Re: Physical Files in QSPL library

[CRPence <CRPbottle@xxxxxxxxx>]

Vinay Gavankar wrote:
> Could anyone tell me what are the Physical files in QSPL library?
> They have names like Q04079N001, Q04079N002, Q04079N003 etc. and
> are huge in size. They are taking up about 8 gb of storage. Are
> those actual spooled files? (There are a lot of spool files in
> out queues, which I need to clean up).

  The physical database file members [as part of the database *FILE 
objects] either store spoolfile data or they are empty storage 
locations for future spool file data on the system.  When the spool 
file is deleted [DLTSPLF], its data will be cleared from the member 
object, thus freeing the storage taken by the data, but maintaining 
the object [and its storage] for another spool file.

  When eligible according to the QRCLSPLSTG system value [or by 
specification on an explicit RCLSPLSTG command invocation], an empty 
member will be removed from the database file.  That empty members 
remain is for performance reasons, because creating and deleting 
objects is /expensive/ as compared to just adding\removing data; 
i.e. excessive reclaim of spool [member] storage impacts performance 
of creating spool files because a new member must be created for 
many spool file open requests versus just using an exiting member 
object.

> Another question is, will a *NONSYS backup, try to backup the
> QSPL library (in which case it is not going to fit on one tape).

  The QSPL##### libraries are not saved as part of any backup 
procedures.  Since some release however, there is a feature to save 
the spool data, but from *OUTQ objects rather than from the QSPL 
libraries.  No user action should ever be performed directly against 
the QSPL##### library objects nor against [nor by placing] any 
objects in a QSPL library.

  So the *NONSYS [and other] backup procedures will not require the 
storage for the QSPL library on the tape *unless* the SPLDTA(*YES) 
option is chosen for SAVLIB to include spool files from *OUTQ 
objects in [pseudo and actual] user libraries.  Even if requesting 
to save spools in the *NONSYS, the spool file data associated with 
output queues located in system libraries [that are not pseudo-user 
libraries] or in libraries named with a Q prefix, will not be saved 
by the *NONSYS backup.

Regards, Chuck