceeding £20.
(5) This decree is to be published in all towns and villages in the
Province of East Anglia.
Count VON SCHONBURG-WALDENBURG,
Lieutenant-General,
Governor of German East Anglia.
Ipswich, September 6, 1910.

COPY OF ONE OF THE ENEMY’S PROCLAMATIONS.

“I asked the sergeant how long he thought it would be before the
Germans succeeded in crossing it. ‘Bless you, sir, I expect they’re over by
now,’ he answered. ‘They would be sure to have their bridging companies
somewhere close up, and it would not take them more than an hour or two
to throw a bridge over that place.’ The bridges at Boxted Mill and Nayland
had been destroyed previously.
“The railway bridge and the other one at Manningtree were blown up
before the Germans could get a footing, and their defenders had come in by
rail. But my conversation was cut short, the whistle sounded, the men were
hustled on board the train, and it moved slowly out of the station. As for
me, I hurried out to my car. As I came out I noticed that it had begun to rain.
However, I was fully equipped for it, and, except for the chance of skidding
and the splashing of the flying mud, did not mind it. But I could not help
thinking of the poor soldiers trudging along on their night march over the
weary miles that lay before them. I determined to follow in their steps, and
putting on speed, was soon clear of the town, and spinning along for Mark’s
Tey. It is about five miles, and shortly before I got there I overtook the
marching column. The men were halted, and in the act of putting on their
greatcoats. I was stopped here by the rearguard, who took charge of me, and
would not let me proceed until permission was obtained from the General.
“Eventually this officer ordered me to be brought to him. I presented my
pass; but he said, ‘I am afraid that I shall have to ask you either to turn
back, or to slow down and keep pace with us. In fact, you had better do the
latter. I might, indeed, have to exercise my powers and impress your motor,
should the exigencies of the Service require it.’ I saw that it was best to
make a virtue of necessity, and replied that it was very much at his service,
and that I was very well content to accompany the column. In point of fact,
the latter was strictly true, for I wanted to see what was to be seen, and
there were no points about going along with no definite idea of where I
wanted to get to, with a possible chance of falling into the hands of the
Saxons into the bargain. So a Staff officer, who was suffering from a slight
wound, was placed alongside me, and the column, having muffled itself in
its greatcoats, once more began to plug along through the thickening mire.
My position was just in front of the guns, which kept up a monotonous
rumble behind me. My companion was talkative, and afforded me a good
deal of incidental and welcome information. Thus, just after we started, and
were turning to the left at Mark’s Tey, a bright glare followed by a loudish
report came from the right of the road. ‘What’s that?’ I naturally ejaculated.
‘Oh, that will be the sappers destroying the junction with the Sudbury line,’
he replied. ‘There’s the train waiting for them just beyond.’
“So it was. The train that I had seen leaving had evidently stopped after
passing the junction, while the line was broken behind it. ‘They will do the
same after passing the cross line at Witham,’ volunteered he.
“A mile or two farther on we passed between two lines of horsemen,
their faces set northwards, and muffled to the eyes in their long cloaks,
‘That’s some of the 16th,’ he said, ‘going to cover our rear.’
“So we moved on all night through the darkness and rain. The slow,
endless progress of the long column of men and horses seemed like a
nightmare. We passed through the long street of Kelvedon, scaring the
inhabitants, who rushed to their windows to see what was happening, and
with the first glimmer of dawn halted at Witham. We had about nine miles
still to go to reach Chelmsford, which I learned was our immediate
destination, and it was decided to rest here for an hour, while the men made
the best breakfast they could from the contents of their haversacks. But the
villagers brought out hot tea and coffee, and did the best they could for us,
so we did not fare so badly after all. As for me, I got permission to go on,
taking with me my friend the Staff officer, who had despatches to forward
from Chelmsford. I pushed on at full speed. We were there in a very short
space of time, and during the morning I learned that the Braintree Army
was falling back on Dunmow, and that the Colchester garrison was to assist
in holding the line of the river Chelmer.”
Another despatch from Mr. Edgar Hamilton, of the Tribune, was
published in that journal on Friday, the 14th September:—
“Brentwood, Thursday, September 13, 1910.
“The events of the last three days have been so tremendous, so involved,
and so disastrous to us as a nation, that I hardly know how to deal with
them. It is no news now that we have again been beaten, and beaten badly.
The whole right of our line of defence has been driven back in disorder, and
we are now practically at the ‘last ditch.’ The remnants of that fine force
which has, up to now, not only been able to hold the Saxon Army in check,
but even to be within an ace of beating it at the memorable battle of
Purleigh, less than a week ago, is now occupying the entrenchments which
have been under construction ever since the landing of the Germans, and
which form a section of the works that have been planned for the defence of
the metropolis.
“Here, too, are portions of the Braintree Army Corps and some of the
troops lately constituting the garrison of Colchester, whom I accompanied
on their night march out of that city when it had been decided to abandon it.
We have only the vaguest rumours as to what has happened to the other
portion of the 1st Army Corps that was occupying Dunmow and the upper
part of the river Chelmer. We can only hope that these troops, or at any rate
a considerable portion of them, have been able to gain the shelter of the
defensive enceinte to the north-westward. It is to be feared this reverse will
necessitate the retreat of the Second, Third, and Fourth Armies from Saffron
Walden, Royston, and Baldock, that position which they so gallantly
defended against the flower of the German Army, emerging victorious from
the glorious battle of Royston. For to stay where they are, in the face of the
combined forward movement of the IXth, Xth, and XIIth Corps of the
invaders, and the rumoured resumption of the offensive by the two corps
defeated before Royston, would be to court being outflanked and cut off
from the rest of our forces at a time when every single soldier is urgently
required to man the northern portion of the defences of London.
“But to return to the relation of our latest and most disastrous defeat,
which I must preface by saying that my readers must not be deceived by the
words ‘Army Corps’ as applied to the various assemblages of our troops. As
a matter of fact, ‘Divisions,’ or even ‘Brigades,’ would be nearer the mark.
