Use the RCDS command to create a copy of the RCDS that
can be sent (exported) to a remote site and used to update (import)
the RCDS at the remote site, to keep the remote site RCDS in synchronization
with the RCDS at the primary site.
Only RCDS records that are significant to the
remote site are used to update the remote site's RCDS.

Format

>>-RCDS--+-EXPORT--+----+--+--------+-+------------------------><
| '-CA-' '-BACKUP-' |
+-IMPORT---------------------+
'-SPHERES(value,...)---------'

Keywords

- EXPORT
- Specifies that the information, which is stored in the RCDS, is
copied into the SAM data set specified on the DWWCOPY1 DD statement.
- CA
- Optional: Specifies that information related to change accumulation
that is stored in the RCDS (in addition to recovery information)
is copied into the SAM data set specified on the DWWCOPY1 DD statement.
- BACKUP
- Optional: Specifies that information related to backups stored
in the RCDS (in addition to recovery information) is copied
into the SAM data set specified on the DWWCOPY1 DD statement.
- IMPORT
- Specifies that the information, which was previously exported,
is loaded from the SAM dataset specified on the DWWCOPY1 DD statement
into the RCDS.
SPHERES
Specifies the data sets that are included in the EXPORT file which
is used with IMPORT to load a new RCDS. The values in the keyword
specifies the names of the data sets for which the information is
copied. When the SPHERES keyword is specified, all the information
in the RCDS about the datasets that match the value or values in the
SPHERES keyword are copied for information that are specific to the
datasets. All information that are not dataset specific is also copied.
Generic characters can be used to specify the data set names:- ** means that any number of characters can be replaced.
- * means that characters are replaced up to one whole dataset level
but not for two or more levels.
- % means that one character is replaced.
Examples:- **TEST
All data sets which end with TEST, for example; CICSVR.TEST, CICS®.V41.TEST
or TEST.
- TEST**
All data sets which begin with TEST, for example; TEST.CICSVR,
TEST.V41.CICSVR or TEST.
- **TEST**
All data sets which have TEST anywhere in the name,
for example; A.A.TEST, TEST.A.A, A.ATESTA.A or TEST.
- **TEST**CICS**
All data sets which have TEST, before CICS,
anywhere in the name, and then CICS,
for example; TEST.CICSVR, ATEST.V41.CICSVR or TESTCICS.
- *TEST.CICSVR
All data sets which have TEST in the end of the
first level and then CICS VR in the second and last
level, for example; AATEST.CICSVR or TEST.CICSVR but not A.TEST.CICSVR
or TEST.CICSVR.V1.
- TEST.*.*.CICSVR
All data sets which have TEST as the first level
and CICS VR in the fourth and last level, for example;
TEST.A.A.CICSVR but not TEST.CICSVR or TEST.V1.V2.V3.CICSVR
- TEST.**.CICSVR
All data sets which have TEST as the first level
and CICS VR in the last level, for example; TEST.AA.CICSVR,
TEST.CICSVR or TEST.V1.V2.CICSVR
- %TEST%.%%
All data sets which have first level with TEST in
position 2 to 5 and length 6 and a second level with length 2, for
example; ATEST1.V1

Usage notes
Consider these points when
you use the RCDS command:
- To use the RCDS utility, run the CICS VR
module DWWGJCDS.
- You can only have one RCDS command in a single job step.
- You start the RCDS utility by running the required JCL.
- You must specify the SAM data set that contains the output of
the EXPORT or the input for the IMPORT on the DWWCOPY1 DD STATEMENT.
- Before you use the RCDS utility on a remote site, you
need to install CICS VR V4R2 and you must allocate an RCDS.
Keywords CA, BACKUP and SPHERES can only be specified
if the EXPORT keyword also is specified. 
Examples
RCDS EXPORT 1
RCDS IMPORT 2
RCDS EXPORT CA 3
RCDS EXPORT BACKUP 4
RCDS EXPORT CA BACKUP 5
Here is an explanation of each of these RCDS commands:
- 1
- This RCDS command tells CICS VR to copy all the necessary
RCDS information to the SAM data set specified on the DWWCOPY1 DD
statement. The SAMdata set can be sent to a remote recovery site.
- 2
- This RCDS command tells CICS VR to import the information,
stored in the SAM data set specified on the DWWCOPY1 DD statement,
into the RCDS. The information in the SAM data set must have been
created using the RCDS EXPORT command.
- 3
- This RCDS command tells CICS VR to copy information related
to change accumulation, in addition to the necessary recovery information,
from the RCDS into the SAM data set specified on the DWWCOPY1 DD statement.
The SAM data set then can be sent to the remote recovery site.
- 4
- This RCDS command tells CICS VR to copy information related
to backups, in addition to the necessary recovery information,
from the RCDS into the SAM data set specified on the DWWCOPY1
DD statement. The SAM data set then can be sent to the remote recovery
site.
- 5
- This RCDS command tells CICS VR to copy information related
to change accumulation and backups, in addition to the necessary recovery
information, from the RCDS into the SAM data set specified on the
DWWCOPY1 DD statement. The SAM data set then can be sent to the remote
recovery site.
Synonyms
The RCDS Synonyms table provides
RCDS commands or keywords along with acceptable synonyms to use in
place of the commands or keywords:
Table 1. RCDS SynonymsCommand, keyword or value |
Synonyms |
EXPORT |
EX |
IMPORT |
IM |
BACKUP |
BACK |