Mainframe, MVS and zOS Discussion

Hello.

Is there any way to transmit a VSAM file from one region to other? As of now we repro it to a flat file and transmit (XMIT) the resulted file to other region. In another region we rebuild it. But it's too time consuming with bug files. Can there be an alternate way of doing it?

I assume what you are calling "region" is actually an LPAR. The term "region" in z/OS is used pretty much exclusively to refer to an instance of CICS and only to CICS.

The best way is to unload the VSAM data set (note that files only exist in Unix System Services on z/OS -- all other places, including VSAM, they are called data sets) to sequential, transfer the sequential data set, and rebuild the VSAM data set using a DELETE / DEFINE job. It may -- or may not -- be possible to transfer the VSAM data set by using ADRDSSU; you'd need to work with your site support group to do that. One of the issues is that DF/DSS (ADRDSSU) back up / dump data sets have special formatting and hence are not that easy to transfer from one LPAR to another.

Thanks. We kept on doing it like that. But I just read that we can use NDM for transferring the VSAM, have someone used it ?

NDM has been called Sterling Connect:Direct for a number of years. Yes, it can be used to transfer the data set. However, it is NOT part of z/OS and requires additional payment to IBM (they bought Sterling a while back) to use the product, so not all sites have it available. If your site has it installed, then you have access to the manuals (actually, IBM makes the manuals available through their web site whether or not you have the product installed), so you can read them to find out how to use the product. Our site does not have the product installed, so I defer to others for usage questions on Connect:Direct.

In one fo the shops I worked with we used Sterling Connect:Direct (back then NDM) to transfer the VSAM data-set from PROD to TEST. It was used for test purpose and there were . some "in-house rules" to follow before we could transfer the data. If you've Sterling Connect:Direct installed, as Robert has referenced to, look in to the online manuals (QuickRef if installed) or ask around in your company to follow the process. Usually it has a user interface in the form of ISPF panel; batch interface is available though.