The ‘Army Corps’ at Braintree had only four, or perhaps later six, regular
infantry regiments, with a very small force of cavalry and not too many
guns. Compare that with the Xth German Army Corps under General von
Wilberg, which was more immediately opposed to it. This formidable
fighting unit may be taken as a representative one, observing that the Garde
Corps is yet stronger. Von Wilberg’s Corps is a Hanoverian one, and
comprises no less than twenty-three battalions of infantry, four regiments of
cavalry, twenty-five batteries of artillery, a train battalion, and a pioneer
battalion. What chance has a so-called army corps of half a dozen regular
infantry battalions, perhaps a dozen Volunteer and Militia Corps, a scratch
lot of cavalry, and half the number of guns, against such a powerful, well-
organised, and well-trained force as this?
“In the recent fighting about Chelmsford we have had at the outside
thirty regular battalions to oppose the onslaught of three complete German
Army Corps such as that described above. We have had a number of
auxiliary troops in addition, as well as a preponderance in heavy long-
ranging artillery, but the former cannot be manœuvred in the same way as
regular soldiers, however brave and devoted they may be; while, if weaker
in big guns, the enemy outnumbered our mobile horse and field artillery by
five or six to one. So it must be understood that while a defeat is deplorable
and heartbreaking, yet a victory against such odds would have been little
less than a miracle. No blame can be attached either to our officers or their
men. All did as much, or more, than could be humanly expected of them.
The long and short of it is that since we, as a nation, have not chosen to
have a sufficient and up-to-date Army, we must take the rub when an
invasion comes.
 “We knew well enough—though most of us pretended ignorance—that
we could not afford to pay for such an Army at a rate comparable to the
current labour market rates, even if we had been twice as rich, and if shoals
of recruits had been forthcoming. We were aware, in consequence, that
some form of universal service was the only possible method of raising a
real Army, but we shrank from making the personal sacrifices required. We
were too indolent, too careless, too unpatriotic. Now we have got to pay for
the pleasures of living in a fool’s paradise, and pay through the nose into the
bargain. We have no right to grumble, whatever may be the outcome, and
God only knows what the bitter end of this war may be, what final defeat
may mean for our future as a nation. But I must quit moralising and betake
myself to my narrative.
“In my letter of the 9th I left the Colchester garrison making their
breakfast at Witham. I had understood that they were coming on to
Chelmsford, but, as it turned out, the Leicestershires and Dorsets got orders
to turn off to the right just before reaching Boreham, and to take up a
position on the high ground east of Little Waltham, which is about four
miles due north of Chelmsford. With them went a number of the heavy 4.7-
inch guns we brought away with us. The Volunteers, Scottish Borderers,
and the Lancasters—the latter of whom had been covering the flank of the
retreat at Wickham Bishops—came in to Chelmsford, and during the
evening were marched out and billeted in the houses thickly scattered along
the Braintree road. The cavalry, after some slight skirmishing with the
advanced patrols of Von Kronhelm’s Army, who came up with them near
Hatfield Peverell, turned up in the afternoon.
“In Chelmsford, when I halted at the Saracen’s Head, I found there were
the 2nd Lincolnshire and the 2nd Royal Scots Fusiliers, who had come up
from Salisbury Plain, the 1st Hampshire and the 1st Royal Fusiliers from
Portsmouth and the Isle of Wight. The 2nd South Wales Borderers from
Tidworth and the 1st Border Regiment from Bordon Camp arrived in the
afternoon, and were marched out to Great Baddow, half-way to Danbury.
The 14th Hussars from Shorncliffe and the 20th from Brighton had also
come in the day previously, and they at once moved out to the front to
relieve the 16th Lancers and 7th Hussars, who had been covering the retiral
from Colchester. The town was crowded with Volunteers in khaki, green,
red, blue—all the colours of the rainbow—and I noticed two very smart
corps of Yeomanry marching out to support the two regular cavalry
regiments. Everyone seemed in good spirits on account of the news from
Royston and the successful issue of the cavalry skirmish of the morning
before. As Chelmsford lies in a kind of hollow, I could not see much from
there, so in the afternoon I thought I would run out to the high ground near
Danbury and see if I could get any idea of what was going on.
“As I passed Danbury Place I heard the deafening report of heavy guns
close at hand. I found that the firing came from some of the Bluejackets’
4.7’s near the church, where I had seen them at work at the opening of
Purleigh Battle. I got out of my car and went up to the officer in charge,
whom I met on that occasion. I asked him at what he was firing. ‘Look over
there,’ he said, pointing towards Maldon. I saw nothing at first. ‘Look
higher,’ said the sailor. I raised my eyes, and there, floating hundreds of feet
over and on this side of the old town, a great yellow sausage-like something
glistened in the sunlight. I recognised it at once from the photographs I had
seen of the German manœuvres. It was their great military balloon, known
as the ‘Wurst,’ or sausage, from its elongated shape. Its occupants were
doubtless hard at work reconnoitring our position.
“Another gun gave tongue with an ear-splitting report, and then a second
one, its long chase sticking up into the air like a monster telescope. They
were firing high explosive shell at the balloon, hoping that the detonation
would tear it if near enough. I saw the big shell explode apparently close to
their target, but the distance was deceptive, and no apparent injury was
done. After another round, however, it began slowly to descend, and soon
disappeared behind the huddled roofs of the town. ‘Might have got her,’
remarked Akers, the commander in charge of the guns, ‘but I fancy not. But
I reckon they thought it too warm to stay up. We had our balloon up this
morning,’ he continued, ‘and I expect she’ll go up again before dark. They
had a few slaps at her, but didn’t get within a mile of her. She’s in a field
behind the woods at Twitty Fee, about half a mile over there, if you want to
see her.’
