IBM's Device Support Facility (ICKDSF) is the utility used to install, initialize, and maintain IBM DASD. It can be run as a standalone job or under a system such as MVS or CMS.

Locating the ICKDSF Program

An IPLable version of the Standalone ICKDSF program is present on two separate tapes in the Disaster Recovery Lock Box.

1. The first is a tape for the ICKDSF Stand Alone product (IBM Product Number 5747-DS1). The first physical file on the tape contains an IPLable image of the ICKDSF program.

2. The second is the first tape volume of the VM/ESA Starter System. The first physical file of Tape Volume 1 contains an IPLable image of the ICKDSF program, immediately followed by an IPLable version of the DDRXA program.

Running Standalone ICKDSF

To run the Standalone ICKDSF program, mount the tape on an available tape drive and IPL the system from that device. DSF can run from any IBM System/370 or System/390 in ESA, XA, or 370 mode, in either native or LPAR mode. ICKDSF supports a service call logical processor (SCLP) or any console compatible with the IBM 327X as its console. If the system is in 370 mode, the tape device and IPL console must be on the same IPL processor.

Standalone ICKDSF interprets the first interrupt it receives as the console device. Therefore, you must disconnect or disable any device other than the console that can generate an interrupt before IPLing ICKDSF.

The procedure for starting ICKDSF is as follows:

1. IPL the tape. ICKDSF goes into a wait state when the IPL process is complete.

2. Press the Request or Enter key from the console. The following message is displayed:

   ICK005E DEFINE INPUT DEVICE, REPLY "dddd,ccuu" or "CONSOLE"
   

3. Enter the word CONSOLE and press the Enter key. Then the following message is displayed:

   ICK006E DEFINE OUTPUT DEVICE, REPLY "dddd,ccuu" or "CONSOLE"
   

4. Once again, enter the word CONSOLE and press the Enter key.

5. ICKDSF may require you to enter the current date and time if it finds the CPU TOD clock in error.

You are now ready to enter ICKDSF commands from the console.

INSTALLing a DASD Device

Before using a newly installed IBM DASD device, you must run ICKDSF INSTALL on the device. The command for doing so is:

INSTALL UNIT(unitaddress) NOVERIFY

Please note that this process can take up to an hour per device. Since the Standalone version of ICKDSF can process only a single command at a time, it is advisable to use it only for the few devices needed to get a running operating system such as MVS or VM. Then use the multitasking capability of that operating system to run ICKDSF INSTALLs in parallel for the remaining DASD devices.

INITing a DASD Device for MVS

The initialization process for an MVS DASD volume results in the resetting of Record 0 on every track on the volume (effectively erasing the volume), writing a volume label, and writing a VTOC and VTOC Index. The command for doing so is:

INIT UNIT(unitaddress) VOLID(volumeserial) NOVERIFY -
  OWNER(UNIVARK) VTOC(cylinder,head,extent) -
  INDEX(cylinder,head,extent)

Suggested parameters for the VTOC are starting cylinder 0000, head 1, and an extent of 0044 tracks. Suggested parameters for the VTOC Index are starting cylinder 0003, head 0, and an extent of 0005 tracks.

Initializing a DASD Device for VM

The initialization process for a VM DASD volume results in writing a volume label and dummy VTOC, formating the volume for use by CP, and setting the CP allocation parameters for the volume.

The commands for initializing a CP volume are as follows:

CPVOLUME LABEL UNIT(unitaddress) VOLID(volumeserial) NOVERIFY

CPVOLUME FORMAT UNIT(unitaddress) VERIFY(volumeserial) -
  MODE(ESA) NOFILLER

CPVOLUME ALLOCATE UNIT(unitaddress) VERIFY(volumeserial) -
  MODE(ESA) TYPE((type,start,end),...)

The LABEL command writes a volume label and dummy VTOC. The FORMAT command formats the volume for use by CP. The ALLOCATE command sets the types and locations of CP areas present on the volume. The parameters you use for type are as follows:

All CP allocated spaces except for PERM space must be formatted with the CPVOLUME FORMAT command (specify the starting and ending cylinders of the space in the RANGE parameter).

CPVOLUME FORMAT UNIT(unitaddress) VERIFY(volumeserial) -
  MODE(ESA) NOFILLER RANGE(start,end)

Documentation

Documentation for the ICKDSF program is available in the IBM manual Device Support Facilities User's Guide and Reference (GC35-0033). This manual is available on CD-ROM in the Disaster Recovery Lock Box (IBM Online Library: Storage Systems and Device Support Facilities Collection Kit).

Additional details on this process are in the VM/ESA Installation Guide (SC24-5748) in section PART 2 (VM/ESA System DDR Installation). This manual is also available on CD-ROM in the Lock Box (IBM Online Library: VM Collection).

Copyright © 1997 University of Arkansas
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