When you run DFSMSrmm with user catalogs and the DFSMSrmm control data set unsynchronized, DFSMSrmm issues catalog locates as required to check if data sets are cataloged. Catalog locates use the standard catalog search to find if a data set is cataloged. Any data sets cataloged using JOBCAT or STEPCAT might not be found to be cataloged, because the standard catalog search might not find them.

When you enable catalog synchronization, DFSMSrmm synchronizes the DFSMSrmm control data set and available user catalogs. Enabling catalog synchronization is normally a one-time task. Once the catalog status is synchronized, DFSMSrmm continually tracks and updates the catalog status. When you run DFSMSrmm with user catalogs and the DFSMSrmm control data set synchronized, DFSMSrmm does not need to issue catalog locates to find if a data set is cataloged. The catalog status tracked by DFSMSrmm in the control data set is used to determine if a data set is cataloged. When DFSMSrmm tracks catalog status, it does so regardless of whether JOBCAT or STEPCAT is used. During catalog synchronization, DFSMSrmm uses the Catalog Search Interface (CSI) to retrieve data set catalog information. CSI returns catalog information for all data sets in all catalogs that are in or connected to the master catalog. Because of this, DFSMSrmm can detect that a data set is cataloged even if it cannot be found using the standard catalog search.

If you have switched on catalog synchronization, you do not need shared ICF-user catalogs to retain tape data sets as long as they are cataloged. If you have unshared ICF-user catalogs you have to split your daily inventory management. This is because you have to run the expiration processing on each system that has unshared ICF-user catalogs to return expired volumes back to scratch status.

You enable catalog synchronization by specifying the DFSMSrmm EDGRMMxx OPTION CATSYSID operand. When you specify the CATSYSID operand, DFSMSrmm uses the catalog search interface to obtain catalog information used for DFSMSrmm vital record processing. DFSMSrmm performs checking to determine that the catalog search interface catalog environment does not have any errors that might prevent successful processing. DFSMSrmm issues messages EDG2235E, EDG2236I, or EDG2237E when an error is encountered. If you do not specify the DFSMSrmm EDGRMMxx OPTION CATSYSID operand, DFSMSrmm vital record processing uses catalog locates to determine if data sets are still cataloged.

You must re-synchronize the DFSMSrmm control data set and user catalogs under these conditions:

• You ran EDGHSKP with CATSYNCH and VERIFY, and differences in catalog status were found. DFSMSrmm clears the catalog synchronization date and time to force you to run CATSYNCH.
• DFSMSrmm is not active when catalog activity for tape data sets is taking place. DFSMSrmm issues messages EDG8200E and EDG8201E when DFSMSrmm cannot track catalog updates.
• A DFSMSrmm failure occurs during catalog processing. DFSMSrmm issues messages EDG8200E and EDG8201E when an error is detected in processing.
• You connect or disconnect user catalogs (that contain entries for tape data sets) to the master catalog.