Integrated File System Introduction

 

Prepare for *TYPE2 conversion

There are several CL commands and parameters that are recommended before you convert to *TYPE2 directories:

• Reclaim Storage (RCLSTG)

  Using the RCLSTG SELECT(*ALL) command before converting any file system cleans up the directories and ensures that the directories are good. While this does not eliminate all possible problems that could be encountered during a directory conversion, it makes sure the directories in the file system can be read.

  This command needs to be run only once before any options of the CVTDIR command are used.

• Save System (SAVSYS)

  A full system save of the iSeries server should be done after performing RCLSTG and before using the *CONVERT option of the CVTDIR command. To back up your system, use the Save menu on the iSeries. To get to the Save menu, type GO SAVE on any command line, and select option 21. For more information, see Backup and Recovery .

  This command needs to be run only once before any options of the CVTDIR command are used.

• The *ESTIMATE option of the CVTDIR command

  Use the *ESTIMATE option of the CVTDIR command to determine the time required to convert your directories.

  In addition to providing time and auxiliary storage estimates, the *ESTIMATE option has additional benefits. It builds some secondary objects associated with *TYPE1 directories, which allows the conversion to run faster (since it does not need to create them). These secondary objects remain in existence until the *CONVERT option is used to convert the file system to the *TYPE2 format. The *ESTIMATE option also reads through all the directories in the file system, which implicitly verifies the directories. The *ESTIMATE option does not guarantee to find all possible errors that could occur during the actual conversion, but it helps.

  After you run the *ESTIMATE option, check for errors in the job log, and perform any recommended recovery actions before you convert the file system. Running the estimate again after performing the recommended recovery actions is not required, but it may be desired in order to verify that no other problems are found.

• Auxiliary storage considerations

  Check the available auxiliary storage for the ASP that contains the file system being converted. The CVTDIR *ESTIMATE option displays message CPIA090, which indicates how much auxiliary storage is available for the ASP. Additionally, it displays the amount of auxiliary storage that is expected to be needed during conversion. Message CPIA091 is also displayed, which indicates whether or not the total size of *TYPE2 directories in the file system after converting are estimated to be larger or smaller than the existing *TYPE1 directories. The available storage in the ASP should be the sum of the unused auxiliary storage (displayed in message CPIA090), and the difference between *TYPE1 directory size and *TYPE2 directory size (displayed in message CPIA091).

  Alternatively, the available auxiliary storage can be found using the Start System Service Tools (STRSST) command and selecting the Work With Disk Units option.

  If there is only one ASP defined on the system, the Work with System Status (WRKSYSSTS) command is sufficient to show available auxiliary storage information.

  It is a good idea to perform general system cleanup before using any of the options on the CVTDIR command. If there are any directories or files that are no longer needed, remove them before using any options of the CVTDIR command. Doing so frees up auxiliary storage space, provides a more accurate estimate of available auxiliary storage space, and allows the conversion to complete in a shorter amount of time because there are fewer objects that need to be processed.

• Consider changing the job message queue full action to *PRTWRAP for the job that is issuing the CVTDIR command. Doing this does the following:
  1. Prevents the job from abnormally ending in the event the job log fills up
  2. Prints any overlaid messages to a spool file if the job log does wrap; therefore, no important messages are lost
• On systems with independent ASPs: Prior to varying on the independent ASP to a system running OS/400 V5R2, use the V5R1 *ESTIMATE function on all independent ASPs. This provides a time estimate of how long the first vary on of the independent ASP will take after the install. See Independent auxiliary storage pools (ASPs) for more information.

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