🚀 go-pugleaf

If you get/install VMBACKUP/E you *can* do what you want, with a little
tricky programming.

VMBACKUP/E has another user exit (VMBEXIT5) which is expressly for
determining which tapes are to be used next in a backup job.  These
tapes must still be in that job's tapepool, but that's not too much
of a problem.

In a nutshell, here's how it works.

Stackers are loaded, VMBEXIT5 is enabled.

1) VMB/E requests a tape....

2) VMBEXIT5 is called.
   VMBEXIT5 does a DEFINE 310 181  (310 is vmbackups preferred address etc)
   VMBEXIT5 does a TAPE DVOL1 and traps the VOLSER of the tape in the
            drive
   VMBEXIT5 Returns that volser on exiting so VMB/E requests that tape
   VMBEXIT5 Does a DEF 181 310

3) repeat as neccessary.

I don't have my notes from the user conference with me, but thats basically
how it works.  You might have to use another user exit to do the tape drive
allocation, but that might also be VMBEXIT5 with a diff. calling parameter.

We all thought that was a pretty sneaky method of making the stackers work..
and worthy of a round of applause to the developer that presented it.

This is why VMB/E has the "do not remount tapes" option... it allows
stackers to be used (since they don't back up).

Bear in mind: Tapes written by VMB/E using the "do not remount" option
will be unreadable by another (previous) version of VMBACKUP.

Good luck, let me know if you want me to elaborate... and I'll look
at my notes.

Robert