“I thanked him and motored slowly off in the direction indicated. I
noticed great changes on Danbury Hill since my last visit. Entrenchments
and batteries had sprung up on every side, and men were still as busy as
bees improving and adding to them. I found the balloon, filled with gas and
swaying about behind a mass of woodland that effectually concealed it from
the enemy, but as I was informed that there would be no ascent before half-
past five, I continued my tour round the summit of the hill. When I arrived
at the northern end I found that fresh defences were being constructed right
away round to the westward side. The northern edge of Blake’s Wood had
been felled and made into a formidable abattis, the sharpened branches of
the felled trees being connected together with a perfect web of barbed wire.
“The same process was being carried out in the woods and copses at
Great Graces. New Lodge had been placed in a state of defence. The
windows, deprived of glass and sashes, were being built up with sand bags;
the flower garden was trampled into a chaos; the grand piano stood in the
back yard, forming a platform for a Maxim gun that peered over the wall.
The walls were disfigured with loop-holes. Behind the house were piled the
arms of a Volunteer Battalion who, under the direction of a few officers and
N.C.O.’s of the Royal Engineers, were labouring to turn the pretty country
house into a scarred and hideous fortress. Their cooks had dug a Broad
Arrow kitchen in the midst of the tennis lawn, and were busied about the
big black kettles preparing tea for the workers. New Lodge was the most
suggestive picture of the change brought about by the war that I had yet
seen. From the corner of Great Graces Wood I could see through my glasses
that the outskirts of Great Baddow were also alive with men preparing it for
defence. I got back to the balloon just in time to see it rising majestically
above the trees. Either on account of their failure to reach it in the morning,
or for some other reason, the enemy did not fire at it, and the occupants of
the car were able to make their observations in peace, telephoning them to a
non-commissioned officer at the winding engine below, who jotted them
down in shorthand. From what I afterwards heard, it seems that a long
procession of carts was seen moving northwards from Maldon by way of
Heybridge.
“It was presumed that these contained provisions and stores for the IXth
and Xth Corps from the big depôt which it had been discovered that the
Saxons had established near Southminster. A few long-range shots were
fired at the convoy from the big guns, but without any appreciable effect.
The procession stopped though. No more carts came from the town, and
those already out disappeared behind the woods about Langford Park. I
understand that, apprised of this by signal from the balloon, the 14th
Hussars made a gallant effort to attack the convoy, but they found the
country east of the Maldon-Witham Railway to be full of the enemy, both
infantry and cavalry, came under a heavy fire from concealed troops, and
sustained considerable loss without being able to effect anything. It is
believed that the movement of stores continued after dark, for our most
advanced outposts and patrols reported that the rumble of either artillery or
wagons was heard coming from the direction of the roads leading north out
of Maldon almost the whole night through.
“On my return to Chelmsford I visited Springfield, where I found the
Scots Fusiliers, a Militia, and a Volunteer Regiment entrenching themselves
astride the railway.
“I dined with three brother newspaper men at the Red Lion Hotel. One
of them had come from Dunmow, and reported that the First Army was
busily entrenching itself on a long ridge a couple of miles to eastward of the
town. He said he had heard also that the high ground about Thaxted had
been occupied by some troops who had come up from the South on Sunday
night, though he could not say what regiments they were. They had
detrained at Elsenham, and marched the rest of the way by road. If his
information is correct, the British Army on Monday night occupied an
almost continuous line stretching from Baldock on the west to South
Hanningfield, or perhaps Billericay on the south. A very extensive front, but
necessary to be held if the forward march of the five German Army Corps
operating in the Eastern Counties was to be checked. For though it would,
of course, have been desirable to take the offensive and attack the Xth
Corps during the temporary discomfiture of the Garde and IVth Corps, we
were compelled in the main to adopt the tactics pursued by the Boers in
South Africa and act almost entirely on the defensive on account of the poor
quality of the bulk of our forces. There was this exception, however, that
the few regular battalions were as far as possible placed in such positions
that they would be available for local counter-attacks and offensive action.
Our generals could not be altogether guided by the generally-accepted rules
of tactics and strategy, but had to do the best they could with the
heterogeneous material at their disposal.
“As to what the enemy were doing during this day we had no
information worth speaking of, although there was a rumour going about
late in the afternoon that Braintree had been occupied by the Hanoverians,
and that the head of General Von Kronhelm’s Army Corps had arrived at
Witham. However this may have been, we neither saw nor heard anything
of them during the night, and I much enjoyed my slumbers after the fatigues
of the last twenty-four hours. But this was but the lull before the storm.
About ten a.m. the low growl of artillery rolled up from the south-east, and
it began to be bruited about that the Saxons were attacking South
Hanningfield in force, doubtless with the object of turning our right flank. I
ordered out my motor, thinking I would run down to the high ground at
Stock, five miles to the southward, and see if I could get an inkling of how
matters were progressing. That heavy fighting was in progress I felt certain,
for the cannonade grew momentarily louder and heavier. Hardly had I
cleared the town, when a fresh outburst of firing boomed out from a
northerly direction. I stopped irresolute.
“Should I go on or turn back and set my face towards Dunmow? I
eventually decided to go on, and arrived at Stock about eleven. I could not
get much information there, or see what was going on, so I decided to make
for South Hanningfield. At the foot of the hill leading up to Harrow Farm I
came across a battalion of infantry lying down in quarter column behind the
woods on the left of the road. From some of the officers I ascertained that it
was the 1st Buffs, and that they were in support of two Militia battalions
who were holding the ridge above. The Saxons, they said, had come up
from the direction of Woodham Ferris in considerable force, but had not
been able to advance beyond the Rettendon-Battles-Bridge Road on account
of the heavy fire of our artillery, which comprised several heavy guns,
protected both from fire and sight, and to which their field batteries in the
open ground below could make no effective reply.
