An independent ASP cannot be varied on if it contains a spooled
file that already exists on the system or basic user disk pools (*SYSBAS).
For more information, see Printing considerations in
the Disk management topic collection.
Spooled files can be stored in output queues that are located in independent disk pools (also known as independent auxiliary storage pools or independent ASPs).
The creator of the spooled file must make sure the output queue to be selected is on the independent ASP that is wanted. This can be managed several ways such as through the printer file, job attribute, job description, or user profile.
The creator of the spooled file should make sure that a change of the name space (a set of libraries to which a job can resolve) does not occur during the creation of the spooled file. The printer writer must be started from a job with the independent ASP as part of its name space (job was started with INLASPGRP set to independent ASP or user has done SETASPGRP independent ASP to get independent ASP in its name space) in order for the printer writer to use that independent ASP and process the spooled files.
If the name space does change and the independent ASP the spooled file is being created on gets varied off (this would occur if a name space change was made and the reservation on the independent ASP was gone), then put and close errors could occur. This could also contribute to data inaccuracies in spool internal information. These inaccuracies would be fixed when the independent ASP is varied back on. Since the recovery of this condition is done in a background job, users will see some inconsistencies for those spooled files until the QSPMNxxxxx server job is able to finish the operation. If the independent ASP is not varied off, creation of the spooled file should be able to continue without any trouble.
The QSPMNxxxxx job is responsible for clearing unused DB members for deleted spooled files, automatic removal of DB members that have not been reused within the days specified on the Automatically clean up unused printer output storage (QRCLSPLSTG) system value, and movement of stranded spooled files onto the output queue QSPRCLOUTQ in the QRCLxxxxx library in the primary ASP when a damaged output queue is deleted by a user. There is one QSPMNxxxxx system server job for each ASP group that is varied on.
For more information about reclaiming spooled storage space, see Reclaim spooled file storage.
If a printer writer or job ends abnormally and causes a spooled file or output queue to become unusable or left in an unstable state where some operations are not permitted, the independent ASP must be varied off and then back on again. Calling QSPFIXUP will not fix spooled files or output queues on independent ASPs.
Spooled files placed into an independent ASP are automatically detached from the job when the job ends and no spooled files for the job reside in the system or basic user ASPs. You should ensure that all applications make use of the spooled file identity values JOBSYSNAME and CRTDATE, including specific date and time, to prevent duplicate spooled file or duplicate job error messages. Note that when an independent ASP is moved from system A to system B on a fail-over, the spooled files no longer have the original jobs available to them (the spooled files have been detached from the job). When the spooled files are detached, there is no operating system protection from another job starting with same identity as a job that ran on system A.
An independent ASP cannot be varied on if it contains a spooled
file that already exists on the system or basic user disk pools (*SYSBAS).
For more information, see Printing considerations in
the Disk management topic collection.
For more information on working with independent ASPs, see the Independent disk pools topic.
The following CL commands have spooled file in independent ASP limitations related to S/36 support, operational assistant support, and library name space. See the CL command for more information.