MFE SCF: z/OS FlashCopy Error ADR935W FAILURE OCCURRED WHILE ATTEMPTING TO PERFORM FAST REPLICATION FOR DATA SET dataset ON VOLUME volser, Error '0F85', SRDF/A inconsistency

Article Number: 000184928

MFE SCF: z/OS FlashCopy Error ADR935W FAILURE OCCURRED WHILE ATTEMPTING TO PERFORM FAST REPLICATION FOR DATA SET dataset ON VOLUME volser, Error '0F85', SRDF/A inconsistency

Summary: Note: This KB contains 2 related issues. Issue 1: FlashCopy fails with error ADR935W FlashCopy fails with warning message ADR935W when the FlashCopy target is a SNAPVX source SNAPSHOT or zDP VDG source Snapset device. This is not a problem, this is the normal behavior. Issue 2: SRDF/A secondary inconsistency occurs SRDF/A secondary inconsistency will occur if the SRDF/A source device is a FlashCopy target and FlashCopy is not blocked. If FlashCopy if blocked, SRDF/A secondary consistency will be maintained. FlashCopy will be blocked if the FlashCopy target device is also a SNAPVX source device. ...

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Symptoms

Issue 1 - Symptom:
FlashCopy is blocked and ends with warning message ADR935W when the FlashCopy target is a SNAPVX source SNAPSHOT or zDP VDG source Snapset device. Important: This is not a problem, this is the normal behavior.

ADR935W FAILURE OCCURRED WHILE ATTEMPTING TO PERFORM FAST REPLICATION FOR DATA SET dataset ON VOLUME volser DIAGNOSTIC INFORMATION: 00001E19-08040F85

Issue 2 - Symptom:
SRDF/A secondary inconsistency occurs if the FlashCopy target is an SRDF/A source device and FlashCopy is not blocked.

Important: SRDF/A secondary consistency will be maintained when FlashCopy is blocked. FlashCopy will be blocked if the FlashCopy target is also a SNAPVX source device.

Cause

Issue 1 – FlashCopy fails with ADR935W:
This failure is normal behavior when FlashCopy is blocked.
FlashCopy will be blocked when the FlashCopy target device is a SNAPVX source. When this occurs, ADRDSSU will perform the copy function using host I/O.

When the SNAPVX snapshots are subsequently removed by the user from these devices FlashCopy can run using fast replication methods without the user's knowledge.

Changes in the environment can possibly cause FlashCopy behavior to change which can cause problems without the user's knowledge.

When FlashCopy is blocked an error record is written to the z/OS logrec. This FlashCopy error record is written to indicate that FlashCopy was blocked. This is normal behavior.

The error reason code 85 is defined in the IBM documentation
System Data Mover Return and Reason Codes
as; -

(X'85') FlashCopy target device in conflict with Copy Services status (XRC or PPRC).

Note: The Diagnostic information for reason code 85 is misleading as it only references IBM copy services and doesn’t include DellEMC products.

This error is reported when the FlashCopy target cannot be used because it is already a SNAPVX SNAPSHOT source.

The FlashCopy target cannot be a SNAPVX source.

Issue 2 – SRDF/A Secondary Inconsistency:
SRDF/A Secondary Inconsistency will occur if FlashCopy target devices are also SNAPVX source devices and FlashCopy is not blocked..

Resolution

Issues 1:
Do not use a device for a FlashCopy target if it is also a SNAPVX source or zDP source device.

Issues 2:
To avoid SRDF/A secondary inconsistency, a FlashCopy target must not be an SRDF/A source device.

Changes in the environment can possibly cause FlashCopy behavior to change which can then cause problems without the user's knowledge. For example, Adding or removing SNAPVX sessions on devices that are FlashCopy target devices can possibly change the FlashCopy behavior. When SNAPVX snapshots exist on the FlashCopy target, FlashCopy will be blocked.

FlashCopy may or may not run as expected depending on the environment and parameter settings.