“I had noticed for some little time that the firing had slackened, so I
thought I might as well get to the top of the hill and get a view of the
enemy. I did not see much of them. By the aid of my glass I fancied I could
distinguish green uniforms moving about near the copses in front of
Rettendon Hall, but that was about all. I looked towards Danbury and saw
our big balloon go up, and I also observed the big German sausage
wobbling about over Purleigh. But there was no sign of military movement
on either side. All the time, however, I was conscious of the distant rumble
of guns away to the northward, and as there was apparently nothing more to
be seen at South Hanningfield for the present, I regained my car and started
back for Chelmsford. I found the town buzzing like a hive of bees.
“The troops were falling in under arms, the station was full of people
trying to get away by train, while the inhabitants were tramping away in
crowds by the Brentwood and Ongar roads. The booming of the still distant
guns sounded louder and faster, and rumour had it that the Hanoverians
were trying to force the passage of the river at Ford Mill. I replenished my
flask and luncheon basket, and started off in the direction of the firing.
“All along the road to Little Waltham I caught glimpses of khaki
uniforms in the trenches that zig-zagged about on the river slopes, while I
passed two or three regiments stepping northwards as fast as they could get
over the ground. There was a grim, set look on the men’s faces that
betokened both anger and determination.”

CHAPTER XVI

FIERCE FIGHTING AT CHELMSFORD

The continuation of the despatch from Brentwood, as follows, was

published on Saturday, 15th September:
“At Little Waltham I found myself close to the scene of action. About a
mile ahead of me the hamlet of Howe Street was in flames and burning
furiously. I could see the shells bursting in and all over it in perfect coveys.
I could not make out where they were coming from, but an officer I met
said he thought the enemy must have several batteries in action on the high
ground about Littley Green, a mile and a half to the north on the opposite
side of the river. I crossed over myself, and got up on the knoll where the
Leicestershires and Dorsets had been stationed, together with a number of
the 4.7-inch guns brought from Colchester.
“This piece of elevated ground is about two miles long, running almost
north and south, and at the top of it I got an extensive view to the eastward
right away to beyond Witham, as the ground fell all the way. The country
was well wooded, and a perfect maze of trees and hedgerows. If there were
any Germans down there in this plain they were lying very low indeed, for
my glasses did not discover the least indication of their presence. Due east
my view was bounded by the high wooded ground about Wickham Bishops
and Tiptree Heath, which lay a long blue hummock on the horizon, while to
the south-east Danbury Hill, with our big war-balloon floating overhead,
was plainly discernible.
“While I gazed on the apparently peaceful landscape I was startled by a
nasty sharp, hissing sound, which came momentarily nearer. It seemed to
pass over my head, and was followed by a loud bang in the air, where now
hung a ring of white smoke. It was a shell from the enemy. Just ahead of me
was a somewhat extensive wood; and, urged by some insane impulse of
seeking shelter, I left the car, which I ordered my chauffeur to take back for
a mile and wait, and made for the close-standing trees. If I had stopped to
think I should have realised that the wood gave me actually no protection
whatever, and I had not gone far when the crashing of timber and noise of
the bursting projectiles overhead and in the undergrowth around made me
understand clearly that the Germans were making a special target of the
wood, which, I imagine, they thought might conceal some of our troops. I
wished heartily that I was seated beside my chauffeur in his fast-receding
car.
“However, my first object was to get clear of the wood again, and after
some little time I emerged on the west side, right in the middle of a dressing
station for the wounded, which had been established in a little hollow. Two
surgeons, with their assistants, were already busily engaged with a number
of wounded men, most of whom were badly hit by shrapnel bullets about
the upper part of the body. I gathered from one or two of the few most
slightly wounded men that our people had been, and were, very hardly put
to it to hold their own. ‘I reckon,’ said one of them, a bombardier of
artillery, ‘that the enemy must have got more than a hundred guns firing at
us, and at Howe Street village. If we could only make out where the foreign
devils were,’ continued my informant, ‘our chaps could have knocked a
good many of them out with our four-point-sevens, especially if we could
have got a go at them before they got within range themselves. But they
must have somehow contrived to get them into position during the night, for
we saw nothing of them coming up. They are somewhere about Chatley,
Fairstead Lodge, and Little Leighs, but as we can’t locate them exactly and
only have ten guns up here, it don’t give us much chance, does it?’ Later I
saw an officer of the Dorsets, who confirmed the gunner’s story, but added
that our people were well entrenched and the guns well concealed, so that
none of the latter had been put out of action, and he thought we should be
able to hold on to the hill all right. I regained my car without further
adventure, bar several narrow escapes from stray shell, and made my way
back as quickly as possible to Chelmsford.
“The firing went on all day, not only to the northward, but also away to
the southward, where the Saxons, while not making any determined attack,
kept the Vth Corps continually on the alert, and there was an almost
continuous duel between the heavy pieces. As it appeared certain that the
knoll I had visited in the forenoon was the main objective of the enemy’s
attack, reinforcements had been more than once sent up there, but the
German shell fire was so heavy that they found it almost impossible to
construct the additional cover required. Several batteries of artillery were
despatched to Pleshy and Rolphy Green to keep down, if possible, the fire
of the Germans, but it seemed to increase rather than diminish. They must
have had more guns in action than they had at first. Just at dusk their
infantry made the first openly offensive movement.
“Several lines of skirmishers suddenly appeared in the valley between
Little Leighs and Chatley, and advanced towards Lyonshall Wood, at the
north end of the knoll east of Little Waltham. They were at first invisible
from the British gun positions on the other side of the Chelmer, and when
they cleared the spur on which Hyde Hall stands they were hardly
discernible in the gathering darkness. The Dorsetshire and the other
battalions garrisoning the knoll manned their breastworks as they got within
rifle range, and opened fire, but they were still subjected to the infernal
rafale from the Hanoverian guns on the hills to the northward, and to make
matters worse at this critical moment the Xth Corps brought a long line of
guns into action between Flacks Green and Great Leighs Wood, in which
position none of the British guns except a few on the knoll itself
 Battle of Chelmsford.
