>On the one hand, you say that the release that 'will be made immediately
>available' (I presume that one that was placed on the ftp site 3 days
>ago) ' contains corrections for all known data movement/reclamation
>problems', but then go on to say ', and an option that will allow
>customers to temporarily disable file aggregation so that tapes can be
>better reclaimed'. Doesn't this suggest that there is still a problem?

The latest PTF corrects data movement/reclamation problems so that files
stored on the server are not further affected by these problems.  However,
this PTF does not contain the utilities that will allow you to identify and
manage any files that may have previously been affected.

>We didn't start running the V3 server until the first fix, that disabled
>reclamation of aggregates, was made available. Should be install this
>latest kit (3.1.1.1)? Should we enable the NOAGGREGATES option? Will
>aggregates then be properly reclaimed (I hope so, we are chewing through
>tapes like crazy, mostly due to this problem).

We strongly recommend that all Version 3 customers apply the latest PTF
as soon as possible because this PTF contains important fixes.  We are
providing this PTF so that customers can have these fixes immediately, rather
than waiting for the reclamation utilities to be available.

The NOAGGREGATES option is intended for customers who have a serious shortage
of tapes.  If you use this option, any new files backed up or archived to your
server will not be aggregated.  When the volumes on which these files are
reclaimed, you will not be left with empty space within aggregates.  The
downside is that these files will never become aggregated, so you will miss the
performance benefits of aggregation for these files. If you do not use the
NOAGGREGATES option, files will continue to be aggregated and empty space may
accumulate within these aggregates; this empty space will be eliminated during
reclamation after you have run the data movement/reclamation utilities.

>You also make a comment that ' The next PTF for all servers will contain
>the utilities and is expected early in the second quarter'. Isn't now
>'early in the second quarter'? Or is there another PTF being made
>available soon (3.1.1.2??)?

We expect to make another PTF available as soon as possible.  This PTF will
contain the utilities for managment of any files that may have already been
affected by the data movement/reclamation problem.  Once you have run these
utilities, reclamation will be able to remove empty space from within
aggregates and the NOAGGREGATES option will be eliminated.

Dave Cannon
ADSM Development