Virtual Storage Access Method (VSAM) is one of the access methods used to process data. Many of us have used VSAM and work with VSAM data sets daily, but exactly how it works and why we use it instead of another access method is a mystery. This book helps to demystify VSAM and gives you the information necessary to understand, evaluate, and use VSAM properly. This book also builds upon the subject of Record Level Sharing and DFSMStvs. It clarifies VSAM functions for application programmers who work with VSAM. The practical, straightforward approach should dispel much of the complexity associated with VSAM. Wherever possible an example is used to reinforce a description of a VSAM function. This IBM® Redbooks® publication is intended as a supplement to existing product manuals. It is intended to be used as an initial point of reference for VSAM functions.

This IBM® Redbooks® publication captures several of the best practices based on field experience and describes the performance gains that can be achieved by implementing the IBM System Storage® SAN Volume Controller V6.2. This book begins with a look at the latest developments with SAN Volume Controller V6.2 and reviews the changes in the previous versions of the product. It highlights configuration guidelines and best practices for the storage area network (SAN) topology, clustered system, back-end storage, storage pools and managed disks, volumes, remote copy services, and hosts. Then, this book provides performance guidelines for SAN Volume Controller, back-end storage, and applications. It explains how you can optimize disk performance with the IBM System Storage Easy Tier® function. Next, it provides best practices for monitoring, maintaining, and troubleshooting SAN Volume Controller. Finally, this book highlights several scenarios that demonstrate the best practices and performance guidelines. This book is intended for experienced storage, SAN, and SAN Volume Controller administrators and technicians. Before reading this book, you must have advanced knowledge of the SAN Volume Controller and SAN environment. For background information, read the following Redbooks publications: Implementing the IBM System Storage SAN Volume Controller V5.1, SG24-6423 Introduction to Storage Area Networks, SG24-5470

MS/VCR provides a fast, reliable facility with high integrity for the renaming and recataloging of data sets on target volumes after a FlashCopy or Snapshot volume copy, solving the cloned data access dilemma. This facility enables the immediate use of the data from the same system as the original copy. MS/VCR resolves catalog conflicts of like-named datasets that are created by "cloning" a volume. It also solves internal conflicts that are created when copying a volume to a different VOLSER. MS/VCR is designed to rename and catalog target volume datasets in record time. The window of time required to copy and rename a target dataset is a critical factor for many customers. This IBM Redbooks publication provides a broad understanding of the MS/VCR product and how to use it in real situations.