Position on the Evening of September 11.

could reach them. Under this cross hurricane of projectiles the British fire
was quite beaten down, and the Germans followed up their skirmishers by
almost solid masses, which advanced with all but impunity save for the fire
of the few British long-range guns at Pleshy Mount. There they were firing
almost at random, as the gunners could not be certain of the exact
whereabouts of their objectives. There was a searchlight on the knoll, but at
the first sweep of its ray it was absolutely demolished by a blizzard of
shrapnel. Every German gun was turned upon it. The Hanoverian battalions
now swarmed to the assault, disregarding the gaps made in their ranks by
the magazine fire of the defenders as soon as their close advance masked
the fire of their own cannon.
“The British fought desperately. Three several times they hurled back at
the attackers, but, alas! we were overborne by sheer weight of numbers.
Reinforcements summoned by telephone, as soon as the determined nature
of the attack was apparent, were hurried up from every available source, but
they only arrived in time to be carried down the hill again in the rush of its
defeated defenders, and to share with them the storm of projectiles from the
quick-firers of General Von Kronhelm’s artillery, which had been pushed
forward during the assault. It was with the greatest difficulty that the
shattered and disorganised troops were got over the river at Little Waltham.
As it was, hundreds were drowned in the little stream, and hundreds of
others killed and wounded by the fire of the Germans. They had won the
first trick. This was indisputable, and as ill news travels apace, a feeling of
gloom fell upon our whole force, for it was realised that the possession of
the captured knoll would enable the enemy to mass troops almost within
effective rifle range of our river line of defence. I believe that it was
proposed by some officers on the staff that we should wheel back our left
and take up a fresh position during the night. This was overruled, as it was
recognised that to do so would enable the enemy to push in between the
Dunmow force and our own, and so cut our general line in half. All that
could be done was to get up every available gun and bombard the hill
during the night, in order to hamper the enemy in his preparations for
further forward movement and in his entrenching operations.
“Had we more men at our disposal I suppose there is little doubt that a
strong counter attack would have been made on the knoll almost
immediately; but in the face of the enormous numbers opposed to us, I
imagine that General Blennerhasset did not feel justified in denuding any
portion of our position of its defenders. So all through the dark hours the
thunder of the great guns went on. In spite of the cannonade the Germans
turned on no less than three searchlights from the southern end of the knoll
about midnight. Two were at once put out by our fire, but the third managed
to exist for over half an hour, and enabled the Germans to see how hard we
were working to improve our defences along the river bank. I am afraid that
they were by this means able to make themselves acquainted with the
positions of a great number of our trenches. During the night our patrols
reported being unable to penetrate beyond Pratt’s Farm, Mount Maskell,
and Porter’s Farm on the Colchester Road. Everywhere they were forced
back by superior numbers. The enemy were fast closing in upon us. It was a
terrible night in Chelmsford.
“There was a panic on every hand. A man mounted the Tindal statue and
harangued the crowd, urging the people to rise and compel the Government
to stop the war. A few young men endeavoured to load the old Crimean
cannon in front of the Shire Hall, but found it clogged with rust and useless.
People fled from the villa residences in Brentwood Road into the town for
safety, now that the enemy were upon them. The banks in High Street were
being barricaded, and the stores still remaining in the various grocers’
shops, Luckin Smith’s, Martin’s, Cramphorn’s, and Pearke’s, were rapidly
being concealed from the invaders. All the ambulance wagons entering the
town were filled with wounded, although as many as possible were sent
south by train. By one o’clock in the morning, however, most of the civilian
inhabitants had fled. The streets were empty, but for the bivouacking troops
and the never-ending procession of wounded men. The General and his
Staff were deliberating to a late hour in the Shire Hall, at which he had
established his headquarters. The booming of the guns waxed and waned till
dawn, when a furious outburst announced that the second act of the tragedy
was about to open.
“I had betaken myself at once to the round tower of the church, next the
Stone-bridge, from which I had an excellent view both east and north. The
first thing that attracted my eye was the myriad flashings of rifle fire in the
dimness of the breaking day. They reached in a continuous line of
coruscations from Boreham Hall, opposite my right hand, to the knoll by
Little Waltham, a distance of three or four miles, I should say. The enemy
were driving in all our outlying and advanced troops by sheer weight of
numbers. Presently the heavy batteries at Danbury began pitching shell over
in the direction of the firing, but as the German line still advanced, it had
not apparently any very great effect. The next thing that happened was a
determined attack on the village of Howe Street made from the direction of
Hyde Hall. This is about two miles north of Little Waltham. In spite of our
incessant fire, the Germans had contrived to mass a tremendous number of
guns and howitzers on and behind the knoll they captured last night, and
there were any quantity more on the ridge above Hyde Hall. All these
terrible weapons concentrated their fire for a few moments on the blackened
ruins of Howe Street. Not a mouse could have lived there. The little place
was simply pulverised.
“Our guns at Pleshy Mount and Rolphy Green, aided by a number of
field batteries, in vain endeavoured to make head against them. They were
outnumbered by six to one. Under cover of this tornado of iron and fire, the
enemy pushed several battalions over the river, making use of the ruins of
the many bridges about

DECREE
CONCERNING THE POWER OF COUNCILS OF WAR.
WE, GOVERNOR-GENERAL OF EAST ANGLIA, in virtue of the powers conferred upon us
by His Imperial Majesty the German Emperor, Commander-in-Chief of the German Armies, order,
for the maintenance of the internal and external security of the counties of the Government-
General:—
Article I.—Any individual guilty of incendiarism or of wilful inundation, of attack, or of
resistance with violence against the Government-General or the agents of the civil or military
authorities, of sedition, of pillage, of theft with violence, of assisting prisoners to escape, or of
exciting soldiers to treasonable acts, shall be PUNISHED BY DEATH.
In the case of any extenuating circumstances, the culprit may be sent to penal servitude with
hard labour for twenty years.
