Mainframe Enablers TF SnapVX: The EXPIRATION Parameter is Ignored When Specified on a SnapVX ACTIVATE Command

Summary: The EXPIRATION parameter is ignored when an ACTIVATE(CONSISTENT(YES) EXPIRATION(x)) command is issued.

This article applies to This article does not apply to This article is not tied to any specific product. Not all product versions are identified in this article.

Symptoms

After the user migrated from Mainframe Enablers(MFE) v8.5 to v10.1, snapshots were no longer expiring automatically when the EXPIRATION parameter was specified on the ACTIVATE command.
ACTIVATE(CONSISTENT(YES) EXPIRATION(1))  - the snapshot will expire after 1 day.
The automatic expiration worked successfully at MFE v8.5.

If a QUERY SNAPSHOT command is issued against the snapshot device, the Time To Live (TTL) value is displayed as all zeroes indicating that the snapshot does not expire.
09:33:39 ESNP1AAI   00000268(8258) *8258* FFFFFFFF(N/A ) ...... TEST_031324_093311         
09:33:39 ESNP1AAI          UNIQUE TRACKS:                          0000000000                 
09:33:39 ESNP1AAI          SRC MODIFIED TRACKS (UNIQUE+SHARED):    0000000000                 
09:33:39 ESNP1AAI          TGT MODIFIED TRACKS (UNIQUE+SHARED):    0000000000                 
09:33:39 ESNP1AAI          TRACKS TO BE COPIED:                    0000000000                 
09:33:39 ESNP1AAI          TIME TO LIVE DDDD/HH:MM:SS:             0000/00:00:00              
09:33:39 ESNP1AAI          TIME SINCE CREATION DDDD/HH:MM:SS:      0000/00:00:26              
09:33:39 ESNP1AAI          SNAPSHOT ID:                            ADAD0002                   
09:33:39 ESNP1AAI          SECURE SNAPSHOT:                        NO                         
09:33:39 ESNP1AAI          COPY MODE:                              N/A                        
09:33:39 ESNP1AAI          TARGET HOLD:                            N/A

Cause

This is due to a software error.

Resolution

Workaround:
  • The snapshots can be terminated manually using the SnapVX TERMINATE command.
Permanent Fix:
  • For Mainframe Enablers 10.1.0, PTF SNA1019 is available to address the issue. It is available to download from Dell Technologies Online Support.
  • For Mainframe Enablers 10.0.0, PTF SNA0039 is available to address the issue. It is available to download from Dell Technologies Online Support
SnapVX now correctly processes the EXPIRATION parameter and the associated Time to Live (TTL) parameter is populated.

Additional Information

PTF Cover Letters
++PTF(SNA0045) REWORK(2024081) .                               
++VER(Z038) FMID(SSNPA00)                                      
      PRE(                                                     
          SNA0044                                              
          )                                                    
   /*                                                          
*------------------------------------------------------------- 
* PROBLEM DESCRIPTION(S):                                      
* ------------------------------------------------------------ 
* PROBLEM FIXED: MFE-17090                                     
* USERS AFFECTED: SnapVX users                                 
* PROBLEM DESCRIPTION: The EXPIRATION parameter is ignored     
*                      for the ACTIVATE(EXPIRATION(nnn))       
*                      command.                                
* DESCRIPTION DETAIL:                                          
* EXPIRATION is ignored when running the                       
* ACTIVATE(EXPIRATION(nnn)) command to activate non-secure     
* snapshots.                                                   
*                                                              
* PROBLEM RESOLUTION:                                          
*                                                              
* SnapVX has been updated to correctly process the EXPIRATION  
* parameter for non-secure snapshots.                          
*                                                              
* MODULES: EMCQCAPL                                            
*                                                              
* ------------------------------------------------------------ 
* PROBLEM FIXED: MFE-17094                                     
* USERS AFFECTED: SnapVX and zDP users                         
* PROBLEM DESCRIPTION: Excessive SYMDEVICE API calls are       
*                      produced when running the SnapVX/zDP    
*                      UNLINK command via remote syntax.       
*                                                              
* DESCRIPTION DETAIL:                                          
*                                                              
* When running the zDP or SnapVX UNLINK command using remote   
* syntax, excessive SYMDEVICE API calls are produced for each  
* device in the range.                                         
*                                                              
* PROBLEM RESOLUTION:                                          
*                                                              
* SnapVX and zDP have been updated to avoid excessive          
* SYMDEVICE API calls when using the remote syntax.            
*                                                              
* MODULES: EMCQCAPL                                            
*                                                              
* ------------------------------------------------------------ 
* SNA0045 20 Mar 2024 12:51:40                                 
* ------------------------------------------------------------ 
*  OPT Summary                                                 
*  The following OPTs were addressed by this PTF:              
*                                                              
*    MFE-17090  MFE-17094                                      
*                                                              
*------------------------------------------------------------- 

++PTF(SNA1019) REWORK(2024081) .                               
++VER(Z038) FMID(SSNPA10)                                      
      PRE(                                                     
          SNA1015                                              
          )                                                    
   /*                                                          
*------------------------------------------------------------- 
* PROBLEM DESCRIPTION(S):                                      
* ------------------------------------------------------------ 
* PROBLEM FIXED: MFE-17088                                     
* USERS AFFECTED: SnapVX users                                 
* PROBLEM DESCRIPTION: The EXPIRATION parameter is ignored     
*                      for the ACTIVATE(EXPIRATION(nnn))       
*                      command.                                
* DESCRIPTION DETAIL:                                          
* EXPIRATION is ignored when running the                       
* ACTIVATE(EXPIRATION(nnn)) command to activate non-secure     
* snapshots.                                                   
*                                                              
* PROBLEM RESOLUTION:                                          
*                                                              
* SnapVX has been updated to correctly process the EXPIRATION  
* parameter for non-secure snapshots.                          
*                                                              
* MODULES: EMCQCAPL                                            
*                                                              
* ------------------------------------------------------------ 
* PROBLEM FIXED: MFE-17092                                     
* USERS AFFECTED: SnapVX and zDP users                         
* PROBLEM DESCRIPTION: Excessive SYMDEVICE API calls are       
*                      produced when running the SnapVX/zDP    
*                      UNLINK command via remote syntax.       
*                                                              
* DESCRIPTION DETAIL:                                          
*                                                              
* When running the zDP or SnapVX UNLINK command using remote   
* syntax, excessive SYMDEVICE API calls are produced for each  
* device in the range.                                         
*                                                              
* PROBLEM RESOLUTION:                                          
*                                                              
* SnapVX and zDP have been updated to avoid excessive          
* SYMDEVICE API calls when using the remote syntax.            
*                                                              
* MODULES: EMCQCAPL                                            
*                                                              
* ------------------------------------------------------------ 
* SNA1019 20 Mar 2024 12:58:25                                 
* ------------------------------------------------------------ 
*  OPT Summary                                                 
*  The following OPTs were addressed by this PTF:              
*                                                              
*    MFE-17088  MFE-17092                                      
*                                                              
*------------------------------------------------------------- 


Affected Products

Mainframe Enablers
Article Properties
Article Number: 000223170
Article Type: Solution
Last Modified: 29 Jul 2025
Version:  4
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