Article II.—Any person provoking or inciting an individual to commit the crimes mentioned in
Article I. will be sent to penal servitude with hard labour for ten years.
Article III.—Any person propagating false reports relative to the operations of war or political
events will be imprisoned for one year, and fined up to £100.
In any case where the affirmation or propagation may cause prejudice against the German army,
or against any authorities or functionaries established by it, the culprit will be sent to hard labour
for ten years.
Article IV.—Any person usurping a public office, or who commit any act or issues any order in
the name of a public functionary, will be imprisoned for five years, and fined £150.
Article V.—Any person who voluntarily destroys or abstracts any documents, registers,
archives, or public documents deposited in public offices, or passing through their hands in virtue
of their functions as government or civic officials, will be imprisoned for two years, and fined
£150.
Article VI.—Any person obliterating, damaging, or tearing down official notices, orders, or
proclamations of any sort issued by the German authorities will be imprisoned for six months, and
fined £80.
Article VII.—Any resistance or disobedience of any order given in the interests of public
security by military commanders and other authorities, or any provocation or incitement to commit
such disobedience, will be punished by one year’s imprisonment, or a fine of not less than £150.
Article VIII.—All offences enumerated in Articles I.-VII. are within the jurisdiction of the
Councils of War.
Article IX.—It is within the competence of Councils of War to adjudicate upon all other crimes
and offences against the internal and external security of the English provinces occupied by the
German Army, and also upon all crimes against the military or civil authorities, or their agents, as
well as murder, the fabrication of false money, of blackmail, and all other serious offences.
Article X.—Independent of the above, the military jurisdiction already proclaimed will remain
in force regarding all actions tending to imperil the security of the German troops, to damage their
interests, or to render assistance to the Army of the British Government.
 Consequently, there will be PUNISHED BY DEATH, and we expressly repeat this, all persons
who are not British soldiers and—
(a) Who serve the British Army or the Government as spies, or receive British spies, or give
them assistance or asylum.
(b) Who serve as guides to British troops, or mislead the German troops when charged to act as
guides.
(c) Who shoot, injure, or assault any German soldier or officer.
(d) Who destroy bridges or canals, interrupt railways or telegraph lines, render roads
impassable, burn munitions of war, provisions, or quarters of the troops.
(e) Who take arms against the German troops.
Article XI.—The organisation of Councils of War mentioned in Articles VIII. and IX. of the
Law of May 2, 1870, and their procedure are regulated by special laws which are the same as the
summary jurisdiction of military tribunals. In the case of Article X. there remains in force the Law
of July 21, 1867, concerning the military jurisdiction applicable to foreigners.
Article XII.—The present order is proclaimed and put into execution on the morrow of the day
upon which it is affixed in the public places of each town and village.
The Governor-General of East Anglia,
COUNT von SCHONBURG-WALDENBURG,
Lieutenant-General.
Norwich, September 7th, 1910.

there which had been hastily destroyed, and which they repaired with
planks and other materials they brought along with them. They lost a large
number of men in the process, but they persevered, and by ten o’clock were
in complete possession of Howe Street, Langley’s Park, and Great Waltham,
and moving in fighting formation against Pleshy Mount and Rolphy Green,
their guns covering their advance with a perfectly awful discharge of
shrapnel. Our cannon on the ridge at Partridge Green took the attackers in
flank, and for a time checked their advance, but, drawing upon themselves
the attention of the German artillery, on the south end of the knoll, were all
but silenced.
“As soon as this was effected another strong column of Germans
followed in the footsteps of the first, and deploying to the left, secured the
bridge at Little Waltham, and advanced against the gun positions on
Partridge Green. This move turned all our river bank entrenchments right
down to Chelmsford. Their defenders were now treated to the enfilade fire
of a number of Hanoverian batteries that galloped down to Little Waltham.
They stuck to their trenches gallantly, but presently when the enemy
obtained a footing on Partridge Green they were taken in reverse, and
compelled to fall back, suffering terrible losses as they did so. The whole of
the infantry of the Xth Corps, supported—as we understand—by a division
which had joined them from Maldon, now moved down on Chelmsford. In
fact, there was a general advance of the three combined armies stretching
from Partridge Green on the west to the railway line on the east. The
defenders of the trenches facing east were hastily withdrawn, and thrown
back on Writtle. The Germans followed closely with both infantry and guns,
though they were for a time checked near Scot’s Green by a dashing charge
of our cavalry brigade, consisting of the 16th Lancers and the 7th, 14th, and
20th Hussars, and the Essex and Middlesex Yeomanry. We saw nothing of
their cavalry, for a reason that will be apparent later. By one o’clock fierce
fighting was going on all round the town, the German hordes enveloping it
on all sides but one. We had lost a great number of our guns, or at anyrate
had been cut off from them by the German successes around Pleshy Mount,
and in all their assaults on the town they had been careful to keep out of
effective range of the heavy batteries on Danbury Hill. These, by the way,
had their own work cut out for them, as the Saxon artillery were heavily
bombarding the hill with their howitzers. The British forces were in a
critical situation. Reinforcements—such as could be spared—were hurried
up from the Vth Army Corps, but they were not very many in numbers, as it
was necessary to provide against an attack by the Saxon Corps. By three
o’clock the greater part of the town was in the hands of the Germans,
despite the gallant way in which our men fought them from street to street,
and house to house. A dozen fires were spreading in every direction, and
fierce fighting was going on at Writtle. The overpowering numbers of the
Germans, combined with their better organisation, and the number of
properly trained officers at their disposal, bore the British mixed Regular
and Irregular forces back, and back again.
“Fearful of being cut off from his line of retreat, General Blennerhasset,
on hearing from Writtle soon after three that the Hanoverians were pressing
his left very hard, and endeavouring to work round it, reluctantly gave
orders for the troops in Chelmsford to fall back on Widford and Moulsham.
There was a lull in the fighting for about half an hour, though firing was
going on both at Writtle and Danbury. Soon after four a terrible rumour
spread consternation on every side. According to this, an enormous force of
cavalry and motor infantry was about to attack us in the rear. What had
actually happened was not quite so bad as this, but quite bad enough. It
seems, according to our latest information, that almost the whole of the
cavalry belonging to the three German Army Corps with whom we were
engaged—something like a dozen regiments, with a proportion of horse
artillery and all available motorists, having with them several of the new
armoured motors carrying light, quick-firing and machine guns—had been
massed during the last thirty-six hours behind the Saxon lines extending
from Maldon to the River Crouch. During the day they had worked round to
the southward, and at the time the rumour reached us were actually
attacking Billericay, which was held by a portion of the reserves of our Vth
Corps. By the time this news was confirmed the Germans were assaulting
Great Baddow, and moving on Danbury from east, north, and west, at the
same time resuming the offensive all along the line. The troops at Danbury
must be withdrawn, or they would be isolated. This difficult manœuvre was
executed by way of West Hanningfield. The rest of the Vth Corps
conformed to the movement, the Guards Brigade at East Hanningfield
forming the rearguard, and fighting fiercely all night through with the
Saxon troops, who moved out on the left flank of our retreat. The wreck of
the Ist Corps and the Colchester Garrison was now also in full retirement.
Ten miles lay between it and the lines at Brentwood, and had the Germans
been able to employ cavalry in pursuit, this retreat would have been even
more like a rout than it was. Luckily for us the Billericay troops mauled the
German cavalry pretty severely, and they were beset in the close country in
that neighbourhood by Volunteers, motorists and every one that the officer
commanding at Brentwood could get together in this emergency.
“Some of them actually got upon our line of retreat, but were driven off
by our advance guard; others came across the head of the retiring Vth
Corps, but the terrain was all against cavalry, and after nightfall most of
them had lost their way in the maze of lanes and hedgerows that covered
the countryside. Had it not been for this we should probably have been
absolutely smashed. As it was, rather more than half our original numbers
of men and guns crawled into Brentwood in the early morning, worn out
and dead-beat.”

CHAPTER XVII

IN THE ENEMY’S HANDS

We must now turn to the position of Sheffield on Saturday, September 8. It

was truly critical.
 It was known that Lincoln had been occupied without opposition by
General Graf Haesler, who was in command of the VIIIth Corps, which had
landed at New Holland and Grimsby. The enemy’s headquarters had been
established in the old cathedral city, and it was reported in Sheffield that the
whole of this force was on the move westward. In fact, on Saturday
afternoon the head of the advance-guard coming by way of Saxilby and
Tuxford had arrived at East Retford, and during the night the rest of the
main body, following closely on its heels, disposed itself for bivouac in rear
of that sloping ground which reaches from Clarborough, through Grove and
Askham, to Tuxford, on the south.
In advance was Major-General von Briefen’s splendid cavalry brigade,
who, during the march, had scoured the county almost as far west as the
River Rother itself. Chesterfield, with its crooked spire, had been
approached by the 7th Westphalian Dragoons, supported by the Grand Duke
of Baden’s Hussars and a company of smart motor infantry. Finding,
however, that no resistance was offered, they had extended, forming a
screen from that place to Worksop, examining and reconnoitring every road,
farmstead, and hamlet, in order that the advance of the main body behind
them could not be interfered with.
The cavalry brigade of the other division, the Cuirassiers of the Rhine
No. 8, and the 7th Rhine Hussars, scouted along to the northward as far as
Bawtry, where they were able to effect a junction with their comrades of the
VIIth Corps, who, it will be remembered, had landed at Goole, and had now
pushed on.
During Saturday afternoon a squadron of British Yeomanry had been
pushed out from Rotherham as far as the high ground at Maltby, and
hearing from the contact patrols that nothing appeared to be in front of
them, moved on to Tickhill, a small village four miles west of Bawtry.
Unknown to them, however, a force of Westphalian Dragoons, having had
information of their presence, crept up by the lower road through Blythe
and Oldcoats, effectively taking them in rear, passing as they did through
the grounds of Sandbeck Hall.
The Yeomanry, at the alarm, pulled up, and, dismounting under cover,
poured in a rattling volley upon the invaders, emptying more than one
Westphalian saddle. Next instant the Germans, making a dash, got between
them and their line of retreat on Maltby. It was palpable to the officer in
charge of the Yeomanry that he must get back to Sheffield some other way.
It would not do to stay and fight where he was, as there was every prospect
of his small troop being annihilated, nor did he desire himself to be taken
prisoner. His business was to report what he had seen. This latter he was
bound to accomplish at all risks. So, hastily leaping into his saddle in the
middle of a perfect hail of bullets—the result of which was that several
horses went down and left their riders at the mercy of the invaders—the
little band set off to regain their camp outside Rotherham, by the cross-
country roads through Stainton and Braithwell. Here again they narrowly
escaped falling into the hands of some cavalry, who evidently belonged to
the VIIth Corps, and who had come down from the direction of Goole and
Doncaster.
Eventually, however, they crossed the River Don at Aldwark, and
brought in the first definite news which General Sir George Woolmer at
Sheffield had yet received. It was thus proved that the German cavalry were
now within the sphere of operations, and that in all probability they formed
a screen covering the advance of the two great German corps, which it was
quite certain now intended to make an attack upon the position he had
selected for defence.
Night fell. On every road British yeomanry, cavalry, motor-cyclists,
motor-infantry, and independent groups of infantry were endeavouring to
penetrate the secret of the exact whereabouts of the enemy. Yet they found
every road, lane, and pathway, no matter how carefully approached, held by
Germans. Ever and anon, as they crept near the line of German outposts,
came the low, guttural demand as sentries challenged the intruder.
Here and there in the hot night shots rang out, and some daring spirit fell
dead, while more than once a dying scream was heard as a German bayonet
ended the career of some too inquisitive patriot.
Away in Sheffield the town awaited, in breathless tension and hot unrest,
what was felt by everyone to be the coming onslaught. Through the night
the heavy clouds that had gathered after sunset culminated in a terrific
thunderstorm. The heavens seemed rent asunder by the vivid lightning, the
thunder crashed and rolled, and rain fell in torrents upon the excited
populace, who, through the dark hours, crowded around the barricades in
the Sheffield streets. In the murky dawn, grey and dismal, portentous events
were impending.
 Information from the enemy’s camp
—which was subsequently made public
—showed that well before daylight the
advance of the VIIth German Corps had
begun from Doncaster, while along the
main road through Warmsworth and
Conisborough sturdily tramped the 13th
Division, all Westphalians, formed into
three infantry brigades and commanded
by Lieut.-General Doppschutz. The
14th Division, under Lieut.-General von
Kehler, moving through Balby and
Wadworth, prolonged the flank to the
south. The advance of both divisions
was thus steadily continued south-
The Defence of Sheffield. westward parallel to the River Rother,
which lay between themselves and the
British. It was therefore plain that the plan of the senior officer—General
Baron von Bistram, commanding the VIIth Corps—was that the attack
should be carried out mainly by that corps itself, and that strong support
should be given to it by the VIIIth Corps, which was coming, as has already
been shown, from East Retford, and which could effectively assist either to
strike the final blow against our Army, or, keeping well to the south, could
threaten Sheffield from the direction of Staveley.
No one knew what resistance the British were prepared to offer. Full of
courage and patriotism, they were dominated by the proud traditions of
English soldiers; still, it was to be remembered that they consisted mainly
of raw levies, and that they were opposed by a force whose training and
equipment were unequalled in the world, and who outnumbered them in
proportion of about four to one.
What was to be expected? Sheffield knew this—and was breathless and
terrified.
The great thunderstorm of the night helped to swell the Rivers Don and
Rother, and as the invaders would have to cross them, doubtless under a
terrific fire, the battle must result in enormous casualties.
 Early on Sunday morning it was evident that the all-important blow, so
long threatened, was about to be struck. During the night great masses of
German artillery had been pushed up to the front, and these now occupied
most of the dominating hills, commanding not only all approaches to the
British position over the River Rother, but they were even within effective
range of the key of the British position itself.
Hundreds of guns—many of them coming under the head of siege-
artillery—were concentrated a little to the east of Whiston, whence they
were able to pour in an oblique fire upon the defences. This artillery
belonged evidently to the VIIth German Corps, and had, with great labour
and difficulty, been hauled by all available horses, and even by traction-
engines, right across the country to where they were now placed. The
heaviest metal of all had been posted on Bricks Hill, an eminence of some
four hundred feet, immediately above the Rother, and about six thousand
yards from Catcliffe, already referred to as the key of our defences.
Suddenly, at sunrise, a low boom was heard from this point. This was the
opening German gun of the artillery preparation for the attack, which was
now evidently developing, and although the distance was nearly six
thousand yards, yet the bursts of the huge shells were seen to have been
well timed. Another and another followed, and presently these huge
projectiles, hurtling through the air and bursting with a greenish-yellow
smoke, showed that they were charged with some high explosive. No
sooner had this terrific tornado of destruction opened in real earnest from
the enemy, than the field artillery, massed as has already been described,
commenced their long-distance fire at a range of about three thousand five
hundred yards, and for a period, that seemed hours, but yet was in reality
only about fifty minutes, the awful cannonade continued.
The British guns had already come into action, and intermittent firing of
shrapnel and other projectiles was now directed against the German
batteries.
These latter, however, were mostly carefully concealed, effective cover
having, by means of hard spade-work, been thrown up during the night. The
British guns were mostly served by Volunteers and Militia-Artillerymen,
who, although burning with patriotism, were—owing to the little real
practice they had had in actually firing live shell, having mostly been drilled
with dummy guns—utterly incompetent to make any impression upon the
enemy’s lines of concealed artillery.
It was plain, then, that the Germans had adopted the principle of massing
the bulk of the guns of their two divisions of the VIIth Corps at such a point
that they might strike the heaviest blow possible at the defence, under cover
of which, when resistance had been somewhat beaten down, the infantry
might advance to the attack. This was now being done. But away to the
south was heard the distant roar of other artillery, no doubt that of Haesler’s
Corps, which had apparently crossed the river somewhere in the
neighbourhood of Renishaw, and advancing via Eckington had established
themselves on the high ground, about five hundred and twenty feet in
altitude, just north of Ridgeway, whence they were able to pour in an
enfilading fire all along the British position from its centre at Woodhouse
almost to Catcliffe itself. This rendered our position serious, and although
the German guns had opposed to them the southernmost flank from
Woodhouse to Norton Woodseats, yet it was plain that the main portion of
the British defence was in process of being “turned.”
The heavy firing continued, and at last, under cover of it, the rear attack
now began some two hours after the opening of the fight.
The 13th Division, under Doppschutz, were evidently advancing by the
main Doncaster road. Their advance guard, which had already occupied
Rotherham, had also seized the bridge which the invaders had neither time
nor material to demolish, and now swept on across it, although exposed to a
heavy onslaught from that line of the British position between Tinsley and
Brinsworth. Those sturdy, stolid Westphalians and bearded men of Lorraine
still kept on. Numbers dropped, and the bridge was quickly strewn with
dead and dying. Yet nothing checked the steady advance of that irresistible
wave of humanity.
Down the River Rother, at Kanklow Bridge, a similar scene was being
enacted. The railway bridge at Catcliffe was also taken by storm, and at
Woodhouse Mill the 14th Division, under Von Kehler, made a terrific and
successful dash, as they also did at Beighton.
The river itself was about an average distance of a mile in front of the
British position, and although as heavy a fire as possible was directed upon
all approaches to it, yet the Germans were not to be denied. Utterly
indifferent to any losses, they still swept on in an overwhelming